60s Interior Design: Decorating With Flower Power
Peace, love, design.
Trend experts predict that 2026 will be the year of 60s revival in the interior design world. Explore the key elements of 1960s interior design and how you can transform your home into a retro retreat to stay on trend.
60s Interior Design Basics
Interior design in the 1960s was defined by spaces that blended bold futurism and playful nostalgia. Furniture was inspired by mid-century modern design and featured clean lines and low-profile silhouettes that prioritized functionality. Abstract and geometric patterns gave these spaces their distinctive retro vibe while the vibrant color palettes created an energetic environment. The layouts of 1960s rooms were open and conversation-oriented, while the details like shag rugs, sculptural lighting, and pop art references captured the creativity and cultural change of the decade.
Tip!
60s interior design overlaps significantly with retro and mid-century modern styles. Read our related guides What Is Retro Style? and Mid-Century Modern Design to explore the differences.
How to Create a 60s-Inspired Design
1. Create an Intentional Color Scheme
60s interior design features saturated warm tones like burnt orange, red, mustard yellow, and cool hues like turquoise, lime green, and purple to create colorful, vibrant spaces. Color drenching was a popular trend at the time, with that decade boasting floor-to-ceiling monochromatic rooms. Or lean into the creativity of the time and layer accent colors for a complex color scheme that feels nostalgic but energetic.
Embrace the creative and hyper-stylized elements of 1960s interior design with statement furniture. A bulbous sofa and rounded accent chairs will bring a space-age feel to your 60s-inspired living room and create a striking focal point in an open layout. Solid-colored furniture will stand out against busy patterned wallpaper and geometric area rugs to ground your space, or serve as a pop of unexpected color in the room.
The 1960s aesthetic combines sleek lines and streamlined designs with unexpected curves and abstract shapes to give a busy but balanced feel. Brighten any room with a statement chandelier that features a glamorous sputnik silhouette. Tables with abstract bases and chairs with round bases are functionally space-saving while also being stylish and unique to make a room feel effortlessly elevated.
Designing a 60s-style home requires thoughtful selection of materials to capture the vintage charm of the aesthetic. Shiny chrome finishes, soft velvet or corduroy upholstery, and intricate tiling add ample texture and visual depth to 1960s-inspired rooms. In a kitchen, pair different tile patterns with sleek metal hardware, colorful cabinetry, and statement barstools for a retro feel that’s reminiscent of a 1960s diner.
To complete the 60s aesthetic, choose nostalgic accents that exemplify the creative energy of the decade. When added to your 60s-inspired furniture, disco balls, retro radios, and funky picture frames feel playful and intentionally styled rather than chaotically cluttered. Consider combining floral and geometric patterns in your decor for a subtly mismatched aesthetic that’s totally groovy.
