# What was this type home decor called? if anything? where did it come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 1, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070 "2019-10-01T01:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/1 "2019-10-01T01:24:04Z")
You all must remember some years ago, ducks and geese, with blue and white gingham, and blue ribbons, and jam jars, and a ‘country’ vibe - that decor was everywhere. So this weekend I went to an estate sale full of: framed prints of vintage looking palm trees on a dark shore: clocks, boxes, suitcases of dark faux leather like old steamer trunks, and more palm trees. Antique-y looking prints of monkeys and elephants. Everything vintage, weathered looking, like grandpa’s luggage from the turn of the century, like old maps. Do you know what I’m talking about? Home decor stores were chock full of the stuff in the 90’s. (I loved it myself) but it seems to have disappeared. Was there a name for this kind of decor? ‘Heart of Darkness’? ‘Memories of Colonialism’? ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/2 "2019-10-01T01:31:30Z")
My sister had a roommate who decorated their apartment like this. My sister called it " Neo Blue Retro Mauve". ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/3 "2019-10-01T02:16:05Z")
I couldn’t find any other examples of it, but [this site](https://decorinteriorsus.com/blog/resources/style-glossary/)describes it as Exploration. > [@](#): > > This interior design style places an emphasis on travel and exploring and is in many ways an offshoot of British Colonial design. Desks and seating are often collapsible for easy transportation in the mode of campaign furniture used by the British military during this era. The ability to be broken down and moved on a moment’s notice is also seen in modular storage units adorned with leather handles and brass rivets. Maps and charts are frequently used as decorating tools with vintage globes dressing up coffee tables and framed maps hanging on the walls. Exploration themed interiors also come with an Old World, vintage flair. Antique items like old suitcases, trunks and worldly trinkets can be used as accents. A vintage travel trunk inspired by the Belle Epoque age adds a lot of character to a home. Postcards are another feature of this worldly aesthetic – they can be framed or grouped together in a collage for a unique wall gallery or placed under glass in display tables. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/4 "2019-10-01T02:19:55Z")
Yes, travel themed. As in early 20th century traveling. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/5 "2019-10-01T04:21:47Z")
Ah! I never knew the name, but knew it had to do with British Colonialism. An odd thing to see at the time… I had friends out in the 'burbs, lower middle class types with a nice house, but whose home decor featured dozens of bad Sears family portraits on a wood paneled wall, and framed prints of vases of roses, galloping horsies against a prairie sunset, and inspirational prayerful posters all over. They inherited a little money and all of a sudden there was pale wall-to-wall carpeting, dark carved bed posts, inlaid wood dining room suite, duvet covers printed with antique-y looking maps and compasses, and huge triptych wall art of those dam palm trees on a distant fatal shore. A big change! Well, it was all the rage then! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/6 "2019-10-01T12:07:54Z")
It’s the Empire equivalent of Tiki decor - there’s a bit of crossover with the steamer trunks and palm trees, but Explorer doesn’t have all the Polynesian nick-knacks and has either a Raj or Happy Valley thing going on. It’s all very Pith Helmet-y. I’d call it Jumanji Style, myself. Or Gearless Steampunk. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/7 "2019-10-01T14:04:13Z")
Bombay Company Chic. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/8 "2019-10-03T03:37:55Z")
Anybody remember the early days of Banana Republic when it was all safari jackets and pith helmets? I think that was the 80s but is probably part of the sane overall trend. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-type-home-decor-called-if-anything-where-did-it-come-from/841070/10 "2019-10-04T13:55:18Z")
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