Everyone desires a taste of that sweet nostalgia. A cameo of our old school favorite things in films and other media that we consume today is enough to make us crave all those childhood pleasures. Who couldn’t help but reminisce after seeing some things we haven’t had in a while?
Our longing for the past is often so strong that we want our childhood things to join us once more as we brave the adult world. Hence, we see lots of people who can’t help but spend their hard-earned money on relaunched games, resin statues, and other merchandise related to their preadolescent, high school or collegiate years.
In other cases, people invest time and money recreating space at home and transitioning it into a retro hub. This DIY entertainment cave is a clever renovation project as it hits two birds in one stone. First, you spend on a grown-up deed that may possibly further your home’s value. Secondly, the theme yields to your geeky interest and is flexible enough to accommodate others’ fancy.
Below we list a few additions that could you set you off on adding that retro vibe to any setting.
Record Player
After outliving generations of audio devices, turntables show no signs of slowing down. As an interesting fact, more audiophiles from the younger age groups embrace this ‘ancient technology’ than you may think. The digital-to-analog conversion shows the value of something tangible and the market’s fascination with things outside their familiar turf. Vinyl LP sales are definitely on the increase.
But for an early millennial who saw how portable music gadgets slayed the turntable craze, the resurrection of vinyl players is more of an epic comeback. Therefore, it is a trendy gadget that exists in different timelines where the past welcomes you back, while the present does justice to this awesome tech. Whatever part of the multiverse it is, record players are always a welcome guest in any retro home.
LPs and maintenance parts add up to the total expense of keeping this gizmo in your entertainment hub. Since albums have fixed prices, and “you get what you pay for” is the golden rule in purchasing record players, you could find compromise in spare parts. Tetrad cartridges are reliable choices under reasonable price tags. And record shops are popping up all over the place once again.
An Arcade Cabinet
For many, when you say ‘retro’ to them it evokes distant memories of playing video games in smokey arcades. Being dazzled by sounds and lights all around you and trying to get the most playing time out of your few coins. The thought of having arcade quality games in the home was beyond the imagination of most people, perhaps until Street Fighter 2 was released on the Super Nintendo. But still, the feel of a standup arcade cabinet is something that is not a regular item in one’s home, and will really have that wow effect to any guests that you have round.
You could splash the cash and buy a genuine vintage cabinet (and hope the CRT still works), or there are many manufacturers these days that are making replica machines on the market. Or of course you could always make your own arcade cabinet as we did at Retromash. And the other option, of course, is just to collect some old retro video consoles and computers. Even if they don’t work, they look beautiful!
Pixel Art
With its geometric contour and striking impression, 8-bit art and pixel light signs scream retro at first sight. These could be LED lights, hama beads or any form of beautiful art. The retro style is very flexible and can be showcased in many different ways. To make them geekier, purchase these 8-bit decors in the form of a gaming character like Pac-Man or stock phrases like “Game Over.”
Alternatively, to also set an artistic and relaxing ambience, you can get a plasma ball or lava lamp for a more subtle setting. We don’t think these items will ever go out of fashion.
Vinyl Disc Displays
These days, a retro entertainment hub may seem incomplete without the otaku flair. Thus, merging music with the anime niche makes perfect sense to any culture retro-head. There are many fantastic LPs out there, though some anime vinyl albums appear to be top-tier.
Old rubber discs that no longer play may serve as resourceful design materials. Create a great feature wall out of these pieces or preserve their covers by displaying them in frames. The Cowboy Bebop cover and the lineup of Studio Ghibli shells would leave many mouths agape.
Having the above items will leave you only a couple of steps away from achieving that retro entertainment space of your dreams.