In Defense of Nostalgic Interiors

This story is part of our Aughts Effect package, which celebrates 20 years of Popsugar — and enduring culture. Read all the stories here.

In 2006, my summer activities consisted of "coding" my MySpace profile to rain hearts while simultaneously dragging a sizzling-hot Conair flat iron through the ends of my humidity-stricken hair. My busiest days included trips to the mall and sleepovers with my friends. Later, I'd come to realize that these had been some of the best days of my angsty teenage life. My childhood bedroom — which is now my home office — was at the heart of so many of these memories.

Many a summer night, this room was my sanctuary. I would stay up late writing chapters in my journal while "MTV Cribs" blared in the background, permeating my innermost thoughts. Throughout the years, the walls changed from lime green in 2004 to "Tiffany" blue in 2011 to match whatever bedroom trend I was currently obsessed with. Today, the walls are white, a blank canvas for all of my tchotchkes.

My desire for collecting has always existed, but the end of the global pandemic brought about the innate desire for self-expression, not just for myself personally, but seemingly for society at large. From accoutrements for our handbags to trinkets for our bookshelves, we wanted to feel creatively inspired everywhere we looked after having been quarantined for so long. I'm happy to report that I have indeed felt something – joy – in how I have nostalgically decorated my home office.

Writer Andi Breitowich wrote about the Y2K Teen Bedroom being back for Popsugar, stating, "Y2K isn't just about style; it's a joyride to their happiest memories, a way to celebrate their younger selves, and a chance to relive a time when life perhaps felt more carefree, natural, and bursting with color." Impact has also pointed out how "being whimsy" is "intrinsically tied to trying to reinsert happiness into our everyday lives amidst a chaotic world."

And to that, I couldn't agree more. My Instagram and Pinterest feeds feature styled vignettes with various toys and figures (Sonny Angel, Jellycat, Sanrio, and Pop Mart, just to name a few), Vivienne Westwood lighters, Maison Margiela candles, and Yoshitomo Nara exhibition books. It's about balance! It's about high-low! But frankly speaking, it's really about what sparks joy in our lives these days.

So to anyone who feels like the idea of nostalgia in your home as an adult may lean too childish, juvenile, or silly, I say: lean in. My approach has been about including elements both old and new that bring me back to my childhood bedroom, and I hope this inspires you to take your own approach to decorating.