How To Get Retro Looking Wood Flooring

Retro is hot right now. In interior styling, it is arguably one of the most popular trends with certain consumers. From clothing to cars and mopeds to furniture; retro is HOT. Retro as a term refers to styling that was ‘in vogue’ anything between 70 years ago and only 30 or so years ago, so it’s quite a broad concept. Often confused with antique and vintage, retro is a subject that can be puzzling, so in this article we thought we’d attempt to de-mystify the notion as well as giving you some ideas on how you can achieve retro looking wood flooring in your home.

Defining the terms

Antique is a term that commonly refers to a “work of art, a piece of furniture or decorative art that was made at least a 100 years ago”. Vintage on the other hand refers to items that are at least 20 years old, but could be significantly older. In fact, many purists suggest that for something to be truly vintage it should be at least 50 years old. As a design or styling term, retro is often defined as a word that describes something that is currently “out of style” in the present day. This could mean that anything that’s about 20, 40 or 60 years out of date might easily be included in this trend. It’s for this reason that retro is so very popular: it’s highly accessible, reasonably affordable and is a flexible notion that you can adapt to your own taste.

If you’re planning a retro interior, getting the backdrop to your room right is essential. Wood flooring is a great retro flooring option.

Once you have your flooring sorted, you can concentrate on your walls, furnishing and finishing touches. The great thing about retro is that it gives you complete freedom to mix and match or to stay loyal to one single style; the choice very much is yours.

Here are some Retro Styling Ideas that we think will help you plan your new interior:

1. Pick your period and try to stick to it. Retro works really well where everything, or pretty much everything that you introduce into your room comes from roughly the same era. Like most things in life, stuff that was made at a similar time tends to go together better than a mix of periods. Unless of course you have a real eye for putting together an eclectic look that “just works”!
2. Sniff out lighting to add a great finishing touch. No matter whether they’re reproduction or original, the right finishing touches to a retro room make a huge difference. Big lampshades, wall lights and even floor standing lamps are in high demand, but if you’re lucky you’ll pick up these retro style items at the right car boot sale or on the likes of eBay.
3. Sunburst mirrors are a must in certain retro rooms, as are retro clocks and even pop art. No matter what you choose, take your time to get your collection together and be patient. Rushing retro shows and it will work a whole lot better if you shop around, compare and contrast as well as plan and perfect.
4. Look at everything around you. There are plenty of retro images and options around us all the time. Seek out magazines, museums, cafes, restaurants and retro events to give you ideas. Don’t be too much of a slave to your style, but stay as faithful as you can and you’ll get a great end result.

If you’d like help to create the right backdrop for your retro room, why not get in touch? At Wood and Beyond we’re always happy to help and to share our ideas!