Retro Art Finds New Life in Silicon Valley

This cultural article is about Vintage art wall prints. It eloquently features San Francisco, art deco, retro art, drawings, and posters for amazing Silicon Valley homes and offices.

Vintage art wall prints – we’ve all seen them adorning the walls of some of the most fashionable homes in the Bay Area, but very few people have any idea what they are or where they came from. They feature retro art that highlights San Francisco and its surrounding neighborhoods, such as art deco architecture and retro art featuring drawings and posters of nearby Silicon Valley companies like Google and Apple. Read this article to learn more about where these vintage art wall prints come from, how to purchase them, and why they’re so popular in Silicon Valley homes and offices today.
Inspiration From A Bygone Era

Finding retro-inspired artwork for your space is a great way to infuse a little culture into your home, but finding exact replacements for rare pieces can be tricky. If you’re struggling to find that perfect vintage print of San Francisco’s Bay or New York City’s harbor don’t fret—we have some excellent options. We found all kinds of unique artwork from seascapes and landscapes around North America and Europe. These prints are sure to make your friends do a double take! And they’ll look amazing in any room.
Living With Art Deco
Today, Art Deco can be appreciated as both a period of design history and an aesthetic style. The heyday of Art Deco began with a big bang in 1935, which was marked by its use in celebrations for King George V’s silver jubilee. Today, Art Deco is loved all over again. Silicon Valley is embracing its deco past, decorating its offices and homes with vintage art prints from that period. San Francisco apartments have become extremely popular for those who want to live within walking distance of their workplace, so city living is more popular than ever before. With so many people moving to Silicon Valley every year, retro art has seen a massive resurgence. In fact, it seems like every other week there’s another technology company moving into town. So what do these tech giants do to make their new office space feel unique? Many turn to original retro art prints—with great success!

The Power of Posters
They may seem a bit quaint in an age of super-size television screens and retina displays, but posters are making a comeback among techies on both coasts. When it comes to interior design, digital natives are taking inspiration from an era when sound was delivered by phonograph and filmmakers had to rely on paper reels to store their movies. In fact, there’s been a steady rise in poster sales over the past few years, according to Steve Miller, owner of Steve Miller Posters in San Francisco. Posters have made a huge comeback as people are tired of looking at flat images on computer monitors and tablets all day long. We’re living in an increasingly visual world where our senses need something more stimulating than what we see with our eyes alone—and that includes our homes.
Where To Find Posters
There are several ways to go about getting vintage or retro posters. On Craigslist and eBay, one can usually find mid-century prints of real quality at reasonable prices, but you need to be a bit of an expert yourself to tell which ones are authentic. In addition, there are online stores like PosterRevolution that specialize in selling brand-new, high-quality copies of old movie posters and other retro prints—which may be preferable if you want something with a little more recent cultural relevance.
If you are looking to purchase a work likely to increase in value, then consider an emerging artist. Anna D. Smith Fine Art and Real Estate Broker exclusively sells Vintage wall art prints online by California prison artist Donald “C-Note” Hooker, who is a celebrated emerging artist. She offers an exceptionally wide variety of C-Note’s distinctive art styles on her homepage, including Vintage art styles in the form of portraits, landscapes, seascapes, and still life. Just click on the image and it will take you to her trusted and respected vendor that offers museum-quality prints on canvas, acrylic prints, metal prints, poster prints, and more.
Another option is to take your own photos and print them out as large posters; while it’s not quite as easy as going to Staples, it’s also much cheaper than buying them pre-made. (And if you have artistic skills, it’s also a great way to turn your own drawings into wall art.)
How To Display Artwork In The Home And Office
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when displaying your favorite pieces of art and culture. By knowing how to best showcase your artwork, you’ll be able to create an inviting space for yourself or others. The decor choices we make say a lot about us—whether it’s our homes, offices, cars, even our clothing—so why not use that to display some beautiful vintage posters? Here are some quick tips on getting started:
Drawings of the Past
Vintage Art Prints for Modern Homes and Offices: First developed in France and based on whimsical sketches from turn-of-the-century artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, these prints were meant to decorate a room with beauty. Today, these works of art from an era gone by are still perfect for home and office walls as they reflect nostalgia or provide an interesting focal point to any space. In fact, some even say that vintage artwork can be used to add personality and create character to your living spaces.
If done right, even this season’s trendy vintage pieces will be appreciated in years to come! I have an excellent selection of high-quality wall art products for sale on my Home Page. Get started with creating a beautiful vintage look in your home or office today, and check out my more comprehensive blog on this season’s vintage, abstract, and other genres of art, “Silicon Valley Wall Art This Season.”
Retro Art Returns
Art has always been a wonderful source of inspiration, but some may be surprised to find that its popularity is continuing to rise. With rekindled interest across multiple genres, including pop art and urban deco, consumers can now purchase posters from every era. One of these artists includes Michael Osinski (aka m1k3y) who draws on his experiences living and working as an architect in both San Francisco and New York City. His iconic cityscapes often include retro-inspired cars such as classic convertibles or muscle cars; however, many of his pieces also incorporate retro technology such as rotary phones or tape players. And while most people associate nostalgia with vintage items, it’s important to note that retro does not necessarily mean old—it simply means things you remember fondly from your past.
San Francisco a City by the Bay
San Francisco is a coastal California city famous for its fog, hilly terrain, past and present earthquakes, strong cultural identity as an independent entity since 1846 (though many mistake it as being part of neighboring Oakland), and natural beauty. Considered one of most beautiful cities in America and has one of the most diverse collections of visual arts on display for public viewing. Art lovers can browse world-class museums and galleries featuring modern art, Egyptian antiquities and much more. Home to some of the country’s top culinary schools and restaurants. The City by Bay offers fantastic food with unique flavors from around the globe. The weather is mild year round with average temperatures ranging from 50 degrees F to 70 degrees F during summer months and 40 degrees F to 60 degrees F during winter months.
Be sure to click over to the Home Page to check out the over 200 Art Museum Quality prints for sale by C-Note.
anna@adsmith.broker
I am a Fine Art and Real Estate Broker with 40 years of experience in all aspects of the Real Estate Industry. A member of the National Association of REALTORS®. I advocate for Prison Artist C-Note. With the right wall art, your room will go from functional to functionally enchanting. Contact me for your Fine Art & Real Estate problems.