10 Styles & Trends That Prove The 1970s Were The Weirdest Decade For Home Design

There have been many notable home design trends over the years, but some are undeniably stranger than others. The decade that may lay claim to being the weirdest home interior trends is the 1970s. Culturally, it was a time when traditional norms were being overturned for more modern options, and this reflected in home design, too, with bright colors, odd materials and bold profiles.

If you need proof that the 1970s were some of the weirdest 10 years for home design, all you need is a quick internet search, which will yield countless images that might have you scratching your head, wondering why people bought into those trends. Whether you love the colorful hues that were present in the '70s styles and trends, features like color-saturated shag carpet, heavy-appearing wood paneled walls, brightly-colored bathrooms, and even cloth toilet covers, all of them point to a home design era that was full of weird looks.

The 1970s were a popular time for boldly patterned and brightly colored wallpapers, rather than stark white walls. Wallpaper is a great way to revolutionize a space, entirely changing its look with intricate patterns that would be difficult to paint precisely. Some popular colors that were often featured in wallpaper during this decade included yellow, orange, green, and brown, and pattens were often heavily patterned with floral motifs or geometric shapes.

Another weird trend from the 1970s was colored bathrooms. This color-saturated style extended past simply painting walls and actually involved the bathtubs, tiles, and even toilets featuring matching hues.

Some popular colors were naturally inspired, like avocado green or even a burnt orange. Odd though it may be by today's standards, it's a 1970s bathroom trend some people wish would return.

Instead of solid wooden cabinets that you might be accustomed to seeing in current kitchens, one of the worst aspects of dated '70s kitchens were the dark laminate and Formica cabinetry. These materials had the appearance of wood but were touted for being easy to care for and much more affordable than premium products. Individuals who liked bolder colors could choose from a wide array of options, too.

In an attempt to make things feel grounded and natural, wood panelling was widely embraced in the 1970s. While weird by today's standards, the wooden veneers that covered walls were seen as a trendy and practical way to upgrade a room's appearance.

Prior to wood panelling, walls were often covered with plaster, which is prone to damage with time — like cracking — and wood panelling provided an affordable way to cover up the plaster problem. Literally.

Another weird trend in the 1970s were the common flooring choice of wall-to-wall shag carpeting. Taking this strange (and difficult-to-clean) style to the next level, however, was that this carpeting was often color saturated.

While it offered an opportunity for coziness and self-expression, it is a trend that now looks outdated and impractical. The fact that the color of the carpet was permanent also meant that changing the appearance of a space was difficult to pull off. Shag carpet might be coming back, however, it's likely in the form of area rugs rather than wall-to-wall flooring.

Boldly-patterned upholstery was a mainstay of 1970s decor. You could be sure to find some of this decade's favorite colors: mustard yellow, avocado green, burnt orange, and gold, heavily featured in fabrics that would envelope armchairs, sofas, and other pieces of furniture. Today, choosing a neutral color for your sofa and inviting pattern and texture through pillows that can be swapped out is much more the vibe.

Of all of the trends in the 1970s, this one may win the top position for the weirdest of them all. Carpeted bathrooms, while not in every home, were a style that (regrettably) existed during this decade. Since carpet is difficult to clean and bathrooms are notoriously dirty and wet spaces, one can only imagine how bacteria-laden these wall-to-wall carpets must have been.

While cloth toilet covers may have been meant to make the bathroom feel less sterile and cold, they really just made for a weird-looking space. Many people in the 1970s were obsessed with making the home feel cozy, and while some accents are still practical and stylish, plush fabrics in bathrooms were not. They also often matched other fuzzy accents in the bathroom, like bathmats.

Velvet was seen as a classy material that also resulted in a comfortable seating experience. It was often featured in celebrities' homes, which made is all the more attractive to the masses. While you can find photos of velvet furniture in a number of colors, avocado green was a popular hue, as it invited what was thought of as a natural shade into the home.

While most homes today feature garages to park your cars in, houses in the 1970s were often constructed with carports, instead. Since they were not fully enclosed garages, carports were cheaper and also led to faster construction times.

The open-air design also made carports a seamless space to congregate outdoors with friends and families, while also honoring home design trends that were en vogue at the time.