The '70s went back to nature with "the colors of the wind." Green, gold, orange, and brown showed up in paneling, tile, carpet, appliances, upholstery, and ceramics. Yes, these colors were horribly ugly.... but they were so ugly that they somehow became fashionable for a short amount of time.
Earth-toned mushrooms showed up everywhere in the 1970s! Anything from coffee mugs to pots and pans were covered in them. Designers at the time probably pulled inspiration from the mushrooms in their pockets. After all, they were truly magical.
Who gives a hoot if there are owls in the house? Everybody...in the '70s. If you didn't have some sort of brown owl figure in your home, you were way out of fashion. Just what you want in your home, a bunch of creepy eyes staring at you all the time.
White appliances are b-o-r-i-n-g. They should come in amazing colors , like avocado green or gaudy gold. Oh, that's right, they did in the '70s. You won't find these colors at your local appliance store, but we've all spent decades ripping them out of the wall.
Why wouldn't you want carpet you can rake that also comes in the colors of leaves? To give this trend a modern twist, stick to a shag throw rug in mustard yellow or olive green.
There's nothing earthier than wall hangings made from jute rope, beads, and bamboo. Macramé pot hangers also looked super cool holding the '70s-popular airplane plant. Why not take up macrame as a hobby and add a groovy touch to any room in your house?
Not everything in the '70s was brown, gold, or avocado green. The coolest cats chose bright pinks, purples, yellows, and oranges. Throw pillows and blankets are an easy way to incorporate this color scheme into your home decor. For the more adventurous, search vintage stores for vases and lamps.
Wallpaper featuring geometric shapes and flower patterns looked divine when paired with the ubiquitous '70s dark brown wood paneling. Some patterns were even enhanced by flocking! This trend is still popular today, but it is usually reduced to covering only one accent wall.
Traditional chairs are so stiff and formal. The '70s were way more relaxed--thus the bean bag chair was born. It was the epitome of comfort and coolness. Today, you could play it safe and place some of these chairs in your family or game room. If you're more adventurous, replace your high kitchen table and bar stool seats with a low table and bean bag chairs.
How do you get light way all the way down to your beanbag? Hang a few dangling light bulbs and cover them with bright colored paper globes! These lanterns create really cool geometric shapes and come in all styles, so there's no need to modernize this trend.
Everyone knows that the sexiest people had waterbeds! They're hard to get out of, you'd freeze without a heater, and the sloshing was loud, but a gentle wave was sure to rock you to sleep. I wouldn't exchange your comfy memory foam mattress just yet, but a water bed can be a fun addition to a guest room.
A sunken living room with a hanging fireplace was the ultimate in conversation pits! Often crafted from brightly painted metal, these fireplaces didn't have to hug the wall. If you can still find one today, make sure you have a professional install it.
For those who love bright colors and a sleek, modern look, decorating with Saarinen style tulip chairs or Verner Panton style chairs was far out! Today, these chairs work perfectly in playrooms and offices alike.
Open, airy staircases had the futuristic look many '70s architects preferred. Supported only by a centered metal structure and lacking a rail, they appeared to float. Talk about far out! If you're loving this trend, have a professional install one in your home. It will open up and modernize your living space.
An extension of the '70s infatuation with woven and knotted fibers, wicker throne-style chairs, tables, and shelves were popular décor. My personal favorite way to incorporate this trend in a modern home is with a hanging chair. A simpler option is an end table or two.
There’s probably no other piece of lighting as iconic as the lava lamp! These gel-filled mystery mixtures entertained the youth of the ‘70s for hours on end. No wonder they all went on to experiment with psychedelics. Jinkies!
If there’s one thing these trends have in common, it’s living your best life. What is more glamorous than getting ready at your own custom vanity? Nothing, and that’s why every woman wanted one. However, they really were a bit vain.
For some reason, unique seating was a major theme of the decade and resulted in the quirky seating arrangement that is the egg chair. How neat! Just kidding, it’s horribly tacky.
You would hope that anyone and everyone would think using the same bold pattern on your floors, walls and ceilings was a bit overwhelming. It ultimately ended up that way, but at the time people thought it was inventive and quirky!
The ‘70s answer to throw blankets was the invention of obnoxious homemade afghan blankets! These itchy knit throws featured hideous patterns and were typically handed down from your favorite grandma. Thanks grandma!
