The twenty-first century has long been going on in the yard, but in some houses there are still apartments in which time seemed to stop fifty years ago. There is still much debate about that era - some designers consider it tasteless, chaotic, uncomfortable for life. This is the heyday of the subculture of punks and hippies, disco music and the advent of color TVs. Interiors in the style of the 70s are again becoming popular, almost gaining a leading position in some countries.
If today in the countries of the former USSR people are striving for high-tech, minimalist interiors, then in Europe, America, the finish is “nostalgic antiquity”, the old, but still strong, beautiful furniture of that era is fashionable and expensive. This style is especially popular in the USA, its other name is retro.
This style is rich and bold, bright and elegant, combining charm and kitsch. Recreating this design at home, it is important not to “overdo it” with the decor and accessories - the interior should not look vulgar, redundant, interfere with relaxation, but be recognizable. In this era, interiors cease to be standard, begin to personalize, adapt to a specific person, his hobbies, interests.
High technologies in home decoration became popular around this time - many household cars appear in the interiors, which are very different from modern ones. These are small round-shaped refrigerators and large coarse microwave ovens, voluminous bright plastic food processors and heavy vacuum cleaners, huge computers with a small screen and even larger bobbin tape recorders, washing machines that look like a spaceship and wooden legs on legs.
Bright colors, accents
According to the color palette, the style of the 70s resembles boho - there are practically no restrictions on the choice of shades. There are many natural, rainbow colors, acid colors. For cramped rooms, light colors are selected, for spacious ones - dark. When the windows face south, the colors are cold, while the north is warm.
The most interesting combinations:
sky blue with acid green;
pebble with coral;
strawberry with iron gray;
brown with bottle green;
pumpkin orange with sunny yellow;
gold with purple;
woody brown with pink;
beige with purple-black;
mustard with jeans;
snow-white with scarlet;
cherry with cornflower;
willow with orange.
As a basic, the interior of the 70s will be decorated with a maximum of two or three colors, but many small color accents are allowed here, helping to withstand a clear style.
Materials Finishing
Finishing materials are used very diverse:
metal;
tree;
Chipboard;
plastic;
glass;
plywood;
leather;
a rock;
vinyl;
paint;
wallpaper.
The floor is decorated with a board, stacked parquet, which is made of oak, beech, elm, walnut, larch, birch, juniper, maple, pear, ash and other species. Less commonly used is a laminate that qualitatively imitates natural wood, linoleum in a “checkerboard”, and fiberboard covered with red-brown paint.
The walls are also finished with wood, painted with paint, mainly brown, gray-golden, and wallpapered with wallpaper with a geometric or floral pattern, "rich" texture. The ceiling is usually whitewashed, suspended, but qualitatively imitating whitewash, made of plasterboard painted in white. It is acceptable to use stucco ceiling decoration, but not too numerous.
The doors here are usually high, almost to the ceiling, and in the apartments, "stalinkas" are also double-leaf, painted in white-blue, silver-gray, violet tones. The windows are mostly wooden, painted white.
The most commonly used herringbone flooring is varnished or translucent.
Features in the selection of furniture
The furniture here is streamlined, very shiny, somewhat surreal, asymmetric shapes are welcome. Of the materials, stained oak wood, chipboard, bronze, brass fittings, plastic decor elements are welcome, wicker furniture is also allowed. Upholstered furniture is preferred - cozy sofas, bent-glued armchairs, chairs with soft seats and carved backs. The upholstery is chosen predominantly bright, but more solid is acceptable - graphite gray, chocolate brown.
In the 70s, brightly colored plastic and polypropylene first appeared in interiors. They made round dining tables with chairs, children's furniture, original coasters for indoor flowers. Such furniture is very elegant, comfortable.
Abundant use of textiles
Many carpets are used in the interiors of the seventies - they are luxurious, fluffy, cover almost the entire floor and up to 40% of the surface of the walls. Floor mats are decorated with colorful intricate patterns, and wall mats, some of which are tapestries, with story drawings depicting fantastic animals. A “path” with stripes along the edges is laid in the corridor, in the kitchen, on the balcony, in the bathroom, there are also various “doormats”.
The prickly checkered plaid is an indispensable attribute of a cool Soviet apartment. Curtains are also dense, almost to the floor, protecting from cold and daylight. All textiles are made in different colors, but with a similar pattern, texture. It uses fur, velvet, velor, natural wool, leatherette. A lot of multi-colored pillows, wraps with fringe, tassels on upholstered furniture, numerous lace tablecloths, napkins on all horizontal surfaces are allowed. The walls are decorated with textile panels, homemade wicker planters with living plants in flowerpots are placed on the windows.
Textiles preserved from Soviet times can decorate a modern interior only if it looks flawless.
Retro lighting
Lighting is usually straightforward, but the devices themselves look luxurious - it's crystal. pseudo-crystal multi-track, multi-tiered chandeliers, high floor lamps with fabric lampshades on turned legs, intricate sconces. Next to them are small decorative lamps of a surreal form - lava lamps and plasma lamps. Workplaces in the kitchen, in the study, in the nursery are brightly lit by lamps on a long flexible leg with a metallic shiny shade.
If desired, make any original lampshade using the macramé technique or lace knit for any lighting device - you only need a suitable wire frame.
An example of a modern apartment
Modern time suggests other interior priorities than 50 years ago.No one will guess to cover a flat TV with a white lace napkin, and it’s unlikely that they will allocate a whole room for a library, because any book is easier to download from the Internet. In the Soviet Union, in times of perpetual scarcity, people did not have large refrigerators, since there was nothing special to store in them, wardrobes, since not everyone could afford a lot of clothes. Because the interior of those times was quite minimalistic - it was easier to maintain cleanliness.
The decor here is very diverse, from abstraction paintings in rectangular frames to colorful posters with foreign stars of the 70s.
Hallway
A trellis is often placed in the hall - a large mirror with three wings, attached to a kind of dressing table-chest of drawers. It is relatively roomy, but most often takes up a lot of space. If the room is too cramped, instead of a trellis, an ordinary mirror is mounted on the wall in a plain wooden frame, preferably dark.
If you have a home phone, it is chosen in its original form - round from bright plastic in acid colors or in a metal case. It is placed on a special miniature shelf, located not far from the mirror. For outerwear there is a wooden hanger, and hats, scarves, umbrellas are hung on real deer antlers covered with varnish.
Living room
In the Soviet living room in almost 100% of cases there was a wardrobe. He got his name for the simple reason that this item occupied a whole long wall. It contained almost everything - a huge number of books, since then they read everything, elegant dishes, delivered a couple of times a year on holidays, individual items of clothing, small household appliances. For a modern interior, a more capacious “wall” is selected, in the middle of which a TV is placed on a shelf, with books in place, only the most beautiful ones are left in sight, in bright covers, choosing them in height.Some dishes on glazed shelves also save, but not all - it excessively clutters the space.
Opposite the wall is a soft sofa, usually a folding one, two “Scandinavian” leg chairs. Almost in the center is a coffee table with wheels or on four cone-shaped legs. A real piano is neatly placed in the corner - in modern times a small podium is made for it. If necessary, zoning is done using curtains, folding screens. As a decor, use a geographical map or a real globe.
Instead of a “wall”, shelves are sometimes arranged up to the ceiling, and a small workroom with a desk is separated by a bookcase with books.
Kitchen
An indispensable item in the kitchen of the 70s is a sideboard. It was painted with white or bright paint, contained the smallest set of dishes, table linen. The kitchen is white, blue, less often - red, purple. It has a clear geometric shape, no roundness, rough metal decor.
The dining table is decorated with a checkered or colorful oilcloth-tablecloth; a round chandelier with a fringe illuminates it. The table is often made folding, in the form of a "book" - in case guests arrive. The dining area is decorated with a series of narrow shelves with a "Soviet" decor placed on them - painted dishes, knitted dolls "on the teapot", bright jars with seasonings.
A large ceramic tile or linoleum with black-and-white, black-green "checkerboard" is laid on the floor. The walls are painted with light paint, the apron is laid out with small colored tiles.
Kitchen appliances are selected stylized "antique" - rounded in shape, with massive iron handles. It should not be much in sight - everything superfluous, ultramodern, hiding behind the doors of the facades.
Bedroom
In the bedroom there will be a bed with a bedside table - then this object was placed sideways to the wall, a sconce with a shade-flower made of frosted glass is suspended above the bed.In small-sized bedrooms, instead of a full-fledged bed, a sofa will be placed, which in the daytime plays the role of a seat, at night it unfolds for sleep. The bed is selected exclusively light, plain or with stripes, openwork embroidery in separate places.
A two-three-door wardrobe with polished doors is placed in the wardrobe area, where outer clothing on the bar is stored on one side, bedding, underwear - on the other. Sometimes a wooden floor hanger-coat hanger is installed nearby. A shelf of wood and metal wire is hung on one of the walls - books, potted plants, home-made toys, black-and-white photographs are placed on it.
A bathroom
The bathroom in the USSR was often combined with a toilet. The walls here are decorated with white plain tile or having a geometric ornament. The floor is also tiled, but darker. All plumbing fixtures are white, although yellow-brown ones can be ordered - artificially aged. The bath itself has brass, copper legs, the same tap.
There is nothing superfluous - in the presence of free space they put a dressing table-chest of drawers with a mirror, closed shelves are under the bathtub, any decor is practically absent.
Conclusion
A full-fledged interior design in the style of the seventies is completely uncomplicated, inexpensive if it is decided to recreate it in an old apartment built in the middle of the last century, besides having not-so-dilapidated furniture inherited from my grandmother. Those who wish sometimes equip something similar in modern "panels", country houses, but high-quality styling will be more expensive, antique furniture can be made to order from a cabinetmaker if desired.
The twenty-first century has long been going on in the yard, but in some houses there are still apartments in which time seemed to stop fifty years ago. There is still much debate about that era - some designers consider it tasteless, chaotic, uncomfortable for life. This is the heyday of the subculture of punks and hippies, disco music and the advent of color TVs. Interiors in the style of the 70s are again becoming popular, almost gaining a leading position in some countries.
Content
Features, style characteristic
If today in the countries of the former USSR people are striving for high-tech, minimalist interiors, then in Europe, America, the finish is “nostalgic antiquity”, the old, but still strong, beautiful furniture of that era is fashionable and expensive. This style is especially popular in the USA, its other name is retro.
This style is rich and bold, bright and elegant, combining charm and kitsch. Recreating this design at home, it is important not to “overdo it” with the decor and accessories - the interior should not look vulgar, redundant, interfere with relaxation, but be recognizable. In this era, interiors cease to be standard, begin to personalize, adapt to a specific person, his hobbies, interests.
High technologies in home decoration became popular around this time - many household cars appear in the interiors, which are very different from modern ones. These are small round-shaped refrigerators and large coarse microwave ovens, voluminous bright plastic food processors and heavy vacuum cleaners, huge computers with a small screen and even larger bobbin tape recorders, washing machines that look like a spaceship and wooden legs on legs.
Bright colors, accents
According to the color palette, the style of the 70s resembles boho - there are practically no restrictions on the choice of shades. There are many natural, rainbow colors, acid colors. For cramped rooms, light colors are selected, for spacious ones - dark. When the windows face south, the colors are cold, while the north is warm.
The most interesting combinations:
Materials Finishing
Finishing materials are used very diverse:
The floor is decorated with a board, stacked parquet, which is made of oak, beech, elm, walnut, larch, birch, juniper, maple, pear, ash and other species. Less commonly used is a laminate that qualitatively imitates natural wood, linoleum in a “checkerboard”, and fiberboard covered with red-brown paint.
The walls are also finished with wood, painted with paint, mainly brown, gray-golden, and wallpapered with wallpaper with a geometric or floral pattern, "rich" texture. The ceiling is usually whitewashed, suspended, but qualitatively imitating whitewash, made of plasterboard painted in white. It is acceptable to use stucco ceiling decoration, but not too numerous.
The doors here are usually high, almost to the ceiling, and in the apartments, "stalinkas" are also double-leaf, painted in white-blue, silver-gray, violet tones. The windows are mostly wooden, painted white.
Features in the selection of furniture
The furniture here is streamlined, very shiny, somewhat surreal, asymmetric shapes are welcome. Of the materials, stained oak wood, chipboard, bronze, brass fittings, plastic decor elements are welcome, wicker furniture is also allowed.
Upholstered furniture is preferred - cozy sofas, bent-glued armchairs, chairs with soft seats and carved backs. The upholstery is chosen predominantly bright, but more solid is acceptable - graphite gray, chocolate brown.
In the 70s, brightly colored plastic and polypropylene first appeared in interiors. They made round dining tables with chairs, children's furniture, original coasters for indoor flowers. Such furniture is very elegant, comfortable.
Abundant use of textiles
Many carpets are used in the interiors of the seventies - they are luxurious, fluffy, cover almost the entire floor and up to 40% of the surface of the walls. Floor mats are decorated with colorful intricate patterns, and wall mats, some of which are tapestries, with story drawings depicting fantastic animals. A “path” with stripes along the edges is laid in the corridor, in the kitchen, on the balcony, in the bathroom, there are also various “doormats”.
The prickly checkered plaid is an indispensable attribute of a cool Soviet apartment. Curtains are also dense, almost to the floor, protecting from cold and daylight. All textiles are made in different colors, but with a similar pattern, texture. It uses fur, velvet, velor, natural wool, leatherette. A lot of multi-colored pillows, wraps with fringe, tassels on upholstered furniture, numerous lace tablecloths, napkins on all horizontal surfaces are allowed. The walls are decorated with textile panels, homemade wicker planters with living plants in flowerpots are placed on the windows.
Retro lighting
Lighting is usually straightforward, but the devices themselves look luxurious - it's crystal. pseudo-crystal multi-track, multi-tiered chandeliers, high floor lamps with fabric lampshades on turned legs, intricate sconces. Next to them are small decorative lamps of a surreal form - lava lamps and plasma lamps. Workplaces in the kitchen, in the study, in the nursery are brightly lit by lamps on a long flexible leg with a metallic shiny shade.
An example of a modern apartment
Modern time suggests other interior priorities than 50 years ago.No one will guess to cover a flat TV with a white lace napkin, and it’s unlikely that they will allocate a whole room for a library, because any book is easier to download from the Internet. In the Soviet Union, in times of perpetual scarcity, people did not have large refrigerators, since there was nothing special to store in them, wardrobes, since not everyone could afford a lot of clothes. Because the interior of those times was quite minimalistic - it was easier to maintain cleanliness.
Hallway
A trellis is often placed in the hall - a large mirror with three wings, attached to a kind of dressing table-chest of drawers. It is relatively roomy, but most often takes up a lot of space. If the room is too cramped, instead of a trellis, an ordinary mirror is mounted on the wall in a plain wooden frame, preferably dark.
If you have a home phone, it is chosen in its original form - round from bright plastic in acid colors or in a metal case. It is placed on a special miniature shelf, located not far from the mirror. For outerwear there is a wooden hanger, and hats, scarves, umbrellas are hung on real deer antlers covered with varnish.
Living room
In the Soviet living room in almost 100% of cases there was a wardrobe. He got his name for the simple reason that this item occupied a whole long wall. It contained almost everything - a huge number of books, since then they read everything, elegant dishes, delivered a couple of times a year on holidays, individual items of clothing, small household appliances. For a modern interior, a more capacious “wall” is selected, in the middle of which a TV is placed on a shelf, with books in place, only the most beautiful ones are left in sight, in bright covers, choosing them in height.Some dishes on glazed shelves also save, but not all - it excessively clutters the space.
Opposite the wall is a soft sofa, usually a folding one, two “Scandinavian” leg chairs. Almost in the center is a coffee table with wheels or on four cone-shaped legs. A real piano is neatly placed in the corner - in modern times a small podium is made for it. If necessary, zoning is done using curtains, folding screens. As a decor, use a geographical map or a real globe.
Kitchen
An indispensable item in the kitchen of the 70s is a sideboard. It was painted with white or bright paint, contained the smallest set of dishes, table linen. The kitchen is white, blue, less often - red, purple. It has a clear geometric shape, no roundness, rough metal decor.
The dining table is decorated with a checkered or colorful oilcloth-tablecloth; a round chandelier with a fringe illuminates it. The table is often made folding, in the form of a "book" - in case guests arrive. The dining area is decorated with a series of narrow shelves with a "Soviet" decor placed on them - painted dishes, knitted dolls "on the teapot", bright jars with seasonings.
A large ceramic tile or linoleum with black-and-white, black-green "checkerboard" is laid on the floor. The walls are painted with light paint, the apron is laid out with small colored tiles.
Kitchen appliances are selected stylized "antique" - rounded in shape, with massive iron handles. It should not be much in sight - everything superfluous, ultramodern, hiding behind the doors of the facades.
Bedroom
In the bedroom there will be a bed with a bedside table - then this object was placed sideways to the wall, a sconce with a shade-flower made of frosted glass is suspended above the bed.In small-sized bedrooms, instead of a full-fledged bed, a sofa will be placed, which in the daytime plays the role of a seat, at night it unfolds for sleep. The bed is selected exclusively light, plain or with stripes, openwork embroidery in separate places.
A two-three-door wardrobe with polished doors is placed in the wardrobe area, where outer clothing on the bar is stored on one side, bedding, underwear - on the other. Sometimes a wooden floor hanger-coat hanger is installed nearby. A shelf of wood and metal wire is hung on one of the walls - books, potted plants, home-made toys, black-and-white photographs are placed on it.
A bathroom
The bathroom in the USSR was often combined with a toilet. The walls here are decorated with white plain tile or having a geometric ornament. The floor is also tiled, but darker. All plumbing fixtures are white, although yellow-brown ones can be ordered - artificially aged. The bath itself has brass, copper legs, the same tap.
There is nothing superfluous - in the presence of free space they put a dressing table-chest of drawers with a mirror, closed shelves are under the bathtub, any decor is practically absent.
Conclusion
A full-fledged interior design in the style of the seventies is completely uncomplicated, inexpensive if it is decided to recreate it in an old apartment built in the middle of the last century, besides having not-so-dilapidated furniture inherited from my grandmother. Those who wish sometimes equip something similar in modern "panels", country houses, but high-quality styling will be more expensive, antique furniture can be made to order from a cabinetmaker if desired.