For the past 10 years, I have been absolutely immersed in researching homes built from 1945 through 1963 — the classic, post-World-War-II baby boom years. And over the past decade — and the past two-to-three years in particular — there is no question that I’ve seen a major transformation in how mainstream media, real estate agents and — yes, prospective home buyers — view these homes. The original, high quality features… the architecture… and the wisdom of restoring, rather than gutting — yup, folks are starting to ‘get it’. To be sure, there is still serious work to do to showcase how smart appreciating and preserving these homes can be, but, we are well on our way, I am convinced. So, that gets me to thinking: What is “the next big thing”. The answer, of course: 1970s houses. And buckle your seatbelts, peoples, because I predict that the love train for 1970s architecture and interior design will be even bigger than for 1950s and 1960s homes. Why? (1) Sheer numbers. And, yes, (2) the sheer amazing style, too.
1. The Numbers: Long story short: There were more houses built in the 1970s — overall and as a percentage of population — than during any other decade in American history.
I am afraid this might bore a lot of readers, so I’ll keep this brief-ish. I have been doing research on housing growth, and this government report from 1994, is pretty informative. In one of the paragraphs above, it says:
The housing stock grew by more than 20 percent in the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1970’s. Growth rates less than 20 percent occurred in the 1960’s and 1980’s.
The largest increase, 19.7 million housing units, occurred in the 1970’s, despite three economic recessions within the calendar years from 1970 to 1980s. The net gain in that decade represented an average increase of about 2 million housing units per year. Demand for housing was high in the 1970s as the leading edge of the baby boom population entered household forming years, wellin the 24-to-34 years age groups.
It. Always. Happens. About 20 years after a housing style, with its attendant interior design style — booms — we Hate it. This goes on for a while. About 50 years after, a shift starts to occur. There is a new generation — the grandkids, typically — who have fond recollections of their grandparents’ homes, and embrace they style. They also can afford these “stylistically discounted” — “dated” — houses. In addition, the larger population — including designers — has the perspective to look back and appreciate the best of a style, and let go of the rest. The 70s housing re-boom is on a trajectory to start in earnest in about eight years… and leading edge design savants are already heading there.
The housing boom of the 1970s was even greater — numerically and as a percentage of population — than in the now-infamous bubble of 2000-2010. Note: I am creating my own Excel spread sheet (shown above)(I already see how I need to fix where the 1990s tally up, but I am fed up looking at this and need to take a break). There are reports and reports, with a variety of government agencies (BLS pre-1945, and Census 1945-on), and technical slicing and dicing, to puzzle through. My numbers may not match other numbers. Unless I find someone who has done just the kind of timeline-report I am looking for, I have a bit of a journey ahead of me. Nonetheless, I believe my spreadsheet so far is directionally correct. You get the point.
(2) 1970s style rocks. Of course, 1970s style is infamous, too. The more I research and write about retro design — the more I love it. I want it. I am collecting it. And I will be writing more and more about it leading toward the big boom to come.
Greeney says
I’m a bit divided on this. There are certain elements from the 70s I wish would make a comeback. The first is the cultured marble bathroom vanity – countertop and sink all in one. I adore them. My present house is from the 90s but was custom built for a couple who owned rental properties, so they salvaged things from renos to those and had them installed here. Our basement bathroom has a cultured marble vanity. Out master ensuite is mid century pink. Our foyer has 30s flooring. Our plumbing system, unfortunately predates all else! All yucky deteriorating copper and no plastic:( Another 70s feature I liked was the veined mirrored wall tiles. They were in our 1976 built townhouse where we lived from 83 to 85. Our wiring was copper, as our set of six townhouses were built after the 75 ban on aluminum, but the other 5 sets of 6 had aluminum and had a lot of problems. We had the 70s Mansard roof, a 70s feature I h*** [edited], but the interior was all beige, and the cupboards were a nice dark brown, which looked very pretty.
josh says
I agree with much of the above-mentioned posts.
I live in a ranch from 1965 (a Lincoln-Kennedy model). 4 br, 2.5 ba. It’s got a hip roof and if I had a picture of it I’m sure you’d be able to identify it readily–not as common as Levittown but it’s got long, overhanging eaves–that’s a sign of good times.
I think gas rationing would be good today.
As far as living at home–yes, teens and young adults live at home more than they used to. Some of that is laziness, but some of that is poor career choices and “hoping” to get a good job in a career field that died/dried up/was outsourced. I know many living at home that are hard workers and don’t play XBox or any of that junk.
IN the ’70s, you didn’t make much, but things cost less. You had to save a bit more and share an apartment with people. Same as today. A HS degree or a college degree doesn’t guarantee you anything anymore–and I think the HS guidance counselors that pushed for everyone to go to 4-year white collar colleges instead of vo-ed school are to blame too. Some of the kids I know that were marginalized and went to vo-ed have good trade jobs now.
Karen M in Wisconsin says
Our house dates from the 1970s and was originally done entirely in the dark-wood, thick lathed wood columns, ornate cabinet-hardware style that I believe was called “Mediterranean” at the time. (It always struck me more as Tudor-castle-interior-on-acid.) The upstairs guest bathroom is the only room that has not been updated. I’d like to restore it–go whole hog with the original style, just for fun. It still has the original lighting: diamond-patterned lanterns hung by chains.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a late-1970s retro “Mediterranean” bathroom–design elements, color scheme, or suppliers?
Ethan says
I also live in a 70’s house that is “Mediterranean” style. I tend to think of it as being more “gothic castle” like. My house was a true time-capsule when we bought it. We kept everything as it was except for the necessary changes;, ie., new carpet, paint, etc.. We like all the dark wood and paneling. Anyways, we also have the bathroom lights that hang from chains draped across each other to opposite corners (I know that probably doesn’t make sense). We did one bathroom in avocado, kept it period correct and it looks good. The master bathroom, which is open to the master bedroom, we did in Hollywood regency and it looks very good with those lights. We painted the walls powder/ baby blue, left the black and gold faux granite counter top and used gold faucets and fixtures, and used sculped baby blue hand towels along with brown sculped hand towels. My avocado sculped hand towels also look good in that bathroom when the other ones are being washed. Our flooring for the bathroom is avocado-ish green shaggish carpet. Remember, our bathroom is open to our bedroom. The small toilet room is the original avocado green tile.
Anyways, the whole Hollywood regency thing worked very well with that style of hanging bathroom light. Seems very period correct looking too.
pam kueber says
I LOVE IT! Send me photos, Ethan!!!!
Ethan says
O.k.. I have been putting off sending you photos and a write up because we are about to have an addition built onto our house. We are adding a den, bathroom and a bedroom. I have four kids. I need more space or I’m gonna go nuts. I was going to send you photos after that was done but I can send you some photos now. I’ll try and do that this week. Actually, I’ll have my dw (dear wife) do it this week.
Bruce says
I recently purchased a home built in 76 but the plan is from the late 60’s (I think) It’s a modern Streng home which I have tried to make both modern and retro. I have a 70’s Danish sofa set in the fam’ room along with a dinette set with orange naugahyde seats. I have been lucky to find other 70’s items with orange, browns and avocado colors. I found a two tiered hairpin leg side table that has the top section mounted on a lazy susan. It needs rehabbing but it fits right in. All of these items I found on Craigslist!
I have modern touches with a cool sectional in the living room, chrome and black low back counter stools in the kitch’ along with black appliances with some slight stainless accents. I could write a novel about my place and what I have done or want to do… bottom line I think the mix of modern and retro in the classics lines of a 70’s house is an absolute winner!!
tammyCA says
It’s funny, but back in the 60s we loved the groovy hot pinks, bright orange, flower power, Laugh-in decor. The 70s we didn’t think anything about all the avocado green, burnt orange, harvest gold, BROWN…back then I loved earth tones. Furniture was all dark heavy Spanish wood, peel & stick on gold-veined mirrors, shag carpet. Then in my 20s I was repelled by those decades…got rid of my macrame plant hangers, hooked rugs and completely embraced the new colors of the 80s…dusty rose and country blue…hung up heart shaped shelves, cutesy geese & hanging candle sticks! Ugh, what was I thinking? I think I finally got rid of all that stuff in storage at the last garage sale.
What I should’ve been doing was collecting what I really loved, the 40s-50s stuff before it became scarce & expensive. And, now I find I’m now buying more 60s stuff that I wasn’t into before! I found bunches of vintage colorful, flowery sheets at the thrift stores and made a patchwork quilt this summer that I absolutely love! There’s been more 1960s things creeping into my house that I love. I’m scared that I may be heading into the 70s again! I mean, I’m seeing owls are very big again at Target, Pier One and I am falling in love with owls again! I’m looking at green as in avocado green a lot. But, a big fat NO on shag carpet…we had that only 10 yrs ago when we rented my in-laws house…you drop an earring and you’ll never find it again!
Cliff says
We love our 70’s pad!
toni says
I just purchased a home in late august that was remodeled in the early 1970’s.
I have a very Brady kitchen! Orange formica countertops with a matching backsplash. The appliances are from the 1980’s, but I have to believe that back in the day there was once avocado appliances.
It must have looked fantastic with the dark wood cabinets which have this great spanish-looking hardware!
I get a lot of, “So, when are you gutting this kitchen?”
My answer, “Never!”
Can’t wait to read more, Pam!
Dan says
You could always have your appliances sprayed Avocado! I have a friend who has an elderly aunt who lives in Honolulu, and ten years ago, when she replaced her original turquoise appliances, she bought new white ones and had them sprayed turquoise in a car shop. They’ve held up great!
Tammy Kirks says
We live in a house built in 1971 and I can tell you it’s AMAZING! However, our house is a modern 70s house so it’s not full of shag carpeting (sadly). But we do have terrific parquet floors and redwood ceilings. My decor has turned from the 50s-60s into more of the modern 70s. I love the colors and the kitsch. Looking forward to seeing what you post in the future. I love your blog!
Dan says
The 70’s get a bum rap, mostly by politicians who are trying to sell you on how wonderful the 1980’s were. (The 80’s were only wonderful if you love pastels. But that’s another story)
With that said, I used to shudder whenever I saw any of those pictures of the late ’60’s-early ’70’s homes. But in recent years they’ve begun to grow on me as well – especially the oversized accent pieces, and the faux Spanish stuff. And I’ve never swayed in my absolute devotion to the restaurants and cocktail lounges of that era, with their dark, cozy environs.
Interestingly enough, I was looking at a (I think) Pottery Barn catalog last fall, and noticed that one of their gorgeous Thanksgiving themed photo layouts had three 70’s era Rival crockpots in Cherry Red, Avocado, and Harvest Gold. So I think the trendsetters are starting to notice that decade again also.
Peter says
Yeah, Could someone please tell me what was with that overdone Mediterranean / Spanish thing? Nothing like walking up to a low-sprawling rancher and seeing the wrought Spanish fixtures.
Dan says
I think hotels – and Holiday Inns in particular – were responsible for a lot of that whole “Mediterranean / Spanish thing”. Holiday Inns were big into that look, and people regarded them as classy.
And whether this was a result of that or not, Sears really pushed that look.
Peter says
Hi, all:
I have not bothered to read other responses because I just have to say, “Nothing – I mean nothing of any style or orderly substance ever emanated from the 70’s. This includes consumer styles or NASA technology.
The 70’s represent a lost period of malaise and pretension of historic proportion. An entire elder class transitioned out of the workplace (the Depression/WWII generation) as a new, directionless generation attempted to act “all grown-up”.
Any thoughts?
jeanne says
I guess I’m one of those directionless people. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with my life. 😉 I WILL say that I’ve been independent (not supported by my parents) since I was 19 as were a lot of people from that generation. It was easier back then I guess. Today’s youth seem to be dependent on their parents for longer periods of time.
gavin hastings says
Peter…where you there in an adult capacity?
Everyone that survived the 1970s deservs a prize.
Imagine going to any grocery store in America and finding NO coffee….a week later, NO meat….2 weeks later NO orange juice, then NO sugar….it went on and on forever-Not to mention whole towns with NO gasoline….not a drop- unless your license plate ended with an odd number….on a Thursday….Gas lines went over a mile.
I’d like them to try stuff like that today.
I will also say that the films in the 1970’s where the last time that protagonist began at one point (in life) in the movie and transitioned to a newperspective. As REAL people hopefully do….
Because of the 1970’s it is OK in this society to solely think in terms of yourself and how you feel….After decades of common cause, the adults of the 70’s where actively able to step back and question their life…without public shame. It was accptable to be childless, single and to some degree gay.
Someone else pointed out that women entered the workplace during the 1970’s because they had to….Not quite accurate. The extra money helped, but they entered the workforce by choice…creating an entity for themselves. (and credit history).
Sure, there were drawbacks…and we learn from it all…. but I am very happy to have lived through an era that PULLED society into the world we live in today.
Peter says
Well, certainly it can be said that the 70’s should be appreciated for showing us how NOT to behave. I kinda think that, in my experience, a rather entitled generation was playing at forming a new society so it took awhile. Luckily there were still a few adults around to provide sober guidance. I look to Henry Fonda representing the older established generation and the Peter/Jane progeny experimenting with dazzlingly poor cinematic projects until they had honed their craft.
I was somewhat checked-out from that experience due to a little commitment with the Strategic Air Command. My 70’s takeaway? Chicks dig planes.
gavin hastings says
Other than the personal life of Gary Glitter:
Any decade that gave us GlamRock and ABC’s “Satuurday Night Special” is a good ten years!
Peace.
BungalowBILL says
Don’t forget Rhoda Morgenstern and Bob and Emily Hartley!…and The Sex Pistols..what a decade.
Annie B. says
And, the Back-to-the-Land bit, too. Brown rice, anyone?
Loved those days, I have to admit – or at least, those I can remember.
Chris H says
Young women may have entered the workforce by choice (a choice highly influenced by the Women’s movement which encouraged them to be “real” people by having a career- and there is nothing wrong with that) but older women who had been quite happy to be homemakers entered the workforce out of economic necessity. When I was in grade school, in the early ’60s, very few moms in my neighborhood worked outside the home. By the time I graduated HS, very few didn’t.