Madonna, Flock of Seagulls and Pat Benetar come to mind when the 80's are mentioned. Big hair, neon colors, skinny jeans and leather are a few trends that signify this era. There are many elements to incorporate when designing a space with the 80's theme: colors, fabrics, furniture, and accessories are just a few that will help the rocker shine through in any space.

Colors - Colors for the 80's were very contrasting. Hot pink and black, neon yellow and purple, neon blue and electric green were just a few hip combinations. When it comes to choosing a color palette for your space think bold, bright and contrasting. A great base color for your walls would be anything in the range of white to black. The color range can be from muted white to smoky gray. This color palette will be a great backdrop for the vibrant, neon colors used to accent. If you choose black, be careful to make sure that your room is large enough to avoid closing in the room to appear smaller. With that in mind, don't be scared to go with black walls in a large room because there are many ways to soften the black with furniture and accessories.

Fabrics - Fabrics for this era were on the lighter side. It was common to see swooping tapestries and bellowing drapery. Since the color palette chosen for this space is harsh and contrasting, soften the edge with light linen and cotton materials. You want as much natural light as possible to shine through when deciding on your drapery. If you have a gray colored wall, try adding sunshine yellow sheer draperies to brighten up the space by allowing natural light to shine through.

Furniture - Furniture should be playful in this space. Simple clean lines will keep the geometric feel that the 80's style captured. If you have a gray wall and billowing sunshine yellow drapes, add a charcoal black or crisp white micro suede couch. Both selections will have a dramatic touch and help pull the room together. Finally, go ahead and add neon pink, yellow and green throw pillows and your straight from the 80's.

Accessories - Tacky is good when it comes to the 80's. Bright neon contrasting colors and a white shag area rug would be perfect for the 80's feel. Accessories made of plastic or acrylic with shiny surfaces fits in well here. You can find acrylic flowerpots and picture frames in a multitude of bright colors to accommodate your 'valley girl' style. Mix up the textures by using a lacquer finished table with a micro suede couch to show contrast and not make your space feel too cold.

Keeping these elements in mind will capture the remnants of the 80's style for your room. Now, go ahead and tease your big hair and watch Breakfast Club in your 80's space!