Heather Nette King is a Melbourne-based interiors stylist and writer for many leading interior titles and newspapers. The hallmarks of her styling are colour and vibrancy, and she writes passionately about peoples’ homes and how they live in them.
WE’RE LIVING IN THE 70S
If you pick up a recent interiors mag, or simply scroll through Instagram or Pinterest, you could be forgiven for almost believing you’d tripped on your bell-bottomed pants and landed back in the 70s. Never has the adage ‘what goes around comes around’ been truer, as today’s fashion, homewares, graphic design, and furniture trends are all paying homage to that ground-breaking decade.
The Togo by Ligne Roset and the Maralunga by Magistretti, the hottest, most in-demand sofas today, were both designed in 1973 (yes, just like Carpet Court, they turn 50 this year!) and each have months-long waiting lists. From high-end re-sellers like 1st Dibs to your local charity store, anything with a hint of 70s sensibilities will be quickly scooped up.
As a snapshot, 70s interior design was a time of experimentation and of rejecting traditional ideas. The cultural changes of the 1960s had become more mainstream, and this was reflected in the way people wanted to live in their homes. It was the dawn of a more relaxed way of living, with open-plan spatial design, sunken lounges and conversation pits becoming very desirable. Other relaxed materials like rattan and cane were embraced and the 70s also saw an early incarnation of another current trend – biophilia, which is to be drawn to nature and bring it into our homes via natural materials and indoor plants.
Flooring underwent a massive change in the 70s as well. Whilst lino and vinyl were still popular, by far the most famous and enduring flooring icon of the 1970s was shag pile carpets and rugs. Some style-leaders didn’t stop at the floor and kept it going up the walls too! Cork and hardwood floors were also very popular as their natural look worked so well with the earthy, muted colour palette that grow in popularity throughout the decade. Rugs were often shag, but also, vividly patterned synthetics and jute or seagrass.
Architects and interior designers are again embracing many of the key features of the 1970s in their designs. However, as with most revivals, there are changes and updates that incorporate the demands and sensibilities of today. Rather than seeing full-on shag carpet up the walls, more subtle acknowledgements that pay homage to the era will work best. This can be through furniture selections (yes like the dream-boat Toga sofa), or through adding a few rattan furniture pieces in a casual living space. Macrame wall hangings are again a great way to bring a sense of texture into your home, and modular or sectional sofas, particularly those that feature lovely, sensuous curves are de rigueur once more.
Whether you’ve bought a 70s home and want to live in the style in which it was intended, or simply wish to celebrate the era with a few iconic features or products, here are some tips on contemporary ways to get the look.
Add some beautiful 70s-inspired lamps like those made by Melbourne brand Retro print Revival. My pick would be the Rocket lamp in the Monstera print fabric. For a true Australian 70’s design icon, look to the Grant Featherston designed ‘Numero’ range of modular chairs. These are getting trickier to find, but not impossible, so keep an eye out on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree or reputable vintage dealers. I lucked in on one in a vintage store about five years ago and reupholstered it in a beautiful mauve wool fabric – it’s heaven to sit in.
For some contemporary 70s inspired flooring, Carpet Court has a beautiful range of hardwood floors, and my top pick would be the Native Squared in Spotted Gum, for its lovely warmth. A more budget-conscious selection would be The Native Collection vinyl plank in Jarrah. There are some fabulous rugs that will add a 70s vibe to your home too – like the jute Bondi Oval or the deliciously soft Laguna rug.
The 70s were a wonderful era for decoration and design, and that era offers endless inspiration for ways to live today.
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