If you were born before the 1980s, then chances are you will look back at this bold era through neon-tinted glasses. The unmistakable 80s aesthetic was big, bright and brash—qualities that were reflected in the decade's distinctive home décor too. From chintzy florals to graphic patterns and sleek Miami Vice-style living rooms, click or scroll on to take a stroll down memory lane and check out these sentimental 80s home trends that Generation X will remember fondly. 

Dark wood panelling on walls paid homage to a Mid-South cabin trend that exploded in the US during the 80s. The warm and natural tones created the ideal backdrop for cosy plaid sofas, mahogany furniture and crochet cushions and throws. Recognise this typical 80s family living room? It's the set of the Netflix throwback show Young Sheldon, set in 1989. 

Founded in 1964 by British businessmen Noel Lister and Donald Searle, Mullard Furniture Industries became known as MFI Furniture Warehouses in 1971. By the 80s, the giant was the largest flatpack furniture retailer in the UK, so there probably wasn't a home in the nation that didn't include a piece of their iconic furniture. 

Mirrors were a hallmark of the 80s and the bigger the better. Ceilings, walls, cabinets—there wasn't a surface left out to maximise the sense of space in the era's busy schemes. Remember the floor-to-ceiling mirrored wardrobes with sliding panels? They were super beneficial as they created the illusion of a brighter, larger room while offering plenty of storage space too. Perhaps it's time for them to make a comeback...

Glass blocks were so chic! Think back to glamorous 1980s TV shows like Miami Vice and Dallas, which had room sets filled with them. The decorative building material had form and function. Glass block walls were used as permeable room dividers that allowed in plenty of natural light—they were particularly popular in bathrooms. 

Coloured bathroom suites were fashionable in the 80s but 'Avocado' was the shade that smashed it. Accompanied by patterned and textured wall tiles, this time-warp bathroom belongs to renovation influencers @athomewiththesays. Rather than rip out the overripe suite, they've embraced it with a retro bathroom makeover that showcases the nostalgic vintage style. 

Frilly sofas, swag-draped curtains, oversized bedspreads—we just couldn't get enough of that shabby chic floral vibe back in the 1980s. Homeowners of that decade embraced co-ordinating prints across their upholstery and soft furnishings, often in busy patterns and loud floral motifs.

The 80s was a boom time for technology in the home. Our houses were filled with big boxy record players, cassette players and VHS recorders. Thank goodness we had all that MFI furniture to house all our new gadgets! This cutting-edge teenage bedroom was featured in The Complete Book of Home Design by Mary Gillian in 1884 and shared on Instagram by @the_80s_interior.

lovePROPERTY asked 1980s kids what they remembered most about their homes in the 80s. The humble gas fire won by a landslide. It seems evenings spent in front of these electronic-ignition gas fires, with their iconic glowing grid bars, are what warms our nostalgic hearts the most. 

Based on the same design as a supermarket shopping trolley, the minimalist metal 'Moment' sofa from IKEA was an instant success in 1985. The futuristic and affordable furnishing was a hit in design-forward homes of the time and was often teamed with its cousin, the 'Guide' bookcase, which featured bright, primary-coloured trims. 

No modern condo or apartment was complete without a run of vertical blinds mounted in front of the patio doors. Made from durable vinyl and connected with plastic beads, they created a more homely vibe than the classic aluminium design typically used in offices. Paired with curvaceous rattan furniture and palm prints, the look was positively tropical. Check out the popcorn-effect ceiling here too!

Decorative brickwork was a fashionable feature on walls, fire-surrounds and kitchen breakfast bars everywhere. But rather than authentically exposed bricks, budget-friendly faux blocks, sometimes made from polyurethane, were glued onto surfaces instead. Our love of smooth finishes and minimalism soon made this look obsolete.

Remember the over-stuffed armchairs with a handle that popped up the footrest? The US is the king of comfort and home to brands such as La-Z-Boy and Barcalounger, which made these luxury chairs famous. Almost every home—and TV show living room set—in the nation had one. They were usually the prime spot for kicking back and relaxing with a TV dinner. 

Can you believe that back in the 80s we felt spoilt for choice with just four TV channels? We loved to sit together on our velvet or plaid sofas, engrossed in prime-time TV on a Saturday night. A certain generation will never forget those iconic shows such as The Golden Girls, Cheers, The Wonder Years and Dallas. Channel changing was far more physical then too, as the remote control wasn't a common fixture in our homes until the 2000s. 

Designed and produced by the Johnson Brothers, the Eternal Beau collection was introduced in 1981 and instantly became extremely popular. The quintessentially English pattern featured a pretty ribbon print entwined with a trail of delicate flowers. The unique eight-sided china dinner service went out of fashion in the 2000s and was finally discontinued in 2013.

A staple 80s kitchen look was undoubtedly cherry or honey-hued cabinets. They looked ultra-contemporary at the time, combined with black faux marble worktops and a trendy breakfast bar. This red-tiled splashback brings out the wood's warm yellow hues and creates the perfect excuse to throw in a matching red appliance or two. 

Floor coverings were anything but shy in the 1980s. Colourful carpets were the go-to design choice if you wanted to make a statement in your home back in the day. In this space, a vibrant dark orange carpet adds character against coordinating peach walls and a floral-print sofa set. 

Corner bathtubs were all the rage in the 80s. Add in whirlpool Jacuzzi bubbles and you were living in high-end luxury with your own spa-style space. Chanelling a tropical paradise, this scheme, featured in Beautiful Home in 1986 and shared via @the_80s_interior, comes complete with a soft, if somewhat unhygienic carpet.

Wallpaper trends in the 80s were all about the decorative border, which added yet another layer to the era's typically busy schemes. Plus what a genius way of covering up any wallpaper mistakes. Don't banish this old-fashioned embellishment away in a time capsule just yet. Wallpaper borders are back in a big way, with brands such as Studio Atkinson and Woodchip & Magnolia reimagining these 80s staples.

Memphis Design was a postmodernist movement that started in 1981 in Milan, Italy, spearheaded by a collective of designers. The bold decorative style was colourful, vibrant and angular, emphasising bold patterns, abstract designs and geometric shapes. The polarising movement was devoured by the young and hip, offering a counterpoint to the more conventional flowers and frills of the era.

Perhaps a step forward from classic chintz, floral prints turned homes into romantic retreats, made popular by the rise of oversized flowers and every shade of pink. The secret was to match curtains, wallpaper, lampshades, cushions and bed linen, in an enveloping coordinated scheme. This bedroom from a 1985 home catalogue features a wall-to-wall 'Country Roses' pattern that was a signature of the style. 

With so many Pierrot Clown ornaments or Lilliput Lane houses to display, every home needed an elegant wooden cabinet with glass-fronted doors to show them off. But one piece of mahogany-toned furniture was never enough. Rooms were maxed out with matching pieces such as dining tables and chairs, coffee tables, lamp stands and even picture frames, all in the same shade of rich cherry wood. 

As well as glass bricks, glass surfaces in general were fashionable in the 1980s too. Glazed coffee tables, TV units and dining tables were seen as futuristic and stylish additions to a living room. This image from a 1980s IKEA catalogue showcases a pair of glass-topped tables, accentuated by reflective metal-framed chairs. 

Thanks to pop stars like Madonna, Wham and Whitney Houston, neon hues were everywhere in the 80s. Even the Top of the Pops logo was a fluorescent neon sign, so it's no surprise that neon production surged in this vibrant era, as we filled our homes with glowing, luminescent signage.

Athena went from a humble poster store in London during the late 60s to a high-street empire in the 80s, selling millions of designs across the UK. Favourites included a black and white photograph of a baby staring up at a muscular man, named 'L'Enfant', 'Tennis Girl' and countless prints of pop stars and iconic movies. 

Do you remember what bedrooms looked like when you were growing up? Motif and novelty bedding was certainly celebrated—favourite characters and TV and movie franchises taking over our bedrooms included Care Bears, Rainbow Brite, The A-Team, Star Wars and ThunderCats. Popular amongst older teens was Pierrot Clown, a monochrome pantomime character reproduced across an array of soft furnishings and china. 

SodaStream has been around for more than 100 years. However, the carbonated drinks maker got 'busy with the fizzy' during the 80s with branded flavours including Tizer, Vimto and Sunkist. Creating your favourite fizzy drinks at home with just water from the tap was practically magic—entertainer Tommy Cooper even said so in one of their commercials! 

Woodchip wallpaper is a throwback from the 70s—it was used as an affordable alternative to plasterwork that also covered up cracks and uneven surfaces. It's famously a nightmare to remove, so our homes were adorned with this textured, wood-fibre paper for much of the 80s as homeowners opted for the easier option and painted over it, rather than stripping it. 

Rotary dial telephones were a staple accessory in almost every home during the 80s. Mounted on a kitchen wall or positioned on a hallway table, they were always flanked by a thick catalogue phonebook. Many households drew up family rotas to share talk time as there was only one phone line per household. If you were lucky, you might have had a novelty hamburger phone or perhaps a plastic red 'Hot Lips' phone in your bedroom. 

Remember that familiar smell of fryer oil as chips sizzled away in a metal basket on the hob? While chip pans were a popular kitchen accessory, frequent instances of chip-pan fires soon made them home hazards and led to their demise in domestic settings. Fires were so common that celebrity chef Keith Floyd released a public information film in 1990 explaining how to put out a chip-pan fire with a damp tea towel. Crucially, you should never throw water on a chip-pan fire.

Today, louvre designs are more commonly associated with stylish, Mediterranean-inspired window shutters. Inexpensive and offering handy ventilated through their slats, they were especially popular in the 80s, when louvre doors were used across fitted wardrobes, kitchen cabinetry and airing cupboards. 

Loved this? Take a look at more retro homes and vintage interiors