Dream of the 80s

The ‘noughties’ kicked off with a 1980s electropop renaissance – and the looks that went with it have lasted.

Stylist Kate Alexander of Places and Graces got a little nostalgic and built this throwback palette in colours that still look just as hot today as they did then.

There were many influences that came together in the design aesthetic of the 80s. Some looks of the were a bit over the top, but the aesthetic was also fun and stylish. Movies, music and fashion in the 80s were more fun, light-hearted and sentimental then in previous years and these pop culture elements created a collective look and a buzz that defined the era for many of us.

In a decade famous for big hair, bright colours were even bigger. The notable Italian movement, Memphis Design, screams 80s with its sculptural furniture, fabrics, ceramics, glass and metal objects with a postmodern aesthetic that draws on elements of Art deco design, pop art, asymmetry, bold graphic shapes, primary colours. Although many found the look bizarre, it has recently been resurfacing in designer showrooms.

A simple setup like this one with retro-contemporary statement furnishings – like the Hewitt Armchairs and Pegg Stools from Freedom Furniture as well as the Pilastro Stool from Kartell, which has been used as a side table – gives a nod to the Memphis Design movement and are given plenty of space to shine by the minimalistic Resene Sea Fog walls and flooring. Canary yellow like the Resene Honeysuckle stripes on the wall, electric aqua like Resene Yes Please on the stool, Kelly green like Resene Away We Go on the plant pot, and pop pastel pink like Resene Princess on the pendant lamp all have an undeniably 80s flair to them and each look completely at home in the space thanks to the parrot print by Margaret Petchell. The faded blue of the quilted Mulberi cushion and the natural fibre floor rug and provide some balance and grounding to keep the vibrant colours from overpowering.

Paint: Walls: Resene Sea Fog with stripes in Resene Honeysuckle. Floor: Resene Sea Fog. Peg Stools: Resene Honeysuckle, Resene Alabaster, Resene Yes Please, Resene Away We Go and Resene Princess. Pendant Lamp: Resene Princess. Picture Frame: Resene Alabaster.

Accessories: Pilastro Stool from Kartell, Margaret Petchell Hendrikse Parrot art print from Endemicworld; Hewitt Armchair, Pegg Stools and Albion Floor Rug from Freedom Furniture; Mulberi cushions (quilted is in Atlantic Blue and pintucked is in Virginia Citrus) from Furtex; Deco Plant Pot (originally pink, painted Resene Away We Go) from Kmart; Pulp brand green suede heels from Hannahs.

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2019