Gabrielle Fagan finds comfort bygone days with some retro style interiors. While there may be nothing more yawn-inducing than those who rabbit on about the “good old days” it seems we’re all seeking a slice of nostalgic style to comfort us in these hard times. What else could explain the recent surge in popularity of the ‘Keep Calm And Carry On’, poster created during the Second World War and designed to boost our resolve if the ultimate threat happened – an invasion. The propaganda poster was rediscovered in 2000 and its popularity has snowballed since the start of the recession – its sentiments striking a chord. Millions have bought not just copies of the poster, but other products emblazoned with the slogan, available on everything from mugs to rugs. Alain Samson, a social psychologist at the London School of Economics, says that people currently find the poster’s words “positive and reassuring in a period of uncertainty, anxiety, and even perhaps of cynicism”. Queen of chintz Cath Kidston whose designs recall a more gentle ’50s era, when mothers wore aprons and the scent of baking wafted through the kitchen, is certainly celebrating our passion for more secure times. While other brands have been savaged by the economic downturn, Kidston has just announced profits have risen by 60% . Teapots and tea cosies, bedspreads, and picnic baskets all bear floral or polka dot designs inspired by Kidston’s idyllic childhood in the Hampshire countryside. Tom Savigar, strategy and insight director at The Future Laboratory, a consultancy for trend forecasting, explains: “A lot of people didn’t see this economic crisis coming and that makes them nervous about looking forward. “The reflex is to seek comfort and cosiness in things that reference the past. And as people stay at home more, stylish home comforts become more important.” For those who love homeware that takes a trip down memory lane, Pedlars is a favoured destination. There are restored globes, coasters made from old vinyl records, and of course, the ‘Keep Calm’ range. “We find people seeking homeware that makes them feel secure, and just looking at some of our products reminds them of better times,” says Pamela Brice at Pedlars. “People are buying into nostalgia and there’s a huge demand.” So check out stylish homeware with a built-in feel-good factor to boost your spirits and create a cosy sanctuary celebrating the rose-tinted past. Recipe for kitchen calm What could be more comforting than a place where there’s always time for tea and a chat, and the food is homemade? Don’t despair, even if in reality your cooking space is little more than a narrow galley and you’ve barely got time to rip the packets off the processed food let alone bake, you can still give it a chintzy, comforting makeover. Just add a few items of homeware, then pop on a floral pinny and guests will swear they can smell the baking. Choose from Cath Kidston’s classic collection, which includes her trademark floral mugs, £4, her new London mug, £7, and matching wallpaper, £150 (10-metre roll). Both feature retro-style scenes of the capital’s landmarks interspersed by bright red trolley buses. Alternatively, add maternal touches such as felt applique egg cosies, £4.50 each, or a felt red spotted tea cosy, £12. Laura Ashley brims with goodies that will conjure the atmosphere of a warm, country kitchen no matter what your location. Defy the gloom and display with a cheery red and white polka dot pie dish, £25, proclaiming ‘Home Sweet Home’. Just one piece in a range that includes delightful spotty jugs from £8. Pop comfy red gingham seat pads on chairs, £13, and indulge yourself with non-fattening strawberry-decorated accessories such as a peg bag, £10, or tea towel, £7. Complement the theme with a tea towel, £7 and sign, £8. And if baking’s beyond you, fake it with a set of three fruit tart candles, £12, which look good enough to eat. Crafty and comfortable Those unpretentious sitting rooms of the ’50s where the family gathered cosily around a tiny black-and-white television may be long gone. But a dash of craft and quirky accessories can turn the clock back to that era. Craft is enjoying a revival, so whether you get a warm glow of satisfaction from making something yourself, or indulge in buying one-off pieces made by designers, your rooms should include a individual pieces. Handmade items bestow a charming, unique feel on a room that the perfection of mass-manufactured items can’t match or replicate. Cath Kidston’s craft accessories are too pretty to leave in a workbox, especially her felt flower pot cushion, £6. Alternatively, simply cheat with shop-bought embroidered and appliqued cushions that look as though they’ve been lovingly hand-stitched. There are some gems in John Lewis’s new autumn collection. Raise a smile with a cushion in the shape and look of a cupcake. The creme cupcake cushion decorated with red cherries is £9.75. Or conjure that Sixties peaceful hippy vibe with a cushion appliqued with ‘Love’, £34. Laura Ashley continues its reassuring Home Sweet Home theme in their cushion collection. One cushion is prettily embroidered with a picture-book house and comforting message, £28, while others evoke a folksy patchwork effect, perfect for creating a cosy nest. Step back in time at the flap of a wing with flying ducks, an iconic wall decoration. These have been given a 21st century dash of bling by Oliver Bonas. Set of three gold ducks, £16.50. Vintage prescription If that British stiff upper lip and a ‘Keep Calm’ poster isn’t quite enough to keep panic at bay, you could invest in a glorious rug in red or blue bearing the slogan. Although it’s a pricey way to feel better at £395 from Pedlars. Perhaps invest in the framed war-time poster, £94, or a mug bearing the slogan, £9.50. While abandoning the mobile might be reckless, you could choose a landline phone in the style of those that featured in the classic black-and-white movies. A heavy black Bakelite Table telephone is an investment piece, which explains its price of £350, Pedlars. Listening to the news may fill you with gloom, but a pretty floral Roberts Radio, decorated in Cath Kidston print, £200, could help lift your spirits. Alternatively, tune in to a retro-style radio that looks like a tin sandwich box and is emblazoned with a pig. Piggy battery powered radio, £14, Cox & Cox. If none of these home solutions work, you could just buy a ‘Panic Now And Freak Out’ mug, £9.50, Pedlars, and take to your bed – snuggling under a Cath Kidston flowery duvet, £110, of course! | 
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