When we think of 1970s interior design, a few key pieces tend to spring to mind. Macrame hanging baskets, spider plants, rattan furniture, avocado bathrooms and lots of tones of browns and oranges. The style of the decade was greatly influenced by the back-to-nature movement, which stemmed from the hippie notion of rejection of materialism and being ‘at one’ with nature — hence all the earthy tones. Interior designers at the time went crazy with the ’nature’ ideal turning everything possible into earthy tones and bringing the first real indoor gardens and terrariums inside the living rooms of a suburban house.
Some interior designers went crazy on the green theme
Top tips to bring 70s styling into the modern home
Ok so we realise you may not be ready to bring back the avocado bathroom suite just yet, but there are elements of the 70s look that work brilliantly in today’s home.
Natural materials
Using planters made from wicker or rattan brings back a rustic element to the living room. If you’re ready for it, we are also seeing a lot more macrame hanging baskets creeping back onto the market. Styled in a Fake it way, we say make sure your hanging basket is filled with a sumptuous large fern or architectural succulent... avoid anything too delicate. This look is for the bold and can be truly stunning if styled with confidence. Try grouping three hanging baskets in a corner at varying heights filled with large leaf faux plants for real impact.
Macrame hanging baskets are back!
Indoor gardens
Large architectural plants and trees are back and live happily in the corner of any lounge or bedroom. Make sure your tree or plant in oversized, has really unusual large striking leaves and sit them in an oversized statement planter. As in the original 70s lounge, don't be afraid of lots of greenery in the lounge. Sit groups of succulents on the coffee table, maybe a small tree fern on an occasional table and a large strelitzia tree in the corner. The effect of the greenery guides the eye around the room and gives a calming more natural feel to an indoor space.
Large architectural plants and trees are back
Handmade ceramics
Give your containers a homespun/handmade feel. Small pots and containers should feel homemade and unique, sat together in groupings of colour with varying height plants.
Give your containers a homespun/handmade feel
Fake It 70s style
We love the 70’s styling elements and we have worked with our manufacturers to design the best quality faux trees and plants to give you this look. Here is a guide to some of the many plants and trees available from Fake It to really adopt this look with style.
Say Cheese! A lovely glossy leaf cheeseplant is perfect for the ‘big leaf’ trend.
Spider-tastic. Yes, we are even seeing the faux spider plant creeping back onto the market!
What a stunner! If you do a hanging basket, why not make it enormous and striking like this amazing faux fern.
So why not give it a go yourself. We reckon this look is here to stay. When done well it’s a fresh, contemporary take on the indoor garden look. That said, with all style-trends, it's important to know when enough is enough. If you have adopted indoor greenery in your life as illustrated in the below picture, you may have gone just a tad too far!
Too much!
Love,
Emma & Becca x
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