Are you old enough to remember the 1970s? We're
not talking about glam rock and curly perms but 1970s home decor.
Orange and brown
were the predominant colours and found in bold shapes, flowers, circles,
abstract design pop art - a throwback from the previous decade. There was shag
carpet on the floor and woodchip on the walls. Towards the end of the decade, Britain
was in recession which meant hand-me-downs
and handicrafts and so there was plenty of wood and macramé.
If this doesn't sound appealing - remember the great thing about revivals is that you can take the best of an era and ignore some of the less attractive features.
1970s Retro Room
In order to avoid the worst of the 1970s home interiors design, the trick is to have a nod to the style rather than overwhelm a room. There's really no need to invest in lots of new furniture because 1970s coloured and styled can easily give your room that cool retro vibe.
Lighting
You can find 1970s lighting; usually pendant lights online but also browse second hand shops and car boot sales. For lamps, try to find lampshades in orange or brown or that are decorated in floral designs.
Artwork
Every respectful 1970s home had would have had a poster on the wall. You can find a poster you like and have it framed, better still see if you can find an iconic poster from the time, such as the tennis girl poster. Anything with a rainbow was also predominant in popular culture. And see if you can find the Tretchikoff the Chinese girl print that seemed to feature in most homes at the time.
Flooring
No need to change your flooring - instead it's quick and easy to give the floor a 70's feel with a new rug. Some rugs in our Vibrance collection will fit the bill (see below) thanks to their colour and design. Once you have selected the right FrithRugs for you, use it as the template to select your sofa cushions. Match them with the colours in your rug or see if you can find a similar design. Don't forget you could also have cushions re-covered.
Finishing Touches
Scour second hand shops for 1970s ornaments and accessories. Look for colours featuring brown, orange, lime, yellow, pink and purple. Coasters, planters and ashtrays are plentiful on second hand websites and so you are sure to find pieces that will complement your theme without overwhelming the room.
