A video capturing a woman’s homage to 1990s interior design has gone viral on TikTok, striking a nostalgic chord with viewers yearning for an era of landlines, wood-paneled kitchens and sitcom warmth.
Juliet Cohen (@barelytolerableap), 25, who is based in Washington, D.C., shared a glimpse of her apartment in a video on TikTok. The clip has amassed over 491,000 views since it was posted on May 21.
The video showcases an apartment styled with 1990s-era décor, as text overlaid on the clip reads: “Pretending I live in 1994 so I stay sane.” The footage features retro kitchen appliances, wood cabinets, a beaded curtain and a soft glow that resembles television sets from that decade.
“I just wanted to create a colorful warm home where I could appreciate vintage elements and the treasures that have been passed down to me through the generations of women in my family,” Cohen told Newsweek.
“A lot of people say it looks like their grandma’s apartment, which I love,” she noted, while others say it “reminds them of a sitcom and it does feel more at home and cozy than other places.”
Cohen’s aesthetic is part of a broader cultural pivot away from minimalist, modern interiors and toward spaces that feel more lived-in and personal.
According to a March 2025 survey conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by System Pavers, 78 percent of U.S. homeowners consider their homes an extension of themselves. That number rose to 88 percent among millennials, suggesting Cohen’s preference for nostalgic décor resonates deeply with her generation.
@barelytolerableap on TikTok
‘I Like Knowing That Everything I Own Has a Story’
Cohen’s interior design choice is less about a trend and more about honoring personal history.
“I like knowing that everything I own has a story and that so much has happened within the walls of my home over the past decades,” she said. “I have even found a few receipts under my stove from 1999.”
The appeal of Cohen’s apartment, with its inviting sense of history and character, seems to stand in opposition to the sterile uniformity of contemporary design trends.
“There are a lot of wood elements of my home, which I feel like is very 1990s,” Cohen said. “I would say the main thing is my lack of stainless steel that has been popularized in kitchens as the standard, despite how ugly and sterile it looks. I want my home to be inviting, not look like a doctor’s office.”
Among her favorite throwback details are a General Electric digital clock radio—”the one that everyone’s dad had”—Fiesta kitchenware, a Coach Willis purse, and that quintessential beaded curtain that separates one room from another in many vintage apartments.
Her style is not only intentional but also budget-friendly. Cohen said the look was born out of necessity when she moved into her first adult apartment and couldn’t afford new furnishings.
“Of course, I went to the thrift store and got a lot of my décor there, which gave my space a ’90s style vibe that it wouldn’t have if I had gotten all my furniture from Target or IKEA,” she said. “Most of the stuff I have is actually old vintage furniture I picked up that were left on the street. Probably 50 percent of the stuff in my apartment is just things I found on the side of the street.”
Beyond nostalgia and practicality, Cohen said the physical features of her apartment also play a role in creating the vintage ambiance. The building is more than 100 years old, and it contains architectural details that are increasingly rare in new constructions.
“My 1961 oven has a meat temperature guide panel, and I have built-in cabinets that also serve as a television stand,” she said. “I think people’s homes 30 years ago were a lot more cozy but also more functional.”
‘I Miss the Simplicity of That Era’
Viewers flooded the comment section of her TikTok video with praise and personal reflections.
“This is what I call HOME. So beautiful,” wrote user eemmegg. Another viewer, HoJa, commented: “Love this so much. I miss the simplicity of that era.”
User wastedinkzinedistro said: “Wait this made me feel so calm,” while another added: “No Instagram no Facebook no notifications just peace.”
Several compared the setting to beloved television shows from the 1990s and early 2000s.
“It’s giving Monica and Rachel’s apartment,” wrote user Jude, referring to the iconic New York City apartment in the popular sitcom Friends. Others saw parallels with the Gilmore Girls show and one said they were “expecting Tom Hanks to appears in a cableknit sweater.”
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