How To Decorate Your Home Like Frenchy's Bedroom In Grease
"Grease" is the word. As one of the most popular musicals from the last century, who can forget the upbeat pop musical numbers, exhilarating dance moves, and lively actors? The most memorable characters were the Pink Ladies, especially Frenchy. She was the sweet one of the group who had big dreams of making it into beauty school. One of the most iconic scenes of the movie is when the Pink Ladies and Sandy have a sleepover at Frenchy's house. Her room is peak 1950s teenage girl perfection with black and white photos of male heartthrobs on the walls and bubblegum pink details, as per IMDb.
The 1950s took notes from the early American and Colonial eras and used wood furnishings to recreate simpler times (via Dusty Old Thing). Streamlined chairs and tables were staples of the period. In the space race age, coffee and dining tables shaped like flying saucers were a big deal. Tile floors and walls looked like hexagons and checkerboards to add pattern and style (via HomeLane). While pastels were prominent in interior design, earth tones in burnt orange, mustard yellow, and pea green also popped up (via Modsy). Grab a milkshake from your local diner and hit play on the jukebox because it's time to recreate Frenchy's retro '50s aesthetic with these tips and tricks.
Add pink ruffled sheets
Frenchy favored pink ruffled satin sheets with a graphic-designed blanket for her bedding. While some people believe pink is childish or too feminine for a bed set, the color evokes a sense of calmness and positivity, as per PeachSkinSheets. Pink bedding can pair well with bold colors like teal, black, brown, and purple. Why not layer a bed with light pink sheets and throw some candy apple red and plum purple accent pillows on top of a hot pink duvet? Buy chocolate brown or light tan bedding with satin pink pillowcase covers for a chic look.
Consider throwing a burnt orange throw blanket on the bed or over a chair for a touch of design (via Atomic Ranch). Houndstooth and herringbone prints were all the rage back in the day. Sheets with these designs are available online and in home stores today. Lighten up a bedroom by shopping for lemon yellow starburst printed sheets. Geometric prints are a go as well. Have fun with 1950s icons by finding printed bed sheets with black and white records or couples dancing in period-specific clothing. It's okay to be kitschy.
Hang temporary photos
Above Frenchy's headboard, she had photos of Elvis and other teen heartthrobs of the era. Her pictures weren't framed but were stuck on the wall with tape or an adhesive. For those who live in rented accommodations or are indecisive about what to put on living room walls, look for command strips, as per Food52. They're uncomplicated adhesive strips that could hold light objects like paper or small picture frames. Command hooks are an adhesive ideal for heavier works of art.
Not sure where else to put photos or art? Position objects around the living room or a bedroom fireplace mantel. Bookshelves aren't just for housing books. They can also be a home for cherished family photos or thrifted vintage homeware. Hang pictures on an indoor clothesline with clothes pins or paper clips. Use computer design programs to turn modern-day family photos into black and white images for an old-fashioned look.
Show off your school spirit
"Grease" revolves around the lives of a group of high school seniors. To show off her school spirit, Frenchy taped a Rydell High School pendant to her bedroom wall and hung a school uniform next to the closet. What about college students who want to show off their school pride? While there's no place like home, some college students may feel homesick about leaving their campus dorm to come back during vacations or after graduating. You can show school pride at home by throwing on a logo sweater or hat. Need a new phone case? Cell phones need protection from accidental falls, so a college-themed phone case is a great way to show your spirit. Want to find new bedding? Buy a bed set with your college colors.
For those who'd like to create a school spirit party at home, there are numerous ways to do so (via Life Family Joy). You can make cheerleading pom poms with yarn and place them on top of counters as centerpieces or hang them around the main party room. Want to make a school pendant like Frenchy's Rydell High School one? Grab cardboard, felt material, a hot glue gun, and scissors to cut out the school name. Be creative with colors and shapes and add some spunk. Use tacky tape to place the pendants along the walls.
Embrace your stuffed animals
Sometimes people need a fluffy friend on their bed before falling asleep. Frenchy had a few cuddly stuffed animals on her bed, including a striped tiger and teddy bear. For those who'd like to decorate their home or bedroom with vintage teddy bears, there are certain things to consider when finding authentic bears. According to Tuula Vintage, vintage teddy bears have mohair fur. They were made of plush from silk, wool, or cotton after the 1950s. Ever notice how vintage teddy bears seem to have a crunchy feeling? Teddy bears were stuffed with wool or textile materials during World War II until synthetic foam became popular. No two vintage teddy bears are identical because earlier versions are handmade.
Young children can keep stuffed animals organized by hanging them on a curtain rod installed on a bedroom wall (via EPBOT). Make a hammock from an old bedsheet and tie either side on the footboard posts. The makeshift hammock acts as a bed for stuffed animals. Adults who want to display stuffed animals at home can place them in plexiglass cases or on floating bookshelves in a living room (via SendAFriend). Hang rustic metal wire baskets from the ceiling of the primary bedroom as stuffed animal storage or place a teddy bear on top of the bed.
Install a standing hair dryer
Before Frenchy dropped out of Rydell High School to attend beauty school, she practiced hairstyles on wigs and her friend's hair in her own bedroom. She even had her own hooded standing hair dryer. Those with curly hair may want to invest in this type of dryer. With a hooded hair dryer, deep conditioning creams are activated with heat to work better on hair, as per The Natural Haven. Drying hair under a hooded dryer takes less time to dry. Some people prefer to use hooded hair dryers to get that "salon finish." These dryers use heat indirectly and won't cause frizz and damage as much as regular hair dryers.
To find a vintage standing hair dryer, check out local flea markets (via WiseGeek). Make sure the dryer works before bringing it home. Vintage standing hair dryers don't have different heat settings like modern dryers, so they can overheat and cause scalp burning. They also don't come with shock protector plugs to prevent fire hazards or small children from getting injured. Instead of buying a vintage standing hair dryer, go retro and find a modern hair dryer designed to look old-fashioned with safety precautions.
Get creative with chairs
Frenchy had a cute bedroom chair underneath her hair dryer. Is a bedroom chair necessary? Most bedrooms have a room chair or a set of chairs for people to sit on to relax after an exhausting day of school or work. A bedroom chair can be an accent piece for other bedroom furniture. An additional bedroom chair gives friends a place to sit down when socializing. While you might place clothes on top of the bedroom chair when deciding what to wear for the week, piling up dirty clothes causes disorganization and a big mess.
Before placing a chair in the bedroom, decide if there's enough space (via Nimvo). Large rooms can have extra furniture whereas small rooms may not be able to. Think of what kind of chair you want. Traditional wood-framed chairs never go out of style. Comfortable chairs are great for watching television and playing video games. Find a swivel chair with adjustable seating and armrests to ensure good posture throughout the day for work and studying. For those who desire retro-looking chairs, check out vintage shops for oblong or egg-shaped easy chairs (via Catawiki). These coffee tables and chairs were popular in the past and still look timeless today.
Pay attention to your bed headboard
Frenchy had a wooden bed headboard with storage shelves to place her belongings. While using headboards is typical for the bedroom, they're primarily for decorative purposes, per Casper. However, bed headboards promote healthy spines and provide back and neck support. They're also a barrier to prevent damage or dirt buildup on the wall. On the contrary, bed headboards are expensive and assume precious room space for shelving or lights. Instead of putting up DIY headboards, use the empty space for hanging art, paint the wall an abstract pattern, or keep it bare.
Rather than having bed headboard storage space, think of purchasing a storage bed (via Four Star). Storage beds are ideal for minimizing clutter in a bedroom. Storage bed frames with memory foam mattresses are stable and firm compared to regular mattresses. To stay with a retro bedroom design, find vintage tassel-edged rugs that can act as extra floor support to place under a storage bed.
Incorporate wooden dressers
As for the furniture in her bedroom, Frenchy had a small wooden dresser with pull handles and a big wooden dresser near her bathroom. Wood furniture is still typical today. Mix old and modern pieces to create an updated vintage look, per Modsy. Try to layer antique dressers with a contemporary bed frame and rug. It's best to avoid painting over antique wood furniture to maintain its natural beauty. Find a boldly designed vintage antique dresser or coffee table that could be the accent piece in a room.
When decorating a home to look like Frenchy's bedroom, understand the history of 1950s home decor (via 21Oak). Formica tables and television stands with skinny legs were prominent during the time. Couches that were low to the floor were popular as well. To balance color and neutrality, pair a beige egg chair with colorful bookshelves (via Chairish). Buy vintage wooden sets of dressers and bedside tables to create harmony and cohesion.
Spice things up with decorative wallpaper
Frenchy had pink wallpaper with white graphic designs in her bedroom. The light, bubbly, and girly wallpaper reflects her fun personality. However, not all retro-inspired wallpaper has to be pink or feature pastel colors. Think out of the box by pasting tropical flowers on bathroom walls, per CC + Mike. Incorporate zig zag and chevron prints in the primary bedroom for a unique look. Freshen up your home office with floral wallpaper designs in yellows and greens.
When it comes to floor designs, black and white checkerboard print was trendy to use for diners, kitchens, and hallways. This look can still be chic today (via Eazywallz). Add black and white checkerboard flooring to the kitchen for old-school zest. Instead of painting walls or pasting wallpaper, buy stick-on murals with city or forest patterns to bring the outdoors inside. Mustard yellow was a popular color to use in the 1950s and 1960s. Consider innovative ways to use wallpaper, like creating an accent wall in the bedroom or living room. Gingham is another popular print. Pink gingham wallpaper looks sweet in a toddler's bedroom (via Chelsea Hood). Add delicate touches with a white ceramic jewelry stand on the bedroom dresser or stuffed animals and age-appropriate story books.
Bring in bedside table lamps
Frenchy had a small lamp on her bedside table to provide cozy light in her bedroom. Want to buy a vintage table lamp online or in stores? According to Vintage Unscripted, look for a few things before settling for one. For example, you should not rewire old lamp wires with new ones because this can cause an electrical short in the circuit. The sockets should look modern and be from the past century.
Check to see if the plugs are polarized or unpolarized. Polarized plugs have two or three different-sized prongs, with the large prong used as an extra safety precaution (via 1000Bulbs). Non-polarized plugs have two prongs that are the same size. However, if put into a non-polarized outlet, it can cause an electrical short due to the reversed polarity. Luckily, many home receptacles are polarized. Lamp cords should be unbroken, flexible, and with covering intact.
Desk lamps aren't just for decoration (via Riperlamp). They're easy to operate and are ideal for shining light on a specific area, especially when reading before bed. Desk lamps are less invasive than large standing bedroom lamps that shine brightly and take too much space. A bedside desk lamp can shine dim light and act as a safety net for little ones afraid of the dark.
Decorate with hand fans
Frenchy had a decorative hand fan resting on her bed headboard for a chic and feminine touch. For those who'd like to decorate with fans, all it takes is a few store-bought supplies, per Up to Date Interiors. Go to a local dollar store or market to find decorative fans in assorted colors and patterns. Find command strips at a local hardware store to tape either side of a fan onto a wall. Decorative fans look stylish in a living room or an entryway wall at the front of the home. Add personality to the area by placing a fancy bench and embellished pillows under the fans.
Don't want to search all over town for the perfect decorative fans? There are effortless ways to make crafted fans with online DIY projects. Grab construction paper and glue sequins and beads onto the paper. Once everything is dry, fold the construction paper lengthwise in an accordion style to create a fan effect. Tape, glue, or staple the bottom part of the fan to construct a handle. Make more than one fan. Hang fans on bedroom walls or the tops of bookshelves. Go retro by finding poodle or record decals at craft stores to stick on handmade fans and show off your appreciation for the 1950s and "Grease."
Create black and white photos
A framed black and white photograph of a horse is tacked above Frenchy's headboard. Want to create wall designs with black and white photos from a family album collection? According to One Kings Lane, you don't need to worry about filling up every inch of space. You can add visual interest with large mirrors or eye-catching art pieces. Feel free to mix and match framed black and white photographs on the living room walls.
Want to decorate a study area or home office? Black and white framed photographs look sleek and elegant against neutral wooden desk tones. If you're short on wall space, prop framed photos on top of a desk or against a wall. Steer away from glass frames and use plastic frames to prevent breakage and cracks. Be creative by mixing family framed photographs with oil paintings and acrylic artwork. Check out secondhand shops for retro-styled photograph frames or buy historical vintage photographs to decorate the home.
Look for unique lighting
In addition to the bedside lamp on the left side of Frenchy's bed, there's a vanity mirror and a standing light. What is a standing room lamp, and are they suitable for living spaces? Lumens describes standing room lamps as having sturdy bases and tall stems. The light is usually direct or diffused. Need a standing lamp for a study? Check into buying a reading lamp. These kinds of lamps provide more illumination. The cost of standing room lamps varies depending on the brand. Think about where the light will go in the room, its size, and available space.
Swing arm floor lamps are another standing lamp with adjustable arms (via Home Stratosphere). For those who favor a sculptural piece, try decorating with a tower lamp. Tower lamps provide good light and space to put small items. To keep with the retro 1950s aesthetic, visit secondhand shops or markets to spot mid-century modern lamps or Scandinavian-inspired lights.
Design a walk-in closet
Frenchy had a walk-in closet in her bedroom for all her clothes and accessories. To get Frenchy's closet style, DigsDigs suggests first deciding on a style and a color palette. Rather than just choosing pink, why not try neutral shades, black, or even metallics? Pairing metallic clothing rods with gold ceilings will brighten any closet.
Have enough space to add a lounge chair in your closet? Find one in a pastel shade of blue, green, or yellow and pair it with lilac-colored shelving. Beige or bright poufs are comfortable and stylish additions. Create ornate designs by installing a fancy mirror on the closet wall. Gray is a chic color to use when designing a closet, but hanging a chandelier on the ceiling will liven up the space. Add framed photographs of classic actors and actresses like Audrey Hepburn on the closet walls to inspire a retro Hollywood vibe.