The 1970s appear to have been a more laid-back, dare we say, mellow era, doesn’t it? Disco reigned supreme, Jaws posed a threat to moviegoers, and everyone was on roller skates. Houses were one-story ranch-style or split-level, with a variety of never-before-seen design options (most of which have been never seen again). Every household interiors were certainly unique, whether they were good, horrible, or just plain gaudy. A little nostalgia never hurts, so let’s take a trip back in time to a typical 1970s apartment. Just a heads up: many of them went extinct, so this might be your first time seeing them. Read on!
1. Linoleum floors
As you might have seen in movies, kitchen and bathroom floors were almost universally tiled like patterned linoleum in the ’70s. Most homeowners love them for their durability and easy cleaning.
2. Bean bag chairs
Most households that were built in the ’70s usually have a few beanbag chairs thrown around in the basement. You will feel their comfort if you give them a try. You won’t be able to escape once you did.
3. Wood panels
We could easily spot the wood paneling around the walls today from plank or corrugated board. However, the ’70s version was usually made from anything but real trees and had apparent faux grain.
4. Crochet blankets
No type of blanket could screen out the “old lady” like the good old crochet ones. With square patterns and different clashing colors, they have become an essential item for everyone 70s households. With scratched wool, they’re better left on the back of the couch than fighting any cold.
5. Lava Lamps
The technically behind weird hypnotic lava lamp was quite popular in the 60s. They did continue riding the hype, until near the end of the 1970s.
6. Fluffy rugs
Fluffy rugs were a design trend in the 1970s, and they often came in eye-catching colors like bright orange.
7. Large TVs
Today, flat-screen TVs, thin, light, and using hung on the wall, are in vogue. But in the ’70s, they were furniture, a place to watch The Brady Bunch together.
8. Statement Stone Fireplaces
With materials made of rough stone and often occupying an entire wall, this design trend often appears in a hunting lodge.
9. Alarm clock
Alarm clocks and ’70s come in the once-popular faux wood veneer colors or some bright colors. They also make a rattling sound.
10. Patterned paper
’70s walls aren’t planks. They’re sports paper with big, bold geometric blocks in bright, contrasting colors.
11. Sunken living rooms
In the ’70s, conversations that encouraged communication were very much a priority. That’s why these seating areas are so unique. They sink a notch from the rest of the room, cozy and inviting.
12. Floating stairs
A floating staircase is a highlight of The Brady Bunch’s design. Mr. Brady may be an architect, but he’s pretty risky to build those stairs.
13. TV dinners
It’s a full dinner on perfectly sized molded plastic trays and dividers from the 1940s. You just reheat it and enjoy it.
14. Rattan Furniture
In the 1970s, rattan furniture was relegated to patios and other outdoor spaces, but it quickly became a popular addition to living rooms and other interior spaces. It went well with all the macramé and ferns that started popping up all over the place.
15. Floral Sofas
Upholstery, like wallpaper, in the 1970s tended to be as big, bright, colorful, and busy as a bee in a field of sunflowers. Furniture fabric, on the other hand, was dominated by florals, and wallpaper favored geometric shapes.
16. Push Button Phones
A push-button phone in the 1970s existed between the past’s rotary phones and today’s cell phones. In comparison to its predecessor, it seemed to dial lightning fast.
17. Stereo Systems
Stereos of the 1970s were complete systems, some of which were so complex that they ascended the wall in towers. The current equivalent, a tiny speaker that plays smartphones, can’t hold a candle to the original.
18. Macramé Everything
Macramé, made by tying strands into knots, was all the rage in 1970s houses and used everything from potted plant holders to owl-shaped decorative wall hangings.
19. Colonial Furniture
Colonial furniture returned with a vengeance, bringing with it turned wood and other forebears’ favorites, maybe due to patriotism during the Bicentennial.
20. Fringe Elements
You might know about Fringe, which was popular in the 1970s as a fashion statement and a haircut or a decorative element on vests and ponchos. Furthermore, Fringe also appeared on lampshades, where it filtered light and contributed to a calm atmosphere, man.
21. Radios
There was only AM and FM before the internet and satellite radio, and people in the 1970s listened to it on particular devices.
22. Funky Lights
It’s hard to think these strange little lamps with colored filaments that glowed back in the daylighted up everyone’s rec room, but they did.
23. Pod Chairs
Whether they were referred to as ball chairs, pod chairs, egg chairs, or globe chairs, these seats were warm and inviting.
24. Popular Pottery
Pottery became popular long before Demi Moore, and Patrick Swayze became goopy with wet clay in Ghost, whether due to the rise of ceramic artists or enthusiasts getting their hands on a kiln. Every home in the 1970s had ceramic lamps, vases, and other decorative items.
25. Chrome Finishes
Despite the earth tones and hippy touches, the 1970s were also about shine, at least in terms of chrome. Chrome accents on kitchen chair legs, coffee tables, and lamps gave the home sweet home a touch of Studio 54 sparkle.
26.Typewriters
Despite the earth tones and hippy touches, the 1970s were also about shine, at least in terms of chrome. Chrome accents on kitchen chair legs, coffee tables, and lamps gave the home sweet home a touch of Studio 54 sparkle.
27. Chrome Plating
Despite the earth tones and hippy touches, the 1970s were also about shine, at least in terms of chrome. Chrome accents on kitchen chair legs, coffee tables, and lamps gave the home sweet home a touch of Studio 54 sparkle.
28. Typewriters
Using the backspace key to correct a mistake is indeed much more convenient than using whiteout. But don’t you pine for the clumsy typewriters of the 1970s? Anyone?
29. Dishes made of Pyrex
Pyrex casserole plates and mixing bowls came in bright, fun colors you’d love to set on your table back in the 1970s, and they’re still available in plain old see-through glass.
30. Record Players
Vinyl records, it’s sad to say, peaked in the 70s when ambitious “concept albums” like The Eagles’ Hotel California were released. But their sound, according to experts, is far warmer and more prosperous than digital could ever be
31. Dark Colors
The subdued, flat colors that everyone adored in the 1970s have persisted, although rust, sand, brick, harvest gold, avocado, and other similar paints are rarely seen in the same space these days. That’s probably a good thing because when they’re all put together, they’re a little depressing.
32. Bricks that have been exposed
In the 1970s, exposed brick was so trendy that you’d think everyone was bunking in an abandoned warehouse. When you factor in a sloped rooftop, the ride back takes twice as long.
33. Walls with Texture
Walls of the 1970s begged you to reach out and grab them, whether they were made of flocked or foiled paper or textured plaster.
34. Slides that are powered by electricity
When your neighbors returned from a vacation in the 1970s, there was an unspoken law that you had to invite them over for a slide presentation.
35. Recreational Areas
Almost always located in a basement, 70s rec rooms were dark, dingy, and possibly wet, but who cared when you could steal your first kiss while playing spin the bottle down there?
36. Patios made of concrete
Patios of the 1970s had a distinct aesthetic that has never been duplicated. Families would call it good with a slab of concrete, a pair of flimsy plastic chaise lounge chairs, and maybe a hibachi—after mom slathered up with baby oil, that is.
37. Hanging Lights
In the 1970s, glass pendant lamps with those giant globes were all the rage in home kitchens, especially if they were orange.
38. Pots for Fondue
Fondue pans were frequently used for entertaining. Everything was OK until someone spilled melted cheese in their lap.
39. Colossal coffee makers
Can anyone imagine, in this day and age of Keurigs, that people used behemoths like this to prepare coffee in the 1970s?
40. Super 8s
Before mobile phones and digital video cameras, 1970s families would videotape themselves doing 1970s family activities on Super 8 film and then show it back on a nice home movie projector, much to the humiliation of all.
