Are Retro Homes the New Beige/Wabi Sabi in the Singapore Design Scene?

Is old the new ‘new’?

Even if you haven’t had your ear to the ground for interior design trends, you probably have seen a bunch of creamy wabi sabi homes on your social media feed. You know the look – beige/neutral colour palettes, with textured walls and natural materials adding depth.

However, as dominant as this look has become, we’ve noticed a different style quietly gaining popularity. Retro-inspired homes – old school teak furniture with bold colours and patterns – are slowly becoming more and more common.

But does that mean we’ll be seeing these types of interiors reach the same level of trendiness as wabi sabi homes have? Here are our thoughts:

What does retro interior design entail?

At its core, retro homes draw inspiration from past eras of interior design, typically from the 1950s to the 1990s. But we don’t mean recreating a specific period down to a T – rather, it takes certain elements from these eras and weaves them into contemporary spaces.

These elements include:

• Furniture with tapered or rounded silhouettes
• Warm wood tones like teak
• Bold, contrasting colour palettes
• Different patterns and prints
• Geometric shapes

Note that, in retro design, there isn’t a specific or set look. A mid-century modern home can look and feel very different from one that is inspired by the vibrancy of 1980s design, which gives homeowners the freedom to interpret the style as they like.

Why are retro homes becoming more popular?

After years of seeing neutral, textured homes, it’s no surprise that many homeowners are getting tired of the look. While such spaces are calming and visually arresting, the understated look can feel like it’s done at the expense of personality – which isn’t helped by the numerous homes with similar colour schemes and features.

So, perhaps the rise of retro-inspired homes is akin to an antithesis to these looks. Rather than being limited by a ‘safe’ set of guidelines, this style gives homeowners more freedom to play around with different shapes, colours, and even different eras of retro design, thus allowing them to pick features that truly reflect their preferences.

That being said, with more homeowners beginning to embrace retro design, certain patterns are already starting to emerge, which begs the question if they’re at risk of becoming as common (and perhaps even predictable) as neutral wabi sabi homes have become.

Will retro homes become as common as wabi sabi homes?

As retro interiors become more popular, it’s natural for more homeowners to gravitate towards the look and pick out elements or features that they like. Over time, these choices become repeated across different homes and create a trend/pattern that becomes prominent across social media.

When it reaches this point, it normally takes away the uniqueness and appeal. But we think that retro design is the exception – compared to wabi sabi style, which has a stricter set of design guidelines, it’s much more flexible and allows room for the homeowner to interpret the style in a way they like.

Sure, there’ll be similar elements across these homes – like teak furniture with tapered legs, bright splashes of colour, or geometric shapes. But the sheer variety of designs and permutations gives homeowners the freedom to play around with different elements, thus making it hard for two homes to look the exact same.

So, are retro homes the new beige/wabi-sabi?

In our opinion, we don’t think retro homes will reach the same level of virality as beige/wabi sabi homes. While popular, they appeal to a more niche crowd, and since they draw inspiration from different design eras, the nostalgic charm may not feel as timeless as a neutral, pared-back space.

This diversity is also the reason why you won’t see similar retro-inspired homes plastered across social media. With different influences and ways to interpret the style, it’s less likely that they’ll converge into a single, recognisable look the way wabi sabi interiors have.

That said, we also believe that you shouldn’t design a home based purely on aesthetics. Trends are best treated as inspiration or reference points – the most important thing is for your home to be designed around the way you live and other long-term considerations.

If you’re looking for someone who can do just that, we can help you connect to 3-5 experienced and reliable interior design firms. Simply fill out the form below and we’ll find the best matches for your budget and lifestyle needs – free of charge!