apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

It's bad enough that some of the bad 80s fashions are back in vogue...now decorating? Is this really a trend?....I certainly hope not!

while I personally wouldn't want to live with those rooms I'm impressed with how she pulled it off: putting so many things together. I love the color range. I'd rather see it in a painting than a room. But it sure is juicy!!! Something has got to give when gustavian modern and mid century modern get tired. People will have to try something new, and here's the proof.

I cringe in horror whenever I see that wallpaper in the last photo. Everything else in the room looks great*. I can think of a million prints that would have looked awesome. Instead it just looks like my Great Aunt Louise circa 1984. Ugh.



*I say that, but then I remember Kelly's $2000 metal spike ball "sculptures" and I question people's sanity. So maybe not everything.

Barf! That is EXACTLY what I said when I saw Kelly's spread in my new issue of Domino..... it looks like the 80s just hurled all over the pages of my favorite magazine. Dare I say Kelly's room look as bad as her clothing choices on Top Design?

Agreed, superbeetle. The wall treatments are no good. That faux watercolor look was tacky on my bedspread as a kid, and it's tacky now!

It is nice to see some rick taking, though, and props for the pink. It can really be a lovely color.

I dunno. Growing up, I thought the 70s were the epitome of bad taste, but everyone seems to love it now.

i like some of the elements:
pic 1: drapes, sofa, mirror over the mantle (and the carpet although it's not an 80s carpet)
pic 2: sofa (gorgeous!), pillows, and wall treatment
pic 3: headboard and geometric pillow

but that's about it. the rooms as a whole are too theme-y. i like more eclecticism than what Kelly's offering. these rooms are too matchy-matchy (which is design death i hear).

(oops, meant 'last pic', not 'pic 3')

is that the set from a brat pack movie?

Eep. I wouldn't want to be in those rooms. Just no.

Decorating by decade seems so... early 00's.

As ghastly as some people seem to think this is, I would much rather experience this kind of space than the standard contrived interiors with their ubiquitous Herman Miller chairs, and prints positioned just so. This gives me something interesting to look at, and love it or hate it, it takes courage to create spaces like these. For that, I give her props.

The shot of the bedroom (I think it's the wallpaper, ewwwwww) makes me think of a southern Days Inn circa 1986, maybe with a more expensive lamp.

I agree with so many of your comments. I have been horrified enough that 80s fashion has been in for like 4 f*ing years now and now we have to deal with it in interior design too! UGH!

There are some good pieces but as someone who is such an expert as she is the entire look is what matters and it just DOES NOT WORK. PLEASE do not let this become a trend PLEASE do not let this work be called "trendy and hip"

It's not, it's been done--it was ugly then and it is ugly now.

Ug, Ug, Ug, Ugly!

The 80's were:

A) Hideous
B) Not far enough away to be worthy of nostalgia
C) Did I mention hideous??

I refuse to return to peach and brass, spiked bangs and bad perms, pegged jeans and off the shoulder sweat shirts. Gag.

I think I might go ahead and decorate my place '90s style, so I'll be ahead of the curve. Wait--my place is already '90s.

There were some wonderful things that happened in the 80s... but (like fashion) decorating was not one of them

at the university I work at I see lots of the 20yr olds wearing lots of 80s clothing. I guess it might be fun if you never lived in the 80s... but it makes me shudder

nooo noooo and take the skinny jeans with you.

i just saw all the new KWID fabrics in person, and they are SO MUCH better than THIS! whoever decided to do an entire room in all the purple/pink prints should be fired. and, if it was kelly herself, then apologies my dear, but no no no no. it's too much to swallow all at once. the line, however, is fantastic (and for the most part original) for which we thank you :)

i think every era has something we can take away from it... and i actually think the 80's had some very cool ideas. it's really the early 90's that were the worst. i mean, does anyone remember anything good from that time? yeah...

I love the pinks and purples. Truly fresh and that brass lamp on the bedside table is awesome. Otherwise, not quite as pulled together as her rooms usually are. But, it's a transiton and it takes guts for a designer who has made her name with a look to allow herself to grow and, in her case mellow colorwise. She will be remembered as one of the great ones.

This might look cool if you hadn't actually experienced the 80's... but for me those pastels just bring back terrible memories of the pink and grey colour scheme in my parents old house (pale grey leather sofa against bubbly-textured grey and pink wallpaper), and those awful sort of airbrushed prints of ladies in high heels... eugghh!

I LOATHE that Kelly Wearstler spread in Domino -- just hideous.

But about the popularity of pink, Living Etc. has a GREAT feature on rooms with pinks, plums, raspberries, purple and all such shades. Truly gorgeous, luscious and modern, with maybe references to the '80s without being OTT ugly.

Tacky, gaudy, dated (and not in a good way).

I agree pretty much with mcchatelaine had to say...I was quite diappointed when I saw the spread. It is just TOO much although I can see some of her fabrics are really nice. Mixing them in with other period styles would have been better. It seems like most trends take some time for people to get use to. Does anyone remember disliking mid-century about 15 years ago when it was just becoming hot on the scene again. (Granted I was a mere 15 year old design novice at the time.)

it looks like a motel

The readers of this site are all into design and decor, much more so than the average person.... From the house tours I've seen, we help establish the trends (I know, I'm quite full of myself at 7:40 in the morning). If we all band together, we can STOP this 80's madness. JUST SAY NO!!!

Ack! Omg, no no no no no. This is not where we're headed is it?? I stomach MCM as best as I can, I will have to quit design blogs entirely if I have to put up with an 80s revival.

please god no.

Said it before, and I'll say it again: Some things are classic and may go out of "style", only to show up again. Kelly Wearstler's heinous '80s style stuff is not on that list. Especially that horrific wallpaper.

No thanks!

i didn't like it in the 80's... and even less so now.
as in the words of amy winehouse: NO NO NO!
and what was kelly wearing on her head last night on top design? another no no no!

I cannot imagine what Kelly was thinking when she chose that wallpaper in her bedroom...

i don't know what you guys are babbling about, if people like the monstrosity that was "mary's zoo" this is heaven in comparison and lets not forget the sterile ikea clones that have invaded AT

i may not have chosen the same patterns that kelly did, but the fact that she was able to layer so many different patterns and so many textures and that they actually work together is genius. the 70s/80s stuff may be kitchy in excess , but these pics are so glamorous and layer upon layer of layer of visual delicatessen i looooooove the lovechair with the gorgeous wall paper and the lamps. i take 80s Dynasty style over wicker any day

Once I hated 70s decor, now I like it (some of it) ... Once I liked 80's decor... maybe one day I'll like it again.

I really like that second shot with the striped pillows. The rest I can do without. Well, there are some nice elements but together, it is just too much. The living room might work without the rug and the paint.

lol, i just got my style.com email and one of the featured items is Kelly's box, which is sold at Bergdorf's for $6500!!!! wow

i still don't like it yet. kinda barfy.

80s Super Ugly! I was shocked when i saw that spread in Domino. That stuff was ugly in the 80s and its even uglier/gaudier now. 80s had the worst clothes, hair, makeup, and now we can add furnishings.

Her box?

6500 dollars?!

Sometimes Domino really frustrates me when it contradicts itself.

yeah, she designs them. $6500 a pop!!! it's pretty, but c'mon it's just a jewelry box (i think)

ugliest f-ing rooms I ever saw...
this is a disappointment of GRAND proportions...
goes to show how designers can get published for ANY PROJECT once they're a name people recognize, hideous or not. i need to go take a bath...

At least when I vomit, it won't be noticeable in that spread...

Absolutely stunning!