Retro and Vintage Web Design For Your Inspiration

Vintage-inspired designs, when done well, can look even more current and relevant than an entirely new and modern design. Whether it’s only taking inspiration for your typography, color scheme, or other elements, or whether you create a design that would feel entirely at home in the 1950s, 1920s, or any point before, using vintage and retro styles can be fun and challenging.

Below are forty designs inspired by retro, vintage, and antique elements. They range from campy to completely professional and everything in between. Use them as inspiration for creating your own vintage designs.

Here is more retro and vintage-related articles we’ve previously published:

Full list after the jump.

Antique and Pre-20th Century Inspired Designs

The most common eras antique-inspired websites take design cues from seeming to be the Victorian era and classical Rome and Greece.The best designs tend to be formal-looking and evoke a sense of propriety without looking stuffy.

In some cases, they imitate broadsheet newspapers or other items from the times they’re inspired by.

1. The Statement
retro web design
2. Xocolatl
retro web design
3. Theocacao
retro web design
4. The Dollar Dreadful Family Library
retro web design
5. The Astonishing Adventures of Lord Likely
retro web design
6. Sensi Soft
retro web design
7. Internet Zillionaire
retro web design

Early 20th Century Inspired Designs

The early 20th century (through WWII) has inspired numerous designs. Some are influenced by the Film Noir and detective movies of the 30s and early 40s. Others pull from Depression-era pop culture (including children’s toys and games). And others take their cues from WWII-era military and civilian artwork and posters.

1. Webdesigner.ro
retro web design
2. The Ernest Hemingway Collection
retro web design
3. Team Fortress 2 – The Sniper vs. Spy Update
retro web design
4. Radio – The New York Moon
retro web design
5. mediaBOOM
retro web design
6. Mister-Aero
retro web design
7. Media Ambassador
retro web design
8. MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company
retro web design
9. Fred Perry – 100 Years
retro web design
10. Five Cent Stand
retro web design
11. Field Notes
retro web design
12. Target Scope
retro web design
13. Blind Renaissance, Inc.
retro web design
14. Amelia Earhart Book
retro web design
15. DeVotchKa
retro web design

Post-WWII and Later Designs

Designs inspired by the mid-20th century (post WWII up through the 60s) pull mostly from the popular culture of the era. Fonts inspired by the era are particularly popular, along with vintage color schemes. Fashion also seems to be a big influencer, as are vintage radios, cars, and televisions.

1. Tricycle Terror
retro web design
2. Thigpen Designs
retro web design
3. Singularityconcepts.com
retro web design
4. Style 4 you
retro web design
5. Small Stone Recordings
retro web design
6. Rocket Club
retro web design
7. Prahba
retro web design
8. Jeff Sarmiento
retro web design
9. Lataka
retro web design
10. Kretivia
retro web design
11. Klassiker in Acryl
retro web design
12. Level 2 Design
retro web design
13. Capitol Media
retro web design
14. Edgewater
retro web design
15. Custom Design
retro web design
16. Carrozzeria Verga
retro web design
17. Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant
retro web design
18. Tomatic
retro web design
WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestLinkedInGoogle+YoutubeRedditDribbbleBehanceGithubCodePenWhatsappEmail