For nearly two decades homes have been white, beige and "safe" - a minimalism in which everything was muted, neutral and calm to the point of boredom. Now the pendulum is swinging back, and straight into the eighties. Glossy, lacquered surfaces, chrome and smoked glass are a trend again, and Pinterest has already given it a name: "Glamoratti". Searches for "eighties luxury" have risen by 225 percent in a year, most of all among younger generations.

The key, designers say, isn't in overdoing it but in control. The trend carries high gloss in sophisticated colours - cherry red, butter yellow, glacier blue, olive green - surfaces that almost work as mirrors. But the rule is strict: "one well-chosen glossy piece talks to the rest of the room," while several shiny objects at once create a space that tires the eye. One piece per room, two at most if they're small.

How to bring it home without overdoing it? In the living room, a lacquered coffee table can be a natural focal point without upsetting the balance. In the bedroom, nightstands with mirrored surfaces or a glossy dressing table introduce the effect through a smaller piece of furniture. In the kitchen, an island in olive or a deep colour combined with raw wood and matte stone strikes the balance - because the secret is not letting the shine take over everything.

And the pairing is what separates the elegant from the kitsch. Glossy surfaces demand warm, textured materials beside them: untreated wood, matte stone, linen, wool, handmade ceramics. Without them, the space looks cold and artificial. Lacquered surfaces easily catch fingerprints, but a microfibre cloth solves that. Unlike many trends that demand a full makeover, this one can be tried with a single piece - and if it doesn't suit you, it's easy to reverse. Few trends are so friendly toward those who just want to experiment.