Upon the most recent celebration of our American Independence, I learned that there is now a design trend called “Bicentennial Chic.” This amuses me to no end. Bicentennial Chic seems to me to be a lovely bit of wordsmithing meant to upmarket “1970s Early American” decor and fashion. Not that I am opposed, whatsoever. If it’s design done well, it’s design done well, an American Eagle by any other name would look so grand, and all that, you know. So how to define “Bicentennial Chic”? I could not find an official definition online, so, calling upon my own experience including the fact that I LIVED THROUGH IT THE FIRST TIME, let’s take a look at this what’s-old-always-comes-back-again trend. Above: Vintage Ethan Allen catalog edition 70 from the 1970s, from my personal collection.
What is Bicentennial Chic?
Seems like first and foremost, Bicentennial Chic would most precisely refer to any circa-mid-1970s decor or fashion that includes patriotic American iconography. Yes: Put an Eagle on it, to start. That said, I’ll further broaden “Bicentennial Chic” to include any combination of mid-1970s furniture and decor that gets the colors, scale, patterns, furniture and accessories “right” in evoking a Granny Ranch — circa-mid-70s, of course!
Motifs appropriated into Bicentennial Chic decor celebrating this era would include Early American / Colonial American:
- Soldiers and horses…
- Emblems, flags, the Liberty Bell…
- Spice racks, weathervanes, maize…
- Butter churns and crocks and the like turned into table lamps…
- Spinning wheels plopped into your living room as art…
- Oxen yokes turned into mirrors…
- Braided rugs…
- … Lotsa anything you could imagine the original Patriots having in their homes and lives, but served up as Art.
The colors of Bicentennial Chic: Red, white and blue color schemes — but not just….
… I’d also include the prevalent decorating colors of the day — the lovely avocado greens, harvest golds, rusty reds and oranges and rich browns and coppertones. These colors would have been even more popular among accessories and fabrics to decorate the home.
Metal finishes: Antique brass, pewter, copper and wrought iron.
Crewel: Erica Wilson was going strong in the mid-70s.
Wallpaper: Heck to the yeah, here’s where you see Bicentennial Chic at its very finest.
Architectural forebear: Royal Barry Wills. I repeat: The most influential residential architect of the 20th century — and unless you are a longtime reader of this blog (and why aren’t you, pray tell?) you probably never heard of him. His influence was immense, and is still apparent today.
Furniture: Ethan Allen absolutely epitomizes this look! I own several vintage Ethan Allen catalogs. They are marvels. For this story, I went through Edition #70 to find some telling examples. I am not sure of the year of this issue. But I know it’s pre-1979, because I have a later edition that includes that date.
I found plenty of examples in the wonderful Ethan Allen catalog that show us how to pull together a Bicentennial Chic interior. Beautiful rooms!
There were many decorating Colonial Revivals in American history…
But here’s the thing: I’m not sure that I can really see much of a fine line between what might be called “true” circa-1976 “Bicentennial Chic” and plain old Early American decor, which had been popular already throughout the mid-century period. In my first story on Early American decor, which I wrote in 2009, I found an academic source which discussed the first Colonial Revival in America. This first revival spanned 1890-1940, it said.
However, from what I’ve seen in American homes and marketing material, the Revival continued pretty darn strong all the way into the 1970s. In fact, call it “Colonial*” or “Early American*” (*I know that I am throwing these terms around very cavalierly; of course, collectors of true antiquities can discern keen differences among the many years of early American design history) … change the wallpaper and the upholstery schemes… but this American traditional style seems to have been in style throughout most of American history.
I’m thinking it really didn’t fall from favor until — ironically — after the 1976 bicentennial, when I’m thinkin’ people just topped out. And of course, the marketeers wanted to dissatisfy us with what we had and sell us something new. Seriously, by the 1979 Ethan Allen catalog, I’m not seeing a single cast iron eagle anywhere in sight. Duck decoys and ceramic chickens are creeping in, and I am just not ready for the small-flower-prints-on-pastel-fields upholstery and wallpaper yet. But no eagles.
So here we are… it took 40 years of visual recovery… and now we are ready to smile again at Bicentennial Chic.
What does Bicentennial Chic look like?
I would think that today’s “Bicentennial Chic” “should” not be subdued — it “should” be eye-popping, much like the 1970s take on the style. Well done, today’s Bicentennial Chic “should” combine lots of color, pattern, contrast, layers and line, pushing right up to that fine line between “genius” and “tacky” then backing off a wee bit to be sure to end up in “genius.” Of course, I put “should” into quotation marks because what the heck do I know, I only learned about this like four days ago. And besides, you can do whatever you like, it’s your retro flashback.
In the 1970s, Colonial Revival interiors got pretty darn bold, it seems. The portrayal of the emblems of colonial America were even heading toward “camp”, in the sense that we already had Andy Warhol showing us how to take bits of American pop culture and make them into art. That said, I’m gonna say the mass of mainstream middle-class Americans who embraced 1970s Colonial Revival styles and decorated their homes thus, did so with zero irony, no tongue-in-cheek at all. They lived through the privations of World War II and took their American iconography very seriously. So even though it’s tempting to look at these 1970s interiors and maybe giggle, at some of them, I ain’t gonna. This was just another style, and style is just fashion, and we’re susceptible to its siren song, to some degree or another. And, these rooms — in the Ethan Allen catalog, in particular — are really put together well! So they get my respect, for sure..
Early American / Colonial Revival decor: I would say it was the single longest running style trend in 20th century America. Way more popular than mid-century modern.
Why is Bicentennial Chic chic again today?
Oh, those wacky youngsters. When what’s hot (mid-century modern and high style Steampunk, today) gets too hot and therefore out of their financial reach, they look for style where others aren’t. They put their own no-baggage eyes on stuff with low price tags, snap up deals at estate sales and thrift shops and grandma’s house, give their new found vintage treasures a fun new name — “Hey, let’s call it Bicentennial Chic,” tee hee — and before you know it, newly made knock-offs begin appearing in the furniture catalogs we get in the mail.For sure, you can find all the elements of Bicentennial Chic locally, vintage. But for fun, I also jumped over to Ethan Allen’s website to see whether they still had anything to fit the trend. Today, Ethan Allen is most certainly marketing to the large, mainstream market. But, I found a few things that might fit the Bicentennial Chic groove…. For example, I love their Quincy bed, above. This modern take showcases the delicious lines of Early American furniture. This bed comes in a number of colors — you can even get it in aqua!
Above: Ethan Allen Deep Profile Classic Mirror.
And this might be one of the most timeless table lamp designs ever — Porcelain Ginger Jar table lamp, Ethan Allen.
It always happens: What’s old becomes new again. Heck to the yeah to Bicentennial Chic! Now, I am going to look for my calico maxi dress. I’m pretty sure I saved it. Rock on.
- Also see my story: Renovating 1970s houses — the next big thing
Jewell says
Thank you for posting this Pam! It brought back a flood of happy memories. Before bedtime, my Grandma & I would prop up in her bed to eat ice cream and “Dream Decorate” while looking at her copy of this Ethan Allen catalog. Looking at the photos this morning, I can see heavy influences in the way I decorate today with lots of things for the eye to enjoy. Much to the dismay of my “Less is more” architect beau!
pam kueber says
Fixed the typos, I think. Ugh. Sorry about that, early readers. I worked on this off and on all weekend including when I was fading Sunday night.
Robin, NV says
This was very much my mom’s style in the 70s and all the way up to the 90s. She loves early American furniture and folk art. We went to Boston right after the bicentennial and my mom went nuts for the look. She never had the money to do the whole house in the style but she added touches here and there – pewter mugs and plates, folk art prints, wing back chairs, and reproduction dining room table, chairs, and corner hutch. In the 90s, she added Shaker furniture and baskets.
My favorite light fixtures from the period are hobnail hurricane lamps. They might be more country than colonial but my mom and most of our family had them.
Debbie says
I graduated from high school in 1977 we were pretty Bicentennial-ed out by the time 1976 had ended. I go to a lot of estate sales and those early 70’s Ethan Allen couches are still hanging out in a lot of basement party rooms, they are practically indestructible. And call me when you find your calico maxi dress: I have one of those packed away somewhere, too!
Dana says
I love this look and find it to be very cozy and comfortable looking. I believe this look got a real shot in the arm with the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg by John D. Rockefeller in the the ’30s … Colonial Williamsburg became a significant vacation (and school field trip) destination and I can find thousands of “objets” in the vintage stores now that reflect colonial influence. While my own home is not midcentury in furnishings or art, I can sure work some of the accent pieces in with no trouble and I just adore the themes, colors, and overall comfy look and feeling of Early American/Bicentennial Chic/Colonial Revival. They permeated residential and commercial fashions for many years, at least in my area (Virginia).
pam kueber says
Yes, I very much agree: The restoration of Colonial Williamsburg was a huge influence! Thanks for adding this point!
inefffablespace says
You may have discussed this brand of furniture before, but if you want a slightly different take on colonial revival furniture, check out Cushman or Cushman Colonial Creations. They did a high-1950s version of colonial revival, that was sort of like colonial with tail fins.
pam kueber says
Yes, I think we have one story on this. I love Cushman!
JKM says
Reminds me of my inlaws house the first time I ever laid eyes on it in the mid 1980s – wall-to-wall 1970s Ethan Allen. Every. Single. Room. Pricy and good quality but everywhere! Having been raised in Danish Modern decor (1960s) that evolved into transitional (1970s), the sight of all that Early American/sorta Americana decor was a visual shock. I’ll admit is was comfortable.
Christine says
Oh my gosh, I need the George & Martha art!
ElectraChime says
Wow, what a walk down memory lane. I remember all that Bicentenial stuff and although I’m not quite ready to relive the style I’m glad somebody gave it ra name. Great post Pam. Thanks.
ineffablespace says
I don’t think that there were too many decades of the 20th century in which there wasn’t some form of Colonial Revival in architecture or interior design. I would say that across the board it was pretty uncommon in the 1930s and the 1980s at least in the popular culture.
I think with any sort or design there is a “High, Medium, or Low” culture version, and that it is the medium or low culture versions that come and go more quickly. In terms of genuine American first period furniture, I think it’s been collected and used in revival interiors consistently throughout the 20th century–with some fluctuations of market value.
I think there is also a strong regional component to colonial revival as well. In cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, and places like central Virginia, colonial revival has never really been absent. In other parts of the country, it probably hasn’t had much of a presence at all except when it saturated the mass culture during periods like the Sesquicentennial and the Bicentennial.
I think the actual roots of Bicentennial style started pretty soon after WWII. Along with flight to the suburbs, there was an interest in restoring old house (Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House), and in the urban cores of cities like Philadelphia people started to recognize that they needed to preserve colonial and federal period building rather than letting them decay or tearing them down. (In Philadelphia anyway this happened at great cost to many Victorian buildings that were considered unimportant or in the way.)
My great aunt actively sought out a federal period log house right after WW II and furnished it in high revival style. What’s interesting about the various revivals is how heavily they were influenced by other contemporary styles of the period: her non-antique pieces clearly had a deco-modern influence, while the Bicentennial era colonial revival in the Middle-to Low-design categories seems to share a lot with heavy “Spanish Mediterranean”, or have vaguely brutalist influences.
ineffablespace says
I also wanted to add that the downturn of revival styles in the 1930s and 1980s probably had something to do with being immediately post-Sesquicentennial and post-Bicentennial, –a sort of rejection right after the super-saturation of mass culture with “colonial” during those periods.
pam kueber says
Thanks for that additional information, inneffable!