Since March 2020, your “home” has become more of a multipurpose center for school, work, and play than just a place to eat or sleep. Now, your family’s new reality and the need for functionality have dictated the design; however, as social distancing becomes less prevalent, you find yourself wondering: how do I want my post-Covid home to be?

Nowadays, you still desire sleek finishes and high-end appliances, but rustic decor might seem monotonous (and at times frankly boring). Even if you don’t have a project, you know two things: 1) you want your home to be up-to-date and beautiful, and 2) you want to feel comfortable.

And, above all, you want a positive post-pandemic space filled with happy memories: so, how do you achieve this concept? Fortunately, there is a new trend we are seeing everywhere in 2022 and it will likely continue into 2023. Its name? Newstalgia.

WHAT IS NEWSTALGIA?

Not to be confused with cottagecore (the beloved folk and quaint decor trend), Newstalgia is all about renewing retro furnishings and decorations with contemporary accents and new technologies. The idea is that it is something new that harks back to your past, giving you the warm feeling of nostalgia with the comforts of modernity; the term can be attributed to both furniture and fashion and music.

In the design world, think of Newstalgia as an aesthetic that takes the retro and modernizes it with luxury finishes and cutting-edge technology, becoming current and evocative. Still can’t imagine it? Here’s an example: a mint green Smeg kettle resting on a marble countertop, a set of Cesca chairs around an industrial-style table.

This trend is driven by the desire for every object in your home to have character and reveal something about you and your interests. That’s why you can give the green light to recycled, antique, or used furniture that has a story to tell; likewise, minimalism will prevail as a key for current and future interior design. You understand well that the concept of decluttering is now more important than ever: curious to achieve a newstalgic look in your home? Here are four simple ways to replicate it.

Newstalgia: how to recreate it in your home

Pair antique items with new accessories

The somewhat modernity-driven craze of the last decade can be mitigated by the addition of antique items, more refined, skillfully integrated into the design mix. In the photo above, for example, a set of very modern living room chairs is elevated by the surrounding decor full of references to the outside world and natural finishes. The final look falls somewhere between the ’90s shabby chic and luxury farmhouse. Bonus point: it’s not bad at all to think that many of the antique items in this trend are reused thanks to an environmentally friendly design choice.

Incorporate items with a history

We believe that interiors with new furniture and decorations will inevitably have to coexist with older items; we will see a mix of new furnishings with collectible items that have more soul. Think of a 1920s grand piano, colored wine glasses, or a rattan bookshelf paired with some current decor trends (for example, modern organic or japandi), and you’re on your way to perfecting a space where old meets new.