The Bold and Loud Decade
The 80s were a different time altogether. Loud prints, large furniture, bright colours—everything was bold and statement-worthy. The style of this decade was so iconic that many of these things are making a comeback now. Here are a few household staples everyone had back in the 80s.
VCR & VHS Movies
The Netflix and chill-ing kids of today will not understand the struggle to rewind s VHS tape to watch the movie again. Nor will they appreciate the effort of having to go to the video store to get a movie you want. Truly, those were simpler times.
A Rubik’s Cube
If you think fidget spinners are good, you have never used a Rubik’s cube. This simple toy, which took off in the 80s, was not just a fidgeting cure; it was a stimulating, one-player game whose rules changed every single time.
Boom Box
(Mostly) Portable and definitely a statement, boom boxes were powerful stereo systems that became a staple among teenagers in the 80s. In fact, they were so appealing that holding a boom box under your girlfriend’s window as a declaration of love is a go-to move for many boys till this day.
Microwave Cookbooks
Microwaves were not invented in the 80s, but they became a kitchen mainstay during the decade. As such, publishers saw an opportunity and started releasing cookbooks on how to make the most of your new machine. Anyone who grew up back then will remember such staples as microwaved mug cakes and mac and cheese.
Popcorn Popper
For those who didn’t have a microwave, you could still make popcorn using popcorn poppers. Whether it was air-popped or a standard hot-oil popper, these gadgets (and the tasty treat they made) became a staple for every movie night.
TV Trays in the Living Room
Yes, there were dining tables and study tables in every home, but these make-shift, foldable TV Trays were the spot where most people ate their dinner or did their homework. Sitting down to dinner without having the TV running in the background was almost impossible.
Trivial Pursuit
Before the internet and video games, there were board games. Nearly every home in the 80s had a shelf full of board games for all ages. The most popular among them was Trivial Pursuit, a trivia game released in 1981. As the decade wore on, this game became a sign of its time.
Fake Fruit in a Bowl
Your loud and colourful home decor of the 80s would not be complete without a large bowl of colourful fake fruit. Since real fruit caught dust and flies easily, these replacements, usually made from plastic or wax, were a staple dining table decor item back in the day.
Wood Grain Alarm Clocks
Now, you can only find these in shady, decrepit motels, but back in the day, this alarm clock was the one almost everyone woke up to. Its warm, wooden texture was a grounding look amidst all the colour and chaos of the decade’s design.
Bulky Home Stereo Systems
If you had guests over in the 70s, you put on a record. If you had guests over in the 80s, you played your tunes on the stereo system. Although pale in comparison to today’s surround sound systems, this is what got any party started.
Kitchen Witches
For some, it was a quirky decor item, for others, it was genuinely a doll to ward off evil spirits. These small (often handmade) dolls were hung from the ceiling beams above stoves in the hopes that their presence could ward off any ba juju simmering over the chilli pot.
Answering Machines
Back in the days of landlines, this was how you made sure you didn’t miss any important messages. It helped callers leave messages on a tape recorder that the owner of the machine could then play back to know which calls he missed.
Tupperware
Yes, we have Tupperware today, but this is THAT specific Tupperware, the one with the white emblem outside and a sunburst pattern on the lid. They came in every bright colour under the sun and were a defining feature of any 80s kitchen.
Magazine Holders
If you lived in the 80s, magazines were an irreplaceable form of entertainment, and magazine holders were where you stored your monthly copies of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, or Esquire. Having them built into the end table became a fixture of living room furniture in the decade.
Candy Dishes
Raiding Nanna’s candy dish when you went to see her is a cherished memory for many who grew up back then. It didn’t matter if the candy was cheap or old; the fact that she had a dish waiting was what mattered. These colourful little dishes were a staple in many elders’ houses back then.
Teddy Ruxpin
If you had children in the house, this talking bear was their constant companion. Teddy Ruxpin was a first-of-its-kind teddy bear that came with a cassette player tucked in its back. Although such toys are a dime a dozen today, back then, it was considered the peak of toy innovation.
Nintendo or Atari
No, this was not just for children. If you were a video game addict in the 80s, chances are you had either one (or both) of these Japanese gaming systems. This was, after all, the start of the video game era when Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Duck Hunt were the most sophisticated games around.
Cabbage Patch Kids
Remember when people thought these were an investment? Yes, well, that’s because in the 80s, these little dolls were EVERYWHERE. Even those without kids bought a couple of them to resell. Sometimes, they even led to physical altercations (and we went to repeat this cycle with Beanie Babies in the 90s).
Encyclopedia Sets
Before Google, books were where you got all your information. And if you could afford it, you could get it at home through encyclopedia sets. And if the information in them was out of date, well… tough luck.
Waterbeds
If you were a high schooler with a waterbed, chances are, you were one of the “popular kids”. Originally invented as a physical therapy device, they slowly trickled into homes across the United States. Even though they were a chore to maintain, these float-worthy beds were everywhere back then.
Huge TV Consoles
Large, bulky, incredibly heavy, and usually surrounded by some sort of intricate woodwork, TV consoles in the 80s were no joke. Today, the most advanced TVs can be mounted on the wall, but back then, TV consoles were not just entertainment; they were living room furniture.
Giant Wooden Fork & Spoon in the Kitchen
These used to be to the 80s what the “Live, Laugh, Love” sign is to the 2010s, a giant declaration of warmth and welcome (and a gaudy piece of kitchen decor). But like most things, their popularity eventually faded at the end of the 80s.
Ashtrays
At the start of the 1980s, when about 30% of adults in the US were smokers, having ashtrays lying around seemed almost necessary. Whether you used them yourself or they were reserved for guests, colourful glass ashtrays became an essential decor item across homes in the decade.
