6 Decor Trends From The 70s That Are Making A Comeback

2025.04.17

The 1970s brought us a lot of groovy things: high-waisted jeans, Saturday Night Live, and of course, the rising stardom of one Dolly Parton. Though many interior design fads from that time have been permanently relegated to charity shops, we’d be jive-talking if we said some haven’t caught our eye recently. That’s what’s so stellar about trends: more often than not, they come back eventually.

Woven Materials

Rattan, cane, wicker—according to Chandler Helms, artist and founder of her namesake design firm in Austin, Texas, it’s all here to stay. You can certainly embrace the trend through smaller decor pieces, but Helms gave the green light to go bigger. “This trend will last the ages, so don’t be afraid to invest in those larger furniture pieces," she says. Andrea Taylor, owner of Andrea Marino Design in Dallas, Texas, is also a fan, citing the personality, warmth, and texture woven materials bring to a room.

Bold Yellow

“Yellow and earth tones were all the rage back in the 70s,” explains Jamie Gernert, founder of WYC Designs in Winter Park, Florida. “Yellow in particular, in various shades, is making a comeback.” Gernert typically sees uses in cabinetry and paint, but yellow decor is an easy and inexpensive way to own the trend.

Wood Elements

According to Gernert, the 70s were big on neutral and natural features like paneling that brought the outside in. After being cooped up at home in 2020, she says, “a lot of folks want to blur the lines a bit more between indoor and outdoor living.”

In addition to woven texture and paneling, this trend can be brought to life through cabinetry, built-ins, a surprise ceiling moment, decor pieces, and more.

Wallpaper

Novelty prints, bold colorways, and statement patterns—nothing is off-limits. “What might have been an accent wall or two post-70s, is now drenching a room with wallpaper and adding the same pattern to upholstery and window treatments,” explains Gernert.

In addition to powder baths and dining rooms, Helms says that “families are usually willing to be more bold in kid’s rooms and spaces.” She selected a Thatcher wallpaper called “Le Freak” for a shared girls' bedroom “because it looks like oversized doodles that would spark lots of creativity for young minds.”

Curved and Modular Seating

Both retro and current, curved and modular furniture was once reserved for those with bigger budgets, but now more attainable brands have come out with options. Prefer to thrift yours? “Soft, luxurious fabrics like velvet and boucle are also breathing life into older styles and making them fancy and new,” Gernert says.

Terrazzo

Gernert's recent projects have included terrazzo in bathrooms (with tub fronts) and utility spaces (with statement floors). Aside from the retro association, much of the renewed appeal is that the cement and marble chips add a pop of pattern and are incredibly durable and easy to clean.