Colours of the 1980s

Pac Man video games, Walkman radios, boom boxes and personal computers coincided with the end of the Cold War, hard rock, heavy metal and ‘glam rock’ music with the bizarre makeup and glitter and – the ultimate luxury – carpet in the bathroom and toilet. Women had big hair, even bigger shoulder pads in their ‘power dress’ suits and casual clothing embraced ripped jeans, crop top sweatshirts, neon bright clothing, leg warmers and head bands lots of lyrca and Aviator sun glasses.

Along with watching Halleys’ Comet and Michael Jackson’s Moon Dance and doing a lot of jazzercise people got in touch with their creative side and stencilled and sponged, stippled and rag rolled their walls. Wallpaper featured chevron waves, diagonal stripes, bamboo foliage and kitchens were pale grey, white, silver and red.

› Information thanks to Carolyn Atkinson.

Bright colours of the era were (from the BS5252 and Multifinish collections):

Clear mid tones appeared, in colours such as:

Neutrals were featuring more beiges and greys and peachy creams, such as:

August 24, 2013

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