1970’s Trends That Are Back In Style In 2023

Have you noticed yourself being attracted to Bohemian Style room designs and having a yen for large house plants and boldly patterned wallpaper? Are you drawn to rattan furniture and woven wall hangings? Would a bit of fringe or a hanging chair add some zing to your lifestyle? Well! 2023 is the year for you! The 70’s were a fun period in time and the decor style is an enduring one. Powerful sociological changes took place during the 70’s. The hippies made their mark and had a ton of fun doing it. The decor and clothes were charming and exotic. Our nostalgia for those times may be resulting in a resurgence of some of the decor trends of that time. The sometimes questionable design choices of the era have matured and have reappeared in a more refined and curated manner. It was a very colourful and creative time. Through the lens of decades passing and history creating a patina over the decor choices of the time, we now see that decade as a time of innovation and high energy. Previous styles had been minimalist and spare. Minimalism really never worked for most people anyway. This is a great time to shop in the basements of your contacts who lived through that era. There may be some fabulous and funky finds to update your home. There is often immense charm in room designs composed of older furnishings. Darker colours confidently bring a masculine flair to interior decor. Women love these rooms, too. Black and white colour schemes, as well as monochromatic schemes of shades of greys or warm neutrals also bring a flavour of the 70’s back to us. The essence is also no holds barred luxury and fun.Rattan and wicker have returned in a big way. Woven baskets and vegetable fibers like linen are everywhere. In more recent times it was mainly found in sunrooms or in Coastal Style or a California Room decor. With a little tweaking to bring it around to a more Bohemian vibe these rattan pieces can have some more fun. If an entire suite of wicker seems like over-doing it, and we agree that it likely is, the addition of a rattan bookcase, even an armoire, if it can be found would add a touch of nostalgic charm to a modern room design. Poufs were a regular feature of 70’s design.The colourful opulence of Bohemian design elements is a trend we are also seeing. The style relates to the hippie era but it has more of a global flavour. We are subject to so many international influences through media sources and often, our own travel experiences. Colours are vibrant jewel tones like emerald, amethyst or sapphire, as well as hot neon shades. Even in dramatically deep colours, velvet abounds in furnishings and draperies, and silk or silk look fabrics lend opulence and depth to the finished room. So many of us have traveled to interesting and exotic places. Even if we have not traveled we likely have been enthralled by movies that ably showed us these exotic wonderlands.Macrame and hand woven wall hangings, in general are on an uptrend. Macrame can be traced back to ancient times but when we think of macrame nowadays, we automatically think of 70’s decor. They were wildly popular back in the day. With today’s tall ceilings and open plan home designs, a hand woven wall hanging can make a very dramatic statement in a room design. The seventies were also the dawn of a new way to cook. This was a huge and creatively exotic change in approach to the home. Large, healthy house plants suit this decor, along with refurbished antique wooden furniture. There is a strong trend to salvaging neglected furniture pieces. Re-gluing failing furniture joints, stripping off ravaged veneer and lacquer varnish or many layers of paint is a great way to spend some time and get your hands dirty. Sometimes the transformation is remarkable. It’s well worth the effort to keep these lovely old furniture pieces out of the landfill and, most of all, to create a stylish furniture piece uniquely your own.Along with reclaimed furniture comes retro colours and fabrics. Seventies colours like orange are a strong trend now. Bright colours, in general, are back in style. During the 70’s home decor involved an explosion of bright colour. It was a time of optimism and happiness, despite a few political upheavals. Decor styles were eclectic. Interior design took a free-form approach. Thick marble tables with dramatic veining have also come back. Natural wood or thick marble ones with dramatic veining convey the look. Poufs and bean bag chairs abounded, along with shag carpets, wall to wall broadloom, and stack stone fireplaces and stone walls.Many of us are very tired of the all white home and bringing in hot, happy colours brings a sense of warmth and optimism. There’s never a wrong time for that! Besides, colours like orange, turquoise, and deep green look great with darker colours. We can add a little relief with large, abstract artworks that are composed of opposing whites, hits of black, maybe some deep brown or rust. There is high energy in roomscapes of this kind. Bold excess embodied the 70’s style in decor.Velvet was popular in the 70’s and it’s back in a big way now. Bohemian blends with disco to create vibrant colour schemes with plenty of textural impact. Many clients may not be ready for full bore Bohemian decor. On the other hand, many are ready to have a lot more fun than they have been having for the last while. Mixed prints and mixed fabrics were part of the fun aesthetic of 1970’s decor. Bold patterns and colours in rugs, pillows and drapery fabrics embody the look. Lucite furniture was also popular during the 70’s. Folding screens, as well. They can help divide and define living spaces when walls are not present.