Why You Should Incorporate Lucite Into Your Home

​By MEGAN JOHANSSON

If you're wondering which decor trend you absolutely should have in your home, it's lucite. Why? It's retro, it's airy, and most of all, it's a clear winner (Ha - get it? Clear?)

Wisteria

While in the past I've preferred to avoid clear glass tabletops at all costs (fingerprints are the pits), lucite is a different gem altogether that definitely shouldn't be overlooked.  It's the perfect way to add an eclectic yet understated element to any room, and its see-through material means that it'll never feel like you've cluttered up your space (this is especially important for people looking to spice up their studio apartments or upgrade their starter single family homes without adding bulk and taking up that precious little floor space). The visual weight is next to nothing, so it'll make your room feel light and airy while still providing design kudos.

While there are plenty of shops out there selling brand new lucite furniture and decor, this trend has been around for quite some time, so there are a ton of options for you to incorporate this into your home. Originally developed in the 1930s, it's become a staple in homes and businesses for nearly a century, and you've probably also seen it in a wide array of items beyond furniture (think phones, appliances, signage, and food display cases, to name a few). It's even been used in aquariums, hockey rinks, and for police riot gear - so, you know, you can always use that side chair for protection if a swarm of fire-breathing sports fans come barreling through your door. Good times, am I right?

All jokes aside, lucite gives you a near-endless supply of uses in your home decor.  If you're looking for a more modern take, try adding a side table with clean lines or go for an all-out lucite dining table and chairs set. 

Jeff Schlarb Design Studio

If you're more of a midcentury fan, check out your local thrift and vintage shops for unique pieces that you can mix and match with non-lucite design elements (with this style, using lucite as a complement to a more solid, bold, or patterned piece will make it much more retro and less hard-line modern). 

Chairish

You can even go more traditional by keeping to classic styles that happen to be made of lucite.

Shopstyle

Whichever way you choose to add this to your space, remember that a lucite piece is a great investment because it's essentially a neutral staple. With the change in seasons, you can play with its look by adding a cozy throw over the back of a chair in the winter, or a bright vase of fresh flowers to bring in warmer weather. The clear color makes lucite just about the easiest thing to dress up or down in any room.

And don't forget - it's crazy easy to clean. No need to worry about staining that upholstered seat cushion of your fave chair with your fave wine. Lucite's acrylic surface means you can wipe up spills in no time. 

I'd say overall it's clearly a design frontrunner that you don't want to miss. (Oops. I did it again.)