90s interiors are back! Here’s how to style your inflatable furniture and pine kitchens without looking dated

Updated: 00:00 EDT, 17 October 2026

THE SKIRTED SOFA

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Once the preserve of country houses and your granny’s spare bedroom, the retro furniture skirt is having a renaissance.

The appeal is partly practical. A furniture skirt hides a multitude of sins: ugly legs, tangled cables and those dust bunnies you can’t quite reach with the hoover. But the new version is also far less frou-frou than its 90s predecessor. The acres of chintz have been replaced with washed linen in tonal shades and subtle ticking stripes that look chic rather than fusty.

Laura Ashley is leading the revival with a new collection of sofas and chairs in taupe linen finished with neat decorative pleats. Prices start from £299 for a skirted armchair. For bonus 90s style points, pair with a matching pouffe.

THEN: A typical 90s living room, complete with skirted furniture and plenty of chintz

NOW: Skirted L-shaped dining bench, £1,699. Rug, from £100, wallpaper, £52 per 10m roll, lauraashley.com

THE INFLATABLE CHAIR

In the 1990s, this was a staple of teenage bedrooms and shops that sold glow sticks. It was more of a novelty purchase than a serious furniture choice. And yet, it seems we are ready to give it another go.

This is largely thanks to the relaunch of Ikea’s playful PS collection, first launched in 1995 – and, in particular, its new inflatable chair. Unlike Ikea’s original collection of inflatable furniture, including a sofa, armchair and footstool, which initially failed as a design series, the updated version comes with a steel frame and a finish so convincingly linen-like you might not realise it’s full of air. Assembly requires little more than a foot pump and a bit of enthusiasm.

THEN: The blow-up chair was synonymous with teen bedrooms of the decade – accessorised with a cordless landline

NOW: Inflatable easy chair, £129, uplighter lamp, £35, ikea.com

THE PINE KITCHEN

For years, pine was the material we were desperate to forget: too orange and usually accompanied by a matching dresser and a bowl of ornamental onions. We replaced it with marble, brushed brass and handle-less cabinetry, until our kitchens started to look a little too polished. And now we are pining for pine again.

This time round, the trick is not to go full country cottage. Steer clear of the heavy pine cupboards, pine floors and matching pine furniture. Instead, use wood sparingly: a run of simple timber cabinetry or veneers, softened with painted walls, stone worktops and contemporary hardware. East London-based kitchen designers Lozi offers bespoke kitchens with a minimalist 90s twist.