A lot was happening in 1985. The record breaking Live Aid concert was held at Wembley Stadium, which saw Queen performing to an estimated audience of 1.9 billion viewers. Boris Becker became the youngest Wimbledon champion at just 17 years old. And a pub price survey revealed it was still possible to buy a pint for as little as 69p – imagine!
It also happens to be the year our parent company, Mossmead Ltd, started trading. A lot has changed in that time, but our commitment to quality, value and impeccable design has remained steadfast.
To mark the occasion, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to see what interior design trends were leading the way during the midpoint of the 1980s.
Since so many trends are cyclical, we may see a resurgence of these design choices in the coming years – but maybe some are best left in the past?
To understand interior design trends, we first need to remember what was happening in the wider economy of the time.
1985 marked the end of the early 1980s recession. From 1980 to 1982, the UK economy was retracting, and while the recession was over officially by November 1982, the effects lingered, including record levels of unemployment.
It was only in 1985 that growth returned. For many households, this would be the first time they could think about changing their spending habits. Decor of the time would reflect this mentality of cautious optimism.
Homes at the height of sophistication for the time are likely to have included some of the following style elements:
If you live in a minimalist design home as an adult, there’s a good chance you lived in a Chintz-patterned home as a child. Design catalogues from the time show contrasting and layered Chintz fabric, which is quite heavy on the eye. It’s a maximalist choice that is likely responsible for so many millennials opting for monochromatic grey interiors as adults.
This heavily patterned fabric would show up on furniture, carpets, curtains, throws, bedding and even rugs. Interior designers even found extra ways to introduce more fabric into the design scheme, which is why your bed likely had a frilly valance to hide the plain box spring and your windows would have excess fabric in the form of a curtain pelmet.
Today, this fabric has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence, but we often use it with more restraint. It’s more likely to be used for a single statement chair, or for a throw pillow, but not layered as much as it once was.
This is the perfect example of a cyclical design trend. In the mid 80s, glass bricks were hugely popular for dividing spaces without losing out on light. They were thought to be hideously outdated by the 2000s, but they’re enjoying a resurgence at the moment.
They might be thoroughly retro, but the humble glass brick is having a bit of a moment. They’re perfect for bathroom spaces to create a walk in shower enclosure that doesn’t have the moving parts of a shower screen.
These turkish delight blocks are also DIY friendly, meaning you can easily install them yourself without too much trouble.
The height of sophistication at the time was chrome and black industrial style everything. The shinier and glossier the better. A glance at IKEA catalogues from the time reveal chrome-framed sofas, chairs, bookcases and dining tables.
IKEA’s 1984 Moment Sofa showcases this perfectly, and it was actually inspired by the collapsible and stackable design of a shopping trolley. It was their first attempt at a flat-pack sofa and it remains a design icon to this day.
It would be a few years before UK shoppers could get their hands on IKEA’s affordable designs, as the first shop didn’t open until 1987. The first store in Warrington paved the way for more flexibility in interior design choices.
Chrome and glass design elements remain popular to this day, with all metallic options welcome in the home. Modern looks favour a high gloss and high shine finish, whereas vintage looks favour a brushed metallic finish.
The Cast Iron Radiator Centre also looked a lot different back in the 80s. Under the parent company of Mossmead Ltd, we started out as Coventry Demolition.
Back then, the company was responsible for clearing out and knocking down a wide range of buildings, including heritage buildings.
There was clearly demand for the architectural features the team was saving from the rubble, which led to the formation of our architectural salvage yard.This arm of the business is still operating to this day and is a proud member of Salvo.
From here, we ventured into replica vintage door knobs, founding the Vintage Door Knob Centre in 2004. Through the demolition company and the reclamation yard we also sold original reclaimed cast iron radiators, but there was an obvious problem.
The supply of radiators was unreliable and often only available in oversized and awkward dimensions. Customers wanted the look of vintage radiators, but with the reassurance of modern plumbing connections and guarantees that the radiators would stand the test of time.
In 2005, the team took a chance on a supplier that manufactured cast iron radiators using traditional methods of sand casting. These first radiators were a hit, and a new venture was born. We sold our first cast iron radiators through sites like eBay. Finally, in 2010, the Cast Iron Radiator Centre website that you know and love was born.
In 2020, we moved into a new facility in the Midlands that would give us the dedicated space for assembling, painting and curing the radiators. Today, we’re one of the leading suppliers of cast iron radiators in the UK, which is a testament to our rich history in the salvage sector.
We didn’t just follow the trends – we helped to shape them.
It’s a testament to the enduring popularity of the Victorian design that it simply hasn’t changed since 1985. We took the original Victorian invention, and perfected it by bringing it up to date for modern plumbing and central heating systems.
Whatever your interior design style, there’s a cast iron radiator that will work for your home. While other design choices might come and go, the cast iron radiator is enduringly popular. So you can be confident your design choices will be just as popular in 40 years' time as they were 40 years ago.
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