What Is Retro

What retro furniture is depends on the context. In some cases, the term refers to furniture produced more than 20 years ago and is a synonym for vintage. Other times, retro refers to contemporary furniture that looks as if it were made in an earlier decade. Explore a wide variety of furniture on 1stDibs.

Retro jewelry is jewelry created in the late 1930s and early 1940s. These pieces were heavily influenced by the changes accompanying World War II. Retro jewelry is known for its futuristic, geometric elements. Shop retro jewelry on 1stDibs.

The difference between antique and retro is the age of the pieces that the terms describe. Antique is the term for jewelry, furniture, home goods and decorative objects that are 100 years old or older. Anything between 20 and 99 years old is vintage, while things produced in the last 20 years are contemporary. Retro means that something looks like it's from another era. In some cases, an item described as retro may actually be an antique or vintage piece, or it may be a contemporary item inspired by the design styles of the past. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of antique, vintage and contemporary furniture.

The difference between vintage and retro relates to age and the specificity of the terms. Vintage refers to items produced 20 or more years ago. Retro describes things either produced in the past or that resemble things produced in the past. Anything that is vintage can correctly be called retro. However, some retro pieces are actually contemporary, meaning they were made within the last 20 years. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of vintage furniture, apparel, jewelry and decorative objects.