MoodboardGet hip to California’s 1970s revival
No need to dust off the lava lamp, this surprisingly modern 1970s re-imagining echos the pared-back simplicity of the bungalows and beach houses of LA and Santa Barbara
Mention 1970s interiors and many people will jump – platform heels first – into thoughts of overwhelming floral wallpapers and curtains in an intense colour palette of avocado intense ochre and chocolate brown.
But a less literal look back to the 1970s unearths the So-Cal revival. An abbreviation of southern California, and taking in the Pacific coast cities of San Diego, Santa Barbara and LA (as well as inland hotspots such as Las Vegas and Palm Springs), So-Cal in the Seventies was dotted with celebrity bungalows and sun-drenched open plan villas that had an effortlessly eclectic simplicity which still feels surprisingly modern.
The formula to follow is simple. Pair white-washed walls with an array of elegantly curated textured pieces in natural materials such as leather, sun-bleached wood, rattan, linen and rustic stoneware. Essentially, it’s mixing a few bohemian style cues with a peppering of ‘design classic’ status pieces. Here’s how to get the look.
Low level, square shaped sofas
What made 1970s sofas so… well, 1970s? You’ll find that height was a key signifying factor. That’s right, the coolest of 1970s sofas were often low, long, and upholstered with plushy, tactile fabrics. Leather was also a firm favourite of the era.
Designs like the Halo Nougat and the Swoon Tulum are modern equivalents which look distinctly Seventies in style. Their positioning appears lower – largely thanks to their elongated (stretched out) stance – and they’re full of square-angled charm.
Put simply, they’re perfect for sprawling and lounging with casual abandon. Opt for something truly luxurious like Pewter Leather or Ink Velvet as an upholstery fabric.
An oversized statement rug
The 1970s is often associated with outrageous carpeting and flooring design – a wall-to-wall fitted shag pile carpet wasn’t unheard of!
A slightly less extravagant option, berber and persian rugs proved a popular alternative. They were regularly seen in effortless bohemian-style So-Cal homes of the era because they offered quality and style in spades.
If you tune in to Netflix and catch films such as The Centre Will Not Hold, the documentary charting writer Joan Didion’s LA lifestyle during the 1970s, you’ll notice that rugs were indeed a key factor of cool So-Cal interiors during the era. Apply the ‘buy once and buy well’ ethos, and you’ll have a rug for life.
A touch of walnut or rosewood
The period is often associated with a heavy use of rich dark woods, namely rosewood and walnut. Edit the use of the wood down and it no longer has an overpowering feel.
The Vitra Eames Large Leather Loungechair and Ottoman was actually designed in 1956 by Charles and Ray Eames, but didn’t properly become popular until a decade or so later. It was perhaps too new and striking a design so it took a while for people to catch on and recognise its excellence.
Now, it has well and truly entered into design icon territory, and is still in production today. Upholstery options are plenty, but it’s in the classic black or white leather and walnut spec that it tends to look the most appealing, and the most 1970s!
Mixed-metal lighting
The 1970s saw some fairly slimline lighting styles groove towards the forefront of cool interiors. Happily this is a style that’s still in vogue with luxury British lighting brand Original BTC producing a svelte framed table and floor lamp range called the Chester which is perfect for a So-Cal 1970s scheme.
A cast-iron casserole pot
Relaxed dinner parties and informal lunches became the in thing during the 1970s, and thus the rise of the colourful cast iron casserole pot began. Think ’one pot’ meals with a large sized casserole dish being the focal point on the dining table. While you can still buy them in the iconic orange colour, there’s also a host of modern shades now in the mix too, including this Deep Teal.
