Rattan and shag-pile
Design Market
It’s my birthday tomorrow. A self-indulgent blog will now follow. Funny things, birthdays. An opportunity to celebrate another year on this planet, and a time of reflection of birthdays and days gone by. I suppose it is inevitable that the older we get the more reflective we become. We have more to recall and remember. Older and wiser? I’ll let you be the judge of that. Anyway, this birthday thing got me thinking about my youth, and how I’ve ended up where I am now (i.e. by the seat of my pants) and inevitably, I began to contemplate the décor in my childhood home. The fashions and fads of times past, what we still love now and those things that make us shudder and wonder why they were ever in vogue.
I was born in 1970 (I know, I know, it really doesn’t seem possible……) at the beginning of what you could say was the Decade That Taste Forgot. My memories include brown, orange, macramé, more brown, more orange, migraine inducing wallpaper and Formica (a hang over from the 1960s). But set in context, what 70s interior style focused on was fun and a sense of things ‘over the top’. After the spare post-war look and the function focused and utilitarian style of mid-century modern, the 1970s brought a feel of decadence with shag pile rugs, an abundance of pattern, bold colours and lots of texture. The look was maximalist, hippie, luxurious. Sofas were for lounging, fabrics were lush, colours were vivid and people were drawn to creating a relaxed and social feeling at home. Abigail’s Party anyone? (Younger readers will need to Google that reference).
Think of 1970s fashion and we think flares, platform shoes, permed hair and Glam-rock. Or we think hippie, floaty, tie dye and Afghan coats. However, there was no one predominant style in fashion or décor as the times encouraged individualism and empowerment. It was a decade that had many influences on how we live today with the introduction of cell phones, MRI scanners, microprocessors and genetic engineering. We also saw rocketing oil prices, mass redundancies, huge inflation rises and strikes. Sound familiar?
But back to the décor. 1970s homes were about providing comfort and happiness for families and friends. People felt freer to express themselves through their choice of interior design. There was a large ‘back to nature’ trend that saw people including rattan furniture, houseplants and that ubiquitous macramé into their homes.
Would you want to revisit the 1970s in your home? Thinking back to my childhood home and those of my friends, there is much of the style of the time that should be left where it belongs. In The Past. I’m thinking avocado bathroom suites, carpeted bathrooms and shaggy toilet seat covers (thankfully, my own house did not contain any of those monstrosities!). However, if we take a careful look at some 1970s influences and aesthetics, there are many we can adopt in our houses today to bring an element of nostalgia, warmth and luxury.
Rattan
Made of cane and willow, rattan furniture was extremely popular in the 1970s. It remains popular, but we tend to use it more moderately. Cane chairs were all the rage then, but today we can adopt rattan in a subtle way such as a small bookcase or a mirror. Woven baskets are a great storage solution. Rattan brings a light and natural look and will blend well with other furniture.
Velvet
Really popular in the 70s, velvet always brings a touch of luxury whether it is in the form of a sofa, curtains or a few scatter cushions. Don’t be afraid of bold colours that make a feature as you can easily tone things down with other furniture, fabrics and flooring.
Warm colours
Think burnt orange, brown and olive green. All seen in the 70s in abundance. Teamed with neutrals, these tones bring warmth and comfort. These days, the success of using these colours comes with a careful, balanced approach so the colours do not dominate and make a space feel overwhelmingly dark or dingy, but add a cosiness to a scheme.
Rugs
Not many people want a full on, shag carpet these days, but an accent rug can be a fun and cosy feature in a room, especially on wooden flooring. To complete the homage to the 70s you could select a rug in a bold pattern in bright colours, add sheepskin or go for a Turkish rug, vintage or new.
Houseplants
The appeal of the natural look in the 70s resulted in lots of greenery in the home. This is a very popular trend today and houseplants really bring that feel of nature to a room. Think palms, cheese plants, ferns and trailing plants for that 1970s vibe.
Cheery kitchen and bathroom colours
No, not the avocado suite or olive green Formica kitchen (unless that’s your thing of course), but don’t be afraid to use yellow or orange in a bathroom, or go for bright coloured cupboards in a kitchen. These are the rooms were people err on the side of caution (and kitchens and bathrooms are costly, so I understand why people don’t want to take a risk) but used carefully, those brighter colours can bring cheerfulness to a room. We spend a lot of time in our kitchens. Why not make sure yours makes you happy?
Pattern
The 1970s saw a lot of geometrical pattern in wallpaper and tiles. You can find all sorts of retro patterns that are similar to the 1970s wall coverings, fabrics and tiles. Or you could use more modern designs that echo that 1970s feel. If you want the maximalist look, use them in abundance. Alternatively, if you prefer a more subtle approach, maybe create a geometric tile splash back or wall paper just one wall.
As ever, If I can be of any assistance with your interior goals, please get in touch. Having lived through the 70s I know what to avoid and what to recreate. I’ll probably be steering clear of too much macramé. Now, where’s that birthday Babycham?
Emma x
