1980s bedroom (part 2) Design

I've done a lot of work analysing the memorable objects and visual cues that go with specific time periods, so it's time to experiment at synthesizing a period setting which could be used within a game.

With this in mind I have embarked on a small project to try to apply my ideas to a real-life game, to see whether my ambitions meet my expectations.

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Recreating a Decade

In my previous post I identified a game environment which needed a "nostalgia injection", adjusting or adding elements to evoke memories of the 1980s.

Earlier visual research identified a number of semiotic indices that are associated with the 1980s period, and I believe that the following will work well in a bedroom setting:

• Lots of red, black-or-white and grey
• Objects decorated in (RYB) primary colours
• Stripes! (Fabric patterns and also horizontal window blinds)
• Spacious grid patterns

You can see most of these indices within the reference image below.

Photo snatched from "Making the Most of Children's Rooms" (1984) , through Retro Decorator blog

It's interesting to note how powerful these can be without the assistance of specific historical items.  Consider the following photo.  The clothing could easily come from other decades; the hair from 1970s onward; but the grid pattern on the pillows is doggedly '80s.

Joe Dante's Gremlins (1984)

My catalogue research showed a number of fashion trends which crop up repeatedly in photos:

• Copious shelving
• White-laminated chipboard furniture, especially drawers
• Laminate flooring or plain, unpatterned carpet
• Beds with duvets (as opposed to sheets & bedspreads)
• Pop & rock music posters
• Bedside lamps with white tapered-drum lampshades
• Angle-poise lamps (usually painted red, black or white)
• Terry (towel fabric) dressing gown (usually hung on door hook)
• Collapsible chair, made from plastic-coated tubular metal frame

A Flickr image of a 1986 bedroom (copyright Ben Salter)

Finally, from my compiled lists of specific nostalgia triggers, the following items may be useful:

• Portable colour TV (a great opportunity to use 'forgotten' brand names, such as Pye, ITT, etc.)
• Vinyl record collection, usually stacked on shelves
• Tape cassettes, stacked on shelves
• Record turntable, often in the form of a small all-in-one music centre
• Sony Walkman cassette player with headphones
• Home computer
• Pocket calculator e.g. Casio scientific
• VHS video tape, with hand-written label

Calculator, cassettes and headphones.  Note the grid wallpaper, black/white content and primary colours. 

Decisions, Decisions.

It's easy to say that I'm going to combine semiotic indices and period-specific items, but there are infinite combinations which can give differing mood and tone.

Collage of some of my research images.  Can you identify the famous bedroom at the bottom right?

First thing to consider is that the game needs to remain child-friendly, so it'll be good to keep it light rather than dark.  White walls with maybe a grey grid pattern?  Slab red, white and grey on different walls? Might be best to try all these variants and see what difference it makes.

That bedside lamp can be switched for an angle-poise lamp in a contrasting colour to the wall.  The bed duvet can go white/grey/red stripey.  Pop star posters would be nice, but there may be a problem with licensed images -- pastiche might be the best option here.

The train is probably best left in its current form, but adjusted to primary colours.

What about the alarm clock?  My catalogue research identifies that, by the mid-1980s, flip clocks were on their way out, replaced by digital 7-segment red LED clock radios.  However, this might not be recognised by a child as an alarm clock.  Further research shows that traditional hands-and-bells alarm clocks still existed, but they often featured characters Mickey Mouse, E.T. (or even Gizmo!)  Copyright clearance could present a problem here, but the Gremlins brand is owned by Warner Bros. and licensed to NECA.  Thankfully NECA (who publish the game) have the licence for E.T. toys, so we may be able to get away with an E.T. alarm clock -- which adds an extra '80s touch.

Shelving and bed wood can go white; same for the door.  Windows can lose curtains for blinds.  The alphabet at the top might have to stay, if it's a game element (although there's no evidence for this in any gameplay videos I've seen).

The toy car can become a toy Ferrari or a Big Trak (or maybe even KITT, the Knight Rider car); the table lamp can acquire a round tapered drum lampshade.  The left chair can go tubular; right one can go office-style.  Floor can stay laminated, but less glossy (maybe also lighter, i.e. pine?).  The flatscreen TV can become a colour portable.  Shelving on the right can old vinyl records and cassettes -- maybe even a VCR and video cassettes.

The lava lamp is a bit of an anachronism, because they'd gone out of fashion in 1970s and didn't return until the 2000s.  However, I'm guessing it plays a part in the game so we may have to leave it in.  Possibly change the colour scheme (red?).  The telescope is probably best left, as it fits pretty much any period.

The number 4 wooden block is actually a jack-in-the-box.  Although I've tried to avoid obvious cliches, a box themed on the Rubik's cube might fit nicely here.

The large mat in the middle of the room could switch colours.  Again, the alphabet & earth may play a part in gameplay so may have to remain.  I'd recommend a retro-game 8-bit graphics styled version of the mat, which keeps the content but places it in the era we want.

Wow.  That's a lot to build.  Next step is to produce a mock-up, which will probably involve a mixture of quick 3D modelling and photo composition.