Designer Terence Conran’s home in the late Eighties
(Picture: Rex Features)Cast your mind back 30 years (or give it a quick Google), do you remember the oh-so-cool interior aesthetic adopted by designers, artists and architects from the early ‘90s through to the early noughties?
If you need a memory-jog; look at Terence Conran’s apartment by the Thames or designer Ilse Crawford’s early work in her Sensual Home book, plus design books such as Small Lofts, Ancient + Modern, old copies of World of Interiors, evenIKEA and Habitat catalogues from the time.
Design hallmarks of the decade straddled modernism and artfully curated collections of objects, often in a muted colour palette, with accents in chrome, leather and light wood.
Signature ‘90s styles such as stainless steel kitchens and wide tapered lampshades on tall metal bases are feeling fresh again and Isamu Noguchi’s Japanese paper lights have never been more appealing, especially after his recent Barbican Centre exhibition.
Whether you remember the look from the first time around or not, we’ve rounded-up a few design classics that – unlike inflatable chairs and feature walls – won’t date.
First up, SCP’s iconic Balzac armchair (from £2,976) was designed by Matthew Hilton in 1991 and its curvaceous shape looks just as relevant today, for an entirely different look, Terence Conran collected antique cane bentwood chairs and this Thonet rocking chair (£494 from Vinterior) is incredibly similar to the styles he had dotted around his Shad Thames flat.
Flatweave kilim rugs in muted colour palettes were often spotted on floors and cushions in photography from the time and these were versatile pieces used just as frequently in bohemian lofts as in all-cream Victorian terraces.
Try Alaturca via Etsy for a selection of cushion covers made from vintage kilim rugs (from £22.40) and Weaver Green for a modern take on a traditional flatweave design (£510 for 240x170cm) that looks like wool but is made from recycled plastic fibres, making it washable if needed.
Lighting design is a key element to recreating the ‘90s loft look and we love Noguchi’s iconic paper lights for a warm and cosy feel, the Akari 9A floor lamp (from £589) is as much a decorative piece for a dark corner as it is a light source.
Lastly, no desk was complete without a chrome or silver-toned task light and a classic design that’s stood the test of time is the Artemide Tolomeo Micro in aluminium (priced at £233).
