That 70s Show Home!
It’s been completely impossible to walk in to a single clothes store this year without feeling as though you’ve somehow stepped in to a time machine and been whisked back to the 70s. Floppy hats, flares and pussy-bow blouses in muted oranges, browns and greens have reigned supreme, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be fast forwarding past this decade any time soon. So rather than trying to fight it we’re embracing it, letting it fill every element of our lives, from what’s in our wardrobe to our actual wardrobe. This is how to get that 70s show home look!
Spoil sports might call it the decade that taste forgot, but numerous interior design breakthroughs were made in the 1970s as movement was made towards a more liberated approach to style. Originally a reaction against sleek ‘mid-century modern’ interiors, 70s design was a way for people to add touches of individuality to the clean-lined modernism that had come before.
‘70s interiors really reflected the way people were feeling at that time – free and self-expressive’, Oh What’s This’ Rachael Wardle explains. This is likely what has brought the trend back around now; we live in smaller spaces, we’re constantly moving, we don’t want clutter but we do want to add our own personal touches to our homes.
Orange and its close cousins brown and olive are perhaps the most stereotypically 70s colours. We concede, some 70s homes can look extremely drab, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Go glam with gold or silver accents. Be brave with outlandish pattern clashes. White was everywhere in the 70s, so if you don’t want to go crazy with colour use that as your base, adding just one bright chair, artwork, garish cushion or bold rug to your room.
When it comes to 1970s inspired shapes, it’s all about those curves! After the clean, straight lines of the early mid-century, the 70s saw a switch to more relaxed, friendly shapes – another reflection of the freedom people were feeling. Think oversized rounded vases and lamp bases. Warped curves can extend in to print and pattern too, so look for soft furnishings with wave-like graphics or bold florals.
A statement chair is what will really define your 70s inspired room. Look for anything curved or egg-shaped (even better, go for an iconic hanging egg chair!) Wicker furniture and rattan peacock chairs were also all the rage amongst those with more of a bohemian inclination. Of course, we’re going to need somewhere to drink our morning coffee; choose a low to the ground, curved coffee table with short legs for an authentic 70s feel.
Lighting plays a huge part in creating that 70s look. Yes, the lava lamp was invented in the 1970s, but no we’re not suggesting you invest in one! Instead, go for curving floor lamps, hanging pendants and big, bold table lamps. Add further warmth with a key 70s accessory – the shag rug. Another big trend was bringing the outdoors inside with succulents and cacti, and don’t forget a pineapple of some kind!
You don’t have to go all out to get that 70s show home look. It’s all about getting the small details right – a statement rug here, a large piece of artwork there.
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