Trend Focus: Hipstoric Interiors

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Fri 17 Feb 2023

The term “hipster” has been with us for years, and it often conjures images of modern clothes with waxed moustaches and art deco tattoos, but has hip made its way into the world of interior design? In many of our blogs, we say in “modern or traditional homes”, but is it a binary choice? 2023 is seeing the rise of an interesting trend – hipstoric interior design – which sees a marrying of modern, 21st century design and traditional pieces. Today, we’ll be diving into this exciting design style and show you how you can enjoy a hipstoric home of your very own!

What is hipstoric interior design?

Hipstoric interior design is an eclectic style that mixes old and new to manifest a unique home. Popular particularly with younger people, this trend was born out of a mixture of reducing one’s carbon footprint by using older items and maximising the use of inherited pieces.

Often, hipstoric spaces will feature modern items such as smart TVs, chairs and coffee tables mixed with vintage rugs, antique lamps, and retro artworks. While many will look to old pieces for the vintage twist on their space, you can still find quality modern pieces that draw inspiration from the past to curate your own hipstoric home. 

From vintage lamp shades to classical cushions, you can easily find traditional themed pieces for your space which will contrast in a cool way with newer furniture, or enrich the antique pieces you may already have. If the majority of the space is on the modern side, and you have a few treasured antique pieces, you can add classic options such as shutters or curtains to your windows to add that extra touch of old world chic!

Hipstoric colours

As today’s trend features items from all ages, there isn’t a rigid colour palette for hipstoric homes. That said, there are a couple of points to consider.

Firstly, because the antique pieces in the space can feature varying tones and colour combinations, try and keep to a limited overarching colour palette where you can. Usually this will mean wallpaper on a statement wall and neutral or pale shades for the other walls.

By choosing softer shades for the walls, you have more freedom for spot colours, especially in the older pieces of your hipstoric decor. 

Moreover, natural materials can help free up room for more colourful accessories. Real wood tables, Venetian blinds and chair decorations will look timelessly stylish without compromising your freedom for the spot colours.

All wooden blinds and shutters from Blinds Direct are made in the UK using materials sourced solely from responsibly managed forests.

The perfect new additions for a hipstoric home

Alternatively, if you want to find old pieces in charity shops, auction houses or even those pieces a family member is willing to part with, you shouldn’t forget about the modern side of hipstoric design.

Let’s say you have an antique sculptural lamp featuring flowers or other natural scenes, adding a quality modern lamp shade in a similar tone to one found on the lamp is a perfect micro example of this trend. Equally, if you have a classical sofa – for instance a chesterfield – adding contemporary throws and cushions will help bring it into the present day. 

At the windows, you also have plenty of scope for the 21st century half of hipstoric design. If you have old cabinets, picture frames, or tables set within a modern grey decor, adding Roman blinds, roller blinds or metallic curtains can work brilliantly!

How will you design your hipstoric home? Will you have pops of modernity in a classical space, or the opposite? Let us know on social media and show off your hipstoric home in a very 21st century way!

Shop some of our favourite products perfect for hipstoric homes: