12 Outmoded Features of 1980s Homes—and How to Modernize Them Today

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Say Goodbye to Your 1980s Decor

Whether or not you want to believe it , the 1980s now belong to a bygone era — though your home base may still bear the stylemark of the decade ’s typical figure trends . If this is the case , your habitation is delinquent for a more contemporary makeover .

We ’ve foregather a list ofoutdated design trendsfrom the ‘ LXXX that you could restore yourself or with the assist of a declarer . From simple trace like a saucy coat of blusher to more intricate design shift , the beauty of these updates is that they can be tailored to your budget , schedule , and skills . Here are 12 menage features from the 1980s that date your home and how to doctor them .

1. Sunken living room

recessed livelihood roomsused to be a great entertaining space . In these space , the living way ’s floor level is lower than the rest of the home , with steps leading down into it . They became conversation pits and formal area for hosting .

overtake the pattern of the place with advanced furnishing and interior decoration to make it more contemporary . If it still feels too retro , you’re able to farm the storey to be even with the rest of the home ( though it ’s pricy ) .

2. Intercom

Before smart home system , intercomswere an fantabulous direction to speak with family members in other areas of the base .

Nostalgia can be entertaining , but if the intercommunication system is out of commission , it ’s time to get it out of sight . The simplest direction to treat with an antediluvian intercom is to cover it with a house painting , bookshelf , china hutch , or something else . Otherwise , you could take out it from the rampart and sate the hole , induce it expect like the intercom was never there .

3. Veined marble surfaces

Veined marble surfaces covered walls as permanent decorative accents — ordinarily found in kitchens and furniture pieces . Though some still find these airfoil beautiful , they can age a dwelling ’s artistic .

To cover the veined marble surfaces cheaply , apply a key — like epoxy — that will bond to the marble . You may remove the marble all , but it will be a more costly fix , and the adhesive may depart some damage behind .

4. Mirrored closet doors

Mirrored closet door are helpful if you have limited quad for a full - duration mirror , but they can situate your home ’s fashion in the geological era of Members Only jackets .

Thankfully , switch the doors is comparatively wide-eyed , and it often takes a couple of hours and minimal tool . install a elementary bifold doorcreates an evergreen plant aesthetic . If you ’re more tricksy than handy , cover up the mirror with vinyl radical — a square colouring or a bespoke figure .

5. Wood paneling

Wood paneling can make a home seem dark-skinned and uninviting . Thankfully , it ’s easy to update to transform these panel and brighten your house .

The well-situated upgrade is topaint the wood paneling . If you need the panel to disappear , add some wallboard chemical compound into the lines and cracks , then sand it smooth once dry .

6. Brightly colored toilets, tubs, and sinks

Colorful bathroom are the career card of 1980s decor . This decade was notorious for having matching sump , bathtub , and stool in colouration like yellow , pink , immature , or blue .

If matching privy fixtures are too much of an eyesore , you have some choice to pay back it . The most price - effective style is to paint the tub or dip with a paint intended for these fixtures , such as thistub and tile refinish kitat The Home Depot . Otherwise , replace the colorful fixtures with modernistic alternative ; hire a contractor if needed .

7. Decorative brickwork

Brickwork is beautiful if done right , but some 1980s brickwork does not stomach the test of time . Many homeowners prefer to fix this aesthetic by painting over the exposed brick , often with a version of white . The lighter gloss lighten up the elbow room and add a modern farmhouse , contemporary , or ratty chic manner .

8. Colorful carpets

Homeowners in the 1980s loved adding gloss and visual intrigue to their floors with decade - defining carpets . Many manufacturers advocate supervene upon your carpeting approximately every 10 yr ; if you have carpet from the ’ fourscore , you ’re delinquent for a change . Now is the time to remove them and replace it with modern carpet or hard flooring .

9. Decorative wallpaper borders

Wallpaper is making a comeback ( again ) ; however , the wallpaper borderline that adorn your wall in the 1980s have outworn their welcome . We ’ve got you report for thebest elbow room to remove wallpaper — yield you a blank canvass for a style upgrade . you’re able to comprise a new wallpaper trend , like an accent wall , or paint the walls instead .

10. Louver doors

Louver room access are a distinct style known for their work up - in horizontal slats , designed for ventilation but which can be a pain in the neck to keep clean . Depending on their aesthetic , they may make your sign of the zodiac reckon more unsophisticated than advanced .

One upgrade choice is to paint them with a advanced chromaticity , like a blue - green precious stone tone . fall in the slats , these are a little cunning to paint , so you may opt to supercede the doors totally or cover the slats like Jenna Lafevor fromRain on a Tin Roof .

11. Metallic finishes

Metallic finishes were quite democratic and modern in the 1980s . Now , the metal might be more of an eyesore than an component of futurist conception . Rather than replace every metallic - eat up object in your home , a prompt and easy localization is to paint the metal using apaint that properly bond to the metal . Always consider the type of metal you plan to paint , as fireplaces ( or other heated metal pieces ) will needheat - secure pigment .

12. Brass hardware

In the ’ fourscore , brass hardware was everywhere . Kitchens , privy , and bedchamber all used brass . supercede outdated computer hardware is one of the elementary DIY activities almost every householder can do . For handles and drawer pulls , you have to unscrew the erstwhile ones and supercede them with hardware that suit your modern aesthetic . Replacing kitchen or bathroom faucet is slightly more involved than replacing hold , but you caninstall a spigot by following our tutorial .

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