Midcentury Modern

• Midcentury modern is an enduring trend. For those who like their retro with a little elegance, this pared-down look may fit the bill. Walls in antique white, earth tones or a classy blue-based gray form a backdrop for modular furniture with low profiles, clean angles, metal accents and wood-grain finishes. Invest in a focal piece of furniture such as a Charles Eames chair or cube-shaped shelves, nightstands and cabinets. To stay true to the look, keep surfaces relatively uncluttered, but add accents like a throw rug with bright graphics, framed posters celebrating design or coffee-table art books about modern architecture.
  
  

Fifties

• If you like your modernism in the style of an old "Jetsons" cartoon, the '50s look has retro cool. Begin with your palette. Paint a dark bathroom aqua and add cotton-candy pink accents to brighten it up. In the dining room, a yellow Formica table and red vinyl chairs add diner chic. A kitchen island becomes a bar with the addition of swivel barstools. The living room gets an atomic age update with butterfly chairs covered in fabrics featuring geometric shapes. Keep the vibe going by adding a Tiki bar in the basement or on the porch. Stack some totems and masks around the bar and finish it with martini shakers, flasks, shot glasses and other barware.
  
  

Seventies

• The decade everyone loves to hate style-wise has captured the imagination of those seeking retro irony. If you dream of growing up in a "Brady Bunch"-inspired home, slap on the wood veneer paneling, throw down a shag rug and get comfortable. The '70s look favors darker earth tones accented with rust, orange, avocado and gold. For those who find the look too moody or muddy, try a single accent wall in orange and adorn it with '70s art of mushrooms, owls or peacocks. Add some kitsch to the kitchen with vintage '70s tableware such as sunflower plates and yellow-tinted glasses, and add a centerpiece of dried flowers. You can go another direction and decorate disco-style with minimalist white backgrounds and silver and black accents. Neon colors and lighting add the final glaring touch.