What we love about a contemporary interior with a retro twist is that they work so well in tango with one another. In our eyes injecting vintage-style touches can be the cherry on top for a contemporary design. This approach to design gives a nod to the past, e.g most commonly the 50s, 60s or 70s through mid-century modern shapes, finishes, and materials, and embraces the now! This leads us on to introduce our third and final design in our exciting three-part collaboration with Pepper Sq. Our contemporary retro dining room has been named the ‘Ethereal Illusion Dining Room’ by Pepper Sq. If you missed the first designs, our ‘Cool Cocooning Lounge’, check it out here or our ‘Easeful Bliss Bedroom’, check that one out here!
As part of creating this space, designers Amelie & Charlie have again used predominately Pepper Sq furniture pieces to create their vision of a retro, inviting, understated dining space with clean lines and added warmth. A space which ultimately, they could imagine enjoying one of their greatest pleasures in life, a good meal with family and friends!
So, if you’re a bit a retro fan yourself, this one might speak to you. If so, read on as we break down the look and products shown…
A Contemporary Retro Dining Room
Photo Credit: Topology Interiors in collaboration with Pepper Sq
What sets the tone for this subtle retro look is predominately down to a few key tips…
Statement Lighting
In nearly all retro interiors, you will find statement lighting with a soft glow. Task lighting in particular works very well when trying to achieve this look, so you will notice we have added soft yet dramatic staggered pendant lighting above the dining table. We had a bit of a crush for these wall lights and felt as though the pop of brushed brass really elevated the retro-contemporary feel we were looking to achieve here, especially when combined with the other elements and in contrast to the black accents.
Layered Textures & Materials
Velvet fabric, especially in a rust tone, exudes a retro feel. Additionally, you’ll see we have layered other materials within the design which have a mid-century feel, namely ratan and walnut wood.
Clean Soft Lines
Lastly, all the items of furniture here have clean lines which ensure this design feels sleek and refined and allows for the retro accents to really pop!
The paint colour is a warm neutral. We would also describe it as a versatile shade that works as such a fabulous backdrop here in a space with bold clean lines. ‘Portland Stone Light’ is a paint we regularly like to use at Topology and it does well here to help add a very subtle warmth to a space.
As often is the case here at our studio, we recommend painting the architrave and door, as well as the skirting boards, all in the same colour. It’s one of our favourite top tips here at Topology and what we do across all projects as it adds a touch of sophistication to a space and really helps to bring a colour to life, thus creating the perfect backdrop.
The ‘Ethereal Illusion Dining Room’
Now for the products! Be sure to avoid the trap of shopping for different products from the same range and look for products, art, soft furnishings which are all unique but have a common thread linking them together.
1. Pendant Lights 2. Wall Lights, 3. Dining Table, 4. Dining Chairs, 5. Lamp, 6. Console Table 7. Mirror
Shop The Look
Styling, the final stage, and the cherry on top of a design. Style this look by incorporating the following products for added comfort and texture, bringing your space to life
Enjoy shopping! This post was as part of our collaboration with Pepper Sq but as always we never recommend brands that we don’t absolutely love or trust!
