Top tips for embracing retro style in your bedroom
Whether it’s vinyl, comic books, movies, Pokémon, or art deco riling up your retro cravings, bringing these elements into your bedroom is a fantastic way to scratch the itch and give your space bags of character.
The only challenge is balancing everything and ensuring your retro picks don’t turn your bedroom into a big kid’s space or man cave.
For instance, you can embrace periods like art deco without problems, but throwing up lots of posters is way over the top for an adult bedroom.
The best retro bedrooms combine modern and retro elements—think bold colours, timeless furniture, and quirky styling that form a base for memorabilia and collectables.
Find our top tips for retro style below.
Start with your bed frame
Regardless of the collectables, your bed frame choice is crucial to anchoring your design and ensuring your space looks good.
The best way to pick a bed frame for a retro bedroom is by colour. Ask yourself: what colour bed frame will work best with your collectables?
Yellow is a fantastic pick with something like the Milan Bed Company Ashbourne (pictured above) if you have a colourful theme for anime or 70s style.
Black is a more neutral option for modern themes—the Birlea Farringdon works great with high ceilings, while the Birlea Grande is ideal for a 90s vibe.
Pictured: Birlea Grande 4FT 6 Double Bed Frame Black. Priced £570 (Save £228 on RRP)
Pictured: Birlea Farringdon 4FT Small Double 4 Poster Metal Bed Frame. Priced £301 (Save £127 on RRP) Available from Bedstar.
But our favourites for a retro theme are bed frames with a rattan headboard like the Birlea Leonie – you just can’t beat the charm.
Pictured: Birlea Leonie 4FT 6 Double Rattan Bed Frame – Black. Priced £604 (Save £244 on RRP) Available from Bedstar.
Dedicate some collectables space
Your collectables need some space, and the best way to achieve that is with a specific spot, like a wall or a corner, for a bookcase.
You can hang vinyl records in frames on the wall, and the same goes for trading cards, comic books, and posters.
Physical items can sit on stands on bookcases, or you can hang some shelves on the wall, freeing up floor space for other bedroom furniture.
Pictured: Willis Gambier Ivory 8 Drawer Chest. Available from Bedstar.
Decorate with patterns
White walls have their place to make small bedrooms look bigger and feel airy, but adding patterns is an easy way to ramp up your retro vibes.
Geometric shapes, florals, psychedelic swirls, and classical patterns can give your bedroom a retro vibe and evoke a specific era, such as the 40s or 60s.
Wallpaper is best for patterns, and you can extend those same patterns to your curtains and bedding, although solid colours here will help prevent pattern overload.
Retro lighting
Lighting fixtures are fantastic for retro style because they are noticeable – switch them on, and they transform your bedroom’s ambience instantly.
LED light strips are perfect for underneath furniture and tabletops, while lava lamps are a great retro alternative to lampshades.
But your ceiling light can have the biggest impact – consider replacing your standard pendant light with a flush or semi-flush retro number.
Textures and upholsteries
Textures can also help your bedroom feel retro by adding depth to your patterns, colours, and interesting collectables.
Chunky knit textures are synonymous with the 1990s, while silks, satins, and microfibres are more modern options for curtains and bed throws.
Look for ways to add texture to rugs, placemats, wall décor, bedding, and even your bed (an upholstered bed is perfect for this).
Summing up
Retro character is a fantastic styling motif for your bedroom but take care not to overdo it and create a childish space.
You can embrace your inner geek with a dedicated space for collectables and keep the rest of your bedroom neutral with clever patterns and colour choices.
Try to keep everything harmonious and use lighting to highlight focal points like your bed, dressing table, and reading nook (if you have one).
