Your basement might seem dark and dingy, but you can make it a cool place to hang out with a timeless and modern retro decorating theme.

No matter what your budget, you can have a retro decorating theme in your basement with a few changes such as wallpapering and putting together your wall art and pillows to give the room a feel of the past that is also modern at the same time. Some accessories to pay attention to when changing your interior decoration include floor coverings, fixtures, decorative items and wall coverings in conjunction with your furniture such as sofas, chairs and tables.

It's not critical to have coordinating sofa and chair set but the basement should have a variety of retro style pieces. To really enhance the retro style, go for pieces with a vintage look but in new condition.

Decorative items are necessary to pulling your retro decorating style together. You can even totally alter the look of your room merely by replacing the accessories! Concentrate on using wall art, pillows and nick knacks, in that match your retro theme. You'll be amazed at how simple and inexpensive it is, and what a large difference these changes make! You should try to incorporate a variety of antique store finds combined with vintage pieces and you could even try some reproductions of vintage nick knacks and wall art to get a professional look for your basement. Incorporating additional decor such as yard sale pieces from other eras can make your room appear like it was done by a professional.

Window treatments are important to your retro decorating design. To get a nice design in your basement consider working with a genuine curtain or drape from the era that can still be purchased at yard sales and auctions for reasonable money or new window treatment made in the retro style. There are several treatments that you can match up to this design style, particularly if you match them to other elements in the room, however you probably want to avoid anything too modern.

One big task to think about when decorating your basement with a retro decorating style is your wall paper or paint. For this theme the room colors make a big difference - think about applying vintage color combinations and colors specific to the era. For 1930's you want green and cream, 1940's - red and white and the 50's and 60's orange, avocado and blue and brown as a paint color. Try using a vintage pattern wallpaper on the walls. It doesn't need to cost a lot and if you want plain colored walls, just cover the walls in a neutral paint and add the color in your accents.

What you put on the floor can really pull the whole look together, but if new floors aren't in the budget for your basement then just buy lots of area rugs with a retro design. If new floors are in your budget, check out vintage pattern linoleum or wood floors, or perhaps even a shag rug if you are going for a mid century look.

Lighting is necessary in any room and the basement is no exception. To enhance your retro decorating theme, you should think about lighting in terms of style as well as type. While you will be going for a retro style, you might want to look at using vintage lights with reproduction lighting but Always stay away from anything which is in poor repair. Most basements can benefit from recessed lighting in addition to table lamps.

A critical decorating area that we often forget when redecorating is the wall space. You can make even the plainest walls look nice by incorporating great wall decor. Try adding hanging vintage paintings or posters - either from the era or reproductions. to your basement walls to enhance the vintage appeal of your retro decorating style.

Decorating your basement with a great retro look can be as difficult or simple as you want it to be. Either way, attention to detail and matching your accessories and furniture will help you pull off a groovy new retro decorating look that will turn your basement into your favorite room!

Lee Dobbins is an avid decorator and love to explore many different style of interior decoration. Find out more about decorating every room in the house at Decorating How To.com