Today’s living rooms are blanketed in gray, marked with modern furniture, and entirely boring if we’re being honest. The living rooms of the ’70s gave completely different vibes, embracing colors no one would dream of these days, combining intricate patterns, and going full-on maximalist. These pictures will make you feel like you’re right back in the ’70s, watching “Happy Days” on your giant TV set.
All That Orange
Orange, green, brown, and yellow had to be the most popular living room colors for 1970s home decor. This one taps into everything orange and green, mixing floral patterns with plaid, a funky lamp, and houseplants. This was what your rich Aunt Marie’s living room looked like.
The Sunken Living Room
These sunken living rooms were a total nightmare if you had a baby in the house using a walker (or a crawling baby), but if you didn’t, the layout felt totally fun and funky. Just a couple steps down to get to the couch made everything feel so much more warm and cozy for some reason.
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That Pattern Unlocks Some Serious Nostalgia
Someone reading this either had this couch or their grandma did. If you horsed around and hit your head on the arm, you were HURTING. The solid wood frame was a stark juxtaposition to the plushy cushions.
Related: Everyday Things Only People Who Came of Age in the ’70s Would Remember
Mama Had it Goin’ On
Apparently the woman in the blown-up photo hanging on the wall of this righteous living room was the mom/wife of the house, posing with her husband’s hot rod. We love it.
What a COUCH!
Why don’t they make couches like this anymore? Yeah, the layout looks cool and the bright green velvet is totally far out, but the fact that we could sit here and not necessarily need to look everyone else relaxing on the couch right in the face is a huge selling point.
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When Putrid Color Schemes Were Cool
Green and yellow. What a color combo. Today’s generations would call this vomit green and pee yellow, but in the ’70s, this was a vibe everyone could get down with.
The ‘Conversation’ Pit
This wasn’t your average run-of-the-mill living room, folks. This was for the rich with … eclectic … tastes. Although this layout was called a conversation pit and touted as a place to hang out with friends, some people used them for other extracurricular activities that required less clothing.
Mirror, Mirror On the Wall
Windex had to be on deck in so many households in the 1970s because mirrors were all the rage, and entire walls covered in mirrors were coveted.
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We Can Hear AND Smell This Picture
The squeaks as you shifted on Grandma’s plastic-covered couch while she smoked an unfiltered Pall Mall. The shades of yellow surrounding you. “Match Game” on the giant TV, encased in walnut and fancy scrollwork. Take us back!
We Can Still Feel the Shag Carpet Between Our Toes
Shag carpet was one thing, but mustard yellow shag carpet just did it for us. Walnut stained wood everywhere really sets this one off.
You Never Could Have Too Many Patterns Back Then
Tartan, plaid, flowers, and whatever funky scene was set on that couch. Throw ’em all together in the ’70s, and it was anything but taboo. As long as rusty hues were involved, of course.
