How to Decorate With a 1950s Hawaiian Motif

Adding some vintage aloha to your home requires less decorating expertise than you might think. The 1950s Hawaiian look is a suitable decorating theme for retro style junkies, beach lovers, Hawaiian history buffs, surfers, people who pine for the golden age of glamorous travel, and those who enjoy a touch of the exotic in their everyday surroundings.

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• 1950s and beach-styled furniture
• 1950s and Hawaiian-styled accessories

Instructions

Paint a Base Color

1. 

   An "aged" patina adds retro character.

   Paint the walls with an appropriate base color. The color you choose will depend upon how exuberant or restrained your decorating taste is and how much you want to make the room feel like a time warp. Eggshell white, sunny yellow, sandy taupe, brilliant turquoise or mellow sepia can all work as Hawaiian base colors or accent colors. For a vintage-postcard effect, paint a subtle "halo" of a darker color around the edges of the walls.

   If you have deep pockets and want to make the space feel like being transported to 1950s Hawaii, have a custom wallpaper mural made to cover one wall with a 1950s photograph of a quintessential Hawaiian scene, such as sunbathers lounging on Waikiki Beach or surfers riding the waves.

2. 

   Choose retro or ocean-colored pots.

   Add plants and furniture. While any 1950s-styled furniture (vintage or reproduction) will help create a retro atmosphere, achieving a retro Hawaiian feel calls for furnishing the space with pieces that evoke the tiki-torch-and-beach-chair aesthetic. Choose pieces made with beachy materials like wood and canvas, but shaped with 1950s style. Festoon rooms with big tropical plants, such as potted palm trees, dwarf lemon or lime trees, bright flowers or lush ferns.

3. 

   Shells are an inexpensive decorative accent.

   Enhance the atmosphere with vintage Hawaiian details. Purchase a 1950s surfboard and have it professionally mounted as the visual centerpiece of one wall. Frame and hang 1950s artifacts like colorful swimwear, Hawaiian shirts, souvenir postcards or sheet music featuring songs with evocative graphics and titles, like "Beyond the Reef" or "Mele Kalikamaka." Install a modern stereo that is styled to resemble a 1950s radio.

Tips & Warnings

• When searching for authentic vintage Hawaiian-styled accessories, use the term "Hawaiiana."

References

• Celebrations: Vintage Hawaiian Bridal Shower
• HulaPages: Images of Hawaii on Sheet Music