The Worst Interior Design of 1974
Awful interior design is awesomely entertaining, mainly because we know it began as someone's vision of a beautiful and idyllic living space, and it's fun to try to get our heads around that. The 1970s - a decade I did experience nearly in its entirety - was pretty much a revolt against good taste, typified by snot-green household appliances and casino-inspired carpet and walls that my husband thinks were designed to mask 'fluid' stains. (Don't think about that one too long.)
The worst/best thing about these photos put together by omodern.com are the models. I don't know what was going on there, but this was the decade that gave us the 'Big Momma' underpants from Sears for plus size ladies, and Welcome Back, Kotter as network primetime viewing. Different things were deemed acceptable back then, such as a pervy little boy trying to get a peek under sis' skirt:
You could projectile vomit in this bathroom and no one would know.
"Go on Lois, bend over and pour us more drinks. Feel free to make a phone call while you're down there and take your time doing it."
"Honey, I know how hard you try, but your cooking smells like horse shit."
Naked and cowering over the tub, Carol found the yellow and brown bathroom fixtures multiplying at an alarming rate.
A room so hideous it frightened children to death.
Wahay... those delights are quite something! Some are verging on an assault on the eyes :) love it, great post!
Posted by: Abbie | July 21, 2010 at 11:17 PM
What makes me laugh is the fact that some of these rooms are coming back as trends. Stupid hispters thinking that this all is classy. HAHA!
My parents remodeled their house but forgot to redo the closets in the master bedroom. They are still that hideous green that cannot decide if it should be lemon yellow or poopy brown.
Oh the modern era confounds me.
Posted by: Lauren | July 22, 2010 at 03:17 AM
Your captions were hysterical. :D
Posted by: Angela | July 22, 2010 at 06:47 AM
Great captions :) they really are weird! And has that woman really got her hand down her trousers?! Also scary is if you take away the orange plastic-ness the first picture it looks remarkably like ikea bathroom designs now?
Posted by: Fiona | July 22, 2010 at 09:05 PM
Abbie - an assault on the eyes is right! There was also one grass-green kitchen with a car to match!
Lauren - Oh wow, I'll bet your parents are just used to it. I think it's safe to say that colour will never, ever, be resurrected in design!
Angela - Thank you! These photos killed me.
Fiona - Somehow I hadn't noticed her hand down her trousers! That's probably a good thing, I would have tried to incorporate that into the caption!
Denise ♥
Posted by: Denise @ Swelle | July 23, 2010 at 08:55 AM
Brilliant! I think the first bathroom is back in style, though. The hair-do and pantsuit may be next. Heaven help us.
Posted by: kim | July 25, 2010 at 03:06 AM
Good Golly, that green/yellow/orange/brown thing in decor then - there are some things that should NEVER undergo a revival. Except for the espadrilles on the model in the first photo- great then and now. BTW, your captions are hilarious!
Posted by: Louise Temperley | July 25, 2010 at 03:26 AM
oh my gosh Denise! I just about died laughing looking at these!! Where did you find them?
Posted by: Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels | July 27, 2010 at 02:52 PM
heehee! LOVE this post.
I do quite love the tiled bathroom, not in my house however!!
Posted by: vintjunky | July 29, 2010 at 09:43 AM
But I LOVE the shoes on the model in the second photo. I want them.
Posted by: Sian | July 31, 2010 at 05:54 PM
Sian - those shoes are pretty wicked! xx
Posted by: Denise @ Swelle | July 31, 2010 at 11:18 PM
Delightfully ghastly! I especially like the photos' captions. I just had to share this on Facebook.
Posted by: O D Y S S E Y | February 25, 2012 at 05:30 PM
Aw, thank you!! ♥
Posted by: Denise @ Swelle | February 26, 2012 at 12:44 PM