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Retro revival
Old is new again when it comes to building and decorating – just add a high-tech twist
WORDS DANIELLE TRAN
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ORANGE
THEN Until the 1960s it was impossible to buy good orange paint. The hippie era saw brown, musty green and rustic red highlighted with sunshine orange. Repeated cube and circle motifs appeared on walls, sofas and curtains with splashes of orange on lamps, cushions and benchtops. But by the late ’70s it was relegated to the uncool colour chart.
NOW The versatile characteristics of orange offer a burst of colour or warm ambience. Taubmans colour editor Zinta Jurjans Heard says the appeal is that it’s a challenging, dominating colour and we can’t resist being drawn to it. “Burnt oranges complement neutral tones and khakis. They add warmth and create a cocoon feel.” Wattyl spokesperson Sue Rennett predicts, “Trends for 2008 will see oranges leaning toward orange-based reds and browns, and caramel tones with a touch of shimmer will be popular.” |
PLASTIC FURNITURE
THEN The new open-minded thinking of the 1960s inspired the Modern Movement, which used technology and moulded plastics to design new styles of futuristicinspired furniture. Some was considered quite shocking as, to that point, furniture had always been crafted from timber.
NOW Man-made plastic furniture is durable, light, stackable and comfortable. Formal shapes in informal technicoloured plastic are multi-functional and space-conscious. Jarrah Daniel from Space Furniture says, “Plastic continues to reinvent itself with designs in translucent and metallic finishes. One new design is a clear plastic dining chair that accentuates the fluid characteristics of plastic. Environmental factors will impact on design so recycled plastic and plastics created without oil will be explored.” |
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LAMINATE
THEN Laminate was invented in 1909, at Westinghouse, and used in the manufacture of electrical appliances and radios. In the ’20s, patterned paper was added as the top layer.
Laminate was used on cabinets in barber shops, beauty salons and kitchens in the ’50s. The solid colours and visible black seams where the pieces joined eventually sent it out of vogue.
NOW Laminate is scratch-resistant, long wearing and seamless. The materials and textures make it a contemporary favourite as designs mimic slate, granite, limestone, stone and marble, at a tenth of the price of the natural material. Lorraine Brigdale from Laminex says laminate “provides
homeowners with the chance to showcase their own interpretation of the latest styles. Soft, elegant patterns with sophisticated colouring that looks like stone are emerging.” |
SYNTHETIC GRASS
THEN Artificial turf came to prominence in 1965, when AstroTurf was used in the Astrodome baseball stadium in Texas. It was briefly a novelty choice for tennis courts and croquet lawns, but developed a bad reputation almost as soon as it was released as it quickly became worn out and shabby. However it remained the favoured material for welcome mats for more than a decade.
NOW We want lush, green lawns but live with the challenge of water conservation. Advances in design have produced new artificial grass surfaces that, from a distance, are indistinguishable from the real thing. Bill Rorke from Pro-Tech says, “The appeal of synthetic grass is that it’s neat, and saves time and
money because there’s really no maintenance. Artificial turf has come into its own with the current water shortages and restrictions. It’s guaranteed to give you the greenest grass on the block.”
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Last Updated: 2008-06-26 00:00:00.0
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