Bold Flooring Options That Add A Modern Touch To The 80's Design Trend

The '80s are back, and they're coming for your floors. If the big hair and bold lipstick of the 1980s fashion trends are any indication of the current interior design movement, you can imagine how this maximalist flair can revive your living room. Think neon pink and turquoise, zigzag patterns, and bright shaggy carpets. But if you're not ready to go full Miami Vice just yet, a more modern touch to this trend is to use 80s-inspired area rugs for just a splash of that throwback vibe. Plus, area rugs are easier to swap out if, heaven forbid, this thrilling trend ever goes (back) out of style.

For those who are *ahem* younger or simply not familiar with interior design history, the 1980s brought what's known as postmodernism or Memphis Design. In 1981, a group of architects and designers in Milan, Italy, came together to create an opposition of sorts to the minimalistic designs of the '60s and '70s. Their aesthetic, known as Memphis Design, was inspired by art deco and pop art, fused neon colors, and a mix of prints and geometric shapes. Their furniture designs were a hit and quickly spread beyond home interiors to clothing, fashion, and graphic design, infusing a spirit of joy and liberation across a generation.

Tropical prints are a great area rug choice to bring a little '80s flair to any room. Things like palm trees, big leaves, and exotic flowers make a very retro vacation vibe come to life. While these are seen frequently on wallpaper and framed prints these days, they can also be used as a part of your flooring design. Choose a rug with bright colors like neon green, orange, or pink to give it a definitively '80s style. Tropical prints are a great option for anyone who doesn't want to go overboard on the design trend.

An absolute hallmark of its time, this daring '80s trend that's taking over home design again in 2025 is none other than geometric shapes. Yes, those crazy zigzags and chevrons are making a comeback. Other popular patterns in this category are the abstract combinations of circles, squares, and random lines. Nothing screams '80s more than a neon collage of geometric shapes. When used as an area rug with an eccentric background color, it can lend a bold retro feel to an otherwise basic living room, which is really the entire point of the Memphis Design.

The '80s were not known for their subtle color combinations. In fact, it seemed the entire purpose was to create a clash of vibrant shades against basic neutrals to make a statement. This is where color blocking comes in. Think hot pink rectangles against muted grey squares and other mismatched color and shape combinations to create a stand-out contrast. You can use a single area rug with a color-blocked design, or you can DIY it by layering your area rugs in one space to make your living room's colors pop.

Shag carpet may conjure up memories of 1970s high-pile burnt orange or avocado green flooring that was all the rage in its time. But the '80s took that trend and turned it into a more bold, playful design that had nothing to do with the muted earth tones of the previous generation. As with most things during that era, bright colors were the it factor. Turquoise, neon pink, and orange were all favorite colors for comfortable shag style carpets. Instead of installing wall-to-wall shag, you can opt for a brightly colored shag area rug.

If the neon lights and wild geometric patterns have you feeling a bit jittery, let us introduce you to the softer side of the '80s with pastels. Yes, the bold color choices were everywhere at the time, but softer options like baby blue, pink, and mint green were a distinct style choice of their own. Offering a more relaxing vibe for bedrooms or other living spaces, rugs with pastel colors and extra carved textures sat nicely against lighter colored hardwood floors. This is a great option for anyone preferring a more subtle nod to the trend.

Sticking with the bold color contrasts, monochrome was a popular option for rugs and flooring in the '80s. It was a more sophisticated alternative to the neon color palettes. The monochrome flooring could be found in similar abstract designs, stripes, or checkered patterns, but with a strictly black and white aesthetic. A monochrome area rug makes a great statement piece and is a surefire way to bring the '80s retro aesthetic into your living room. Of course, you can always pair it with vibrant accent colors and furniture pieces around the room for a totally radical '80s experience.

A particular floral pattern called chintz was all the rage in the '80s. It's a floral pattern, usually using one or two flowers — roses were a popular choice — printed repeatedly across the textile, usually in a dense manner. These floral patterns found their way into nearly every interior design element, from curtains and couches to comforters and wallpaper. You can achieve this look without having to overhaul your home into an entire living meadow. Instead, opt for an area rug with a fun, floral design to elevate your current space with that magical '80s energy.

You simply can't consider the 1980s trends without mentioning animal prints. Playful options like leopard or zebra prints could be found everywhere, from clothing to accessories and interior designs. These patterns were more often seen in the typical neon shades of the '80s instead of their natural shades. After all, why buy black-and-white zebra-striped pants when you can get them in an explosion of pink and purple? Likewise, your animal print area rug can definitely incorporate the loud color palette of this trend to infuse some excitement into your living space.

If you yourself didn't actually live through this era, you might be a bit surprised to find out that one of the biggest hits of the time was the color mauve. And it's coming back in all the ways — interior paint, carpet, curtains, even clothing. The '80s, being the maximalist genre it was, would have mauve splashed across every inch of the house. For a more modern touch, however, you can grab a mauve-toned area rug and pair it with another earthy or neutral shade for a more relaxed version.

If you want to go with an incredibly obvious, nostalgic nod to the 1980s, you can opt for a printed rug, like these available from Society6 that look like a stack of old VHS or cassette tapes. Using iconic '80s pop culture to bring the free-spirited era to your living room is a great way to modernize the trend. It's also a fun way to add your own personality to the design. Whether you're obsessed with Back to the Future or can't stop singing old Cyndi Lauper hits, you can find a way to incorporate it into your living space.