The pandemic brought out the geek in many households. In some social media posts, what once is a dull workplace now has a hint of every anime they’ve watched.
As easy DIYs like anime desks will soon become a cliché, we decided to move our scheme’s challenge several notches up to involve a broader interest. Think of your parents, your grannies, and your older siblings who might come over!
This time, we’ll discuss in favor of those who are simps for their nostalgia. If a primitive man cave down your basement is a long shot, how about transforming your living area into a retro-themed hub?
Before you storm an antique shop for a shopping spree or lose yourself in an impulsive Amazon bulk order, we suggest knowing the necessary additions first. A design couldn’t get retro by piling over some random outdated technologies. This project needs a well-rounded group of devices that also considers function and optimum entertainment, rather than just getting the old-school vibe.
Moreover, not all the devices you need have to be retro. They only need to be capable of letting you relish an evocative experience. So don’t wonder why something one can quickly get today would pop into our list of recommended techs for a vintage-inspired place.
You only need the following gadgets to turn your living space into a retro-themed area for family members of all generations to appreciate.
A Record Player
To start this tech rewind are the ever-popular turntables. Thought as an obsolete gadget making a comeback, these record players are still good market players, outliving generations of music devices that succeeded it.
Any turntable would scream “retro” to every person who enters the room. Whether you own a Victrola, a working phonograph, or the olde-worlde Crosley Radio, they surely won’t fail in making an impression.
A record player would be a great attraction in a feature wall, sitting by itself on a gorgeous cabinet with printouts of vinyl sleeves as the background.
Maintaining this retro gadget could be costly, though. Apart from specialized cleaning materials, you would need to keep some exclusive spare parts.
Still, turntables top the list of anyone wishing for a retro living area. This alone could send your family on a trip down memory lane and is indeed worth the price if satiating your nostalgia is all you’re keen about.
A Retro Boombox
In different forms of media, we’ve seen muscular guys wearing tights and bandanas frolicking around the neighborhood with their loud portable players on their shoulders.
If you’ve seen them, and you’re the type who might do just as described if you only lived a few decades back, then you might want to have one of those boomboxes in the corner of your living area.
This outdated player is perfect for those who were able to preserve their cassette tapes and CDs. If you no longer own a boombox, there are plenty of comeback models for you to choose from.
How they will work alongside a turntable and other retro gadgets you have is up to your flair in interior design. However, metallic boomboxes are versatile decor pieces that they would do well in antique shelves and cabinets.
The Amazon FireStick
This entry will come to everyone as a surprise, but FireStick is like a magic wand that lets you access tons of retro media. Classic films, retro games, old-school anime, they got everything for you!
Cord-cutters can now watch classics without the hassles and costs of a cable line. You can get TCM, Kanopy, The Criterion Channel, and other platforms that stream such movies with Amazon FireStick.
If you want to rise from the ashes to play those games that you didn’t finish in your childhood, FireStick will let you indulge in this retro madness with the RetroArch app.
For the otaku fandom, Amazon FireStick is a catalyst to a wide array of anime apps that included shows from the 60s to 80s.
Space-savvy and multi-purpose, Amazon FireStick gives you fewer worries on the decorating part. Moreover, you can gain access to more retro goodness with some good-to-know hacks.
A Vintage Popcorn Maker
Enchanting your retro area with a scent is a riddle. Flower fragrance is so feminine, while a musky odor is not everyone’s favorite. What could be the most fitting essence in this particular setup?
Those who are still deep in this dilemma would be happy to see this vintage popcorn maker that emanates that same aroma you can savor while standing in the ticket queue of a blockbuster movie — something we’ve missed for an awfully long time already.
According to the statistics, 232.5 million families in the US consumed popcorn products last year. If your household adds up to this number, your retro-loving family would surely appreciate an old-style popcorn maker.
A Good Movie Projector
It’s a good thing that the Amazon Firestick is compatible with many projectors out there. Just don’t buy the old analog projectors unless you got the compatible films to boot.
Another fantastic news is some projectors have pseudo reels. The wounders are just for display so that they could imitate the analog types. Such design is excellent for the retro aesthetic.
If you couldn’t find anything like that, you may stick with any decent projectors that work with the FireStick. With the proper position, lighting, and accessories, it should play your classic movies perfectly.
Don’t Forget The Little Add On
To complete the ensemble, you might need some tiny bits of retro gadgets. Other things that would remind you of the glory days are:
- Retro Gaming Consoles
- Amazon Kindle
- Typewriters. There are Typewriter-styled keyboards for iPad.
- Arcade Machines
- Rotary Phones
- Brick Phones
- Apple Macintosh
- Aviator Headphones
- Polaroid Cameras
Wrapping Up
Retro-themed projects are usually harbingers of geek blood and sweat. It could also burn your hard-earned Gils in a snap of a finger. Still, for someone who could use this place as a rejuvenating sanctuary and an entertainment fortress for eternity, then this is a true investment of a lifetime.
Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
