Last Updated: April 9, 2025 by Michael Kahn. Published: April 9, 2025.
About twenty years ago, wallpaper in the style of the ’60s and ’70s was associated with fussy grandmas and haunted houses. Today, retro wallpaper underlines personal taste and gives a place of historical depth.
So, yes! There is a place for retro wallpapers today and multiple ways to use them.
In this article, we’ve collected the key things you need to know about retro wallpaper and how to use it in 2025’s home design.
What is retro wallpaper?
Retro wallpaper, not to be mixed with vintage wallpaper, is a reproduction of the design trends of the past. Usually, people refer to the mid-20th century when speaking of retro wallpaper, although sometimes the term is used to describe the reproductions of wallpaper produced in the 20s or 30s.
Retro wallpaper is not about the mere reproduction of historic patterns; it sometimes presupposes the reinterpretation of past-era motives. For example, such designs may contain elements of the Warhol-styled psychedelic flowers or some oriental motives that were so popular in the 1970s.
How retro wallpaper is different from vintage wallpaper?
Unlike retro wallpaper, which is produced now, vintage wallpaper refers to items made in the past. So, with vintage, we speak about pieces factored 20, 30, or more years ago.
Naturally, they are very scarce, quite pricey, and, since they lack modern production techniques, more complicated to use.
Usually, retro wallpaper is used for artwork or creating accent elements.
Since they are challenging to obtain, they are collector pieces and are not necessarily used for practical design.
Why will retro wallpaper find its way back into our lives in 2025?
Three things make retro come back. They are:
- A feeling of the quality able to withstand the time
- Nostalgia for personal past or romanticism for the gone epoch
- A desire to stand out.
By our nature, people love strong and lasting things. So, we have an inborn respect for things that stood strong through times all the weathering, and managed to make their way into our lives today. These refer to the retro wallpaper styles and patterns that still work as a strong style statement, like the mini black dress in fashion or the dark glasses of Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast and Tiffany’s”
For some people, retro styles or their elements refer to a sentimental longing for a happy period in someone’s past, like their childhood. In the other case, the feel may be brought up by the fascination for the last time, like Art Nouveau romantics.
Jennifer Barger from The Washington Post thinks retro wallpaper has come back into style, along with macramé hangings and Mad Men-era furniture. People love retro, for it allows them to be different and connect with the vibe of the past era.
Yet, feeling unique is also important. Tania Bobrinskoy, owner of the tiny custom wallpaper studio in New York, once said, “Everything now is so standardized, but at home, you can let your fancy go.”
How do you use retro wallpaper in your home design?
You can use wallpaper to create a time capsule or recreate some experiences of your past, or you may address the bright nature of most retro wallpaper designs and develop elements that accentuate your designs. Here are the three main uses:
As a part of the full-retro interior of your room
In this case, you have to consider the style compatibility of your wallpaper, furniture, and accessories. Combining your walls’ full retro style with culturally inappropriate furniture may add some style dissonance.
As an accent element of your room design
In this case, retro wallpaper is used to make an accent wall or corner in your room. It can also be used to break your room into function zones. For example, you can separate the dining zone from the living room.
As a piece of décor
Retro wallpaper, especially those in the style of the 1970s, will make a great decoration for a modern interior. You can use it to decorate furniture, such as bookshelves or cabinets, on both the front and back sides. It can also be used to create accent elements like paintings.
Custom-made retro wallpaper
Before styling your home with retro wallpaper, select the design.
Today, various print variations are available in brick-and-mortar and online stores. Yet, the right piece can also be prepared on demand.
According to Bobrinsky, people love to personalize retro wallpaper by following samples and patterns from their past: “Clients commissioning reproductions usually send crumbling wallpaper swatches, photographs, and samples from the room’s original colors”—or anything they have left from their favorite designs.
By creating a replica of your favorite design, you can benefit from the quality of modern materials and the variety of fabrics and sizes.
When done correctly, retro wallpaper in your apartment will add a unique feel and historical depth to your place. Retro wallpaper is a great start to designing a concept that will speak with your visitors without words.
Summing up
Although some may be surprised, retro wallpaper has a place in 2025, and there are multiple wonderful ways to use it. As a benefit, you’ll get the timeless chic of the past epoch combined with the durable quality of modern technology.
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Whether she is researching the latest trends in home decor, life-changing destination getaways, or the best way to maintain your finances, Dewey takes pride in leaving no stone unturned. She is passionate about distilling and delivering high-quality information that you can use to upgrade your life.
