Spiced with the 70s

The 1970s also saw the creation of a host of design classics that have been loved for decades and remain as strong today.

Bohemian and eccentric, disco floors, equal doses of murky browns and stronger accent colours in orange and green are among the key features of a decade that feels highly relevant today.

On the fashion front, Halston reigned supreme with her feminine garments on the one hand, while on the other hand we witnessed Vivienne Westwood's more punk expression. One was inspired by stylish role models such as David Bowie, Cher, Joni Mitchell and Steve McQueen. There was disco glam with Diana Ross and Earth Wind & Fire.

The Arco floor lamp from Flos designed by Achille and Pier Castiglioni in 1962.

Inside our homes, inspiration came from new places that had suddenly become more accessible and present in our lives. Films like A Clockwork Orange contributed a futuristic aesthetic and the fascination with space and the Space Age was reflected in a host of films and series that offered furniture with a new kind of design. Verner Panton pioneered this approach and his one-piece plastic Panton Chair has become iconic.

At the same time, we were drawn to the glamorous interiors of Bond films like The Man With The Golden Gun and Live And Let Die. Films that invited extravagant rooms and grand design.

The Camaleonda 3-seater sofa from B&B Italia designed by Mario Bellini.

As a counter-reaction to the rather austere designs of previous years, furniture was not only visually soft, but also inviting and comfortable in a way that we were not used to before. Obvious examples are Gianfranco Frattini's Sessan sofa for the Italian company Tacchini and Camaleonda from B&B Italia designed by Mario Bellini.

Films like A Clockwork Orange contributed a futuristic aesthetic and the fascination with space and the Space Age was reflected in a host of films and series that offered furniture with a new kind of design.

But impressions also came from elsewhere and for Scandinavians, travelling to southern Europe suddenly became a matter of course for everyone. These trips to Spain's sun-drenched beaches and welcoming bodegas also provided inspiration for the interiors that became part of our homes. Often in the form of solid bookshelves, mirror frames and TV benches in dark wood alongside more airy chairs and details in rattan. Small touches that became reminders of fond memories of days off and warm winds even on a dark and chilly November evening.

New production of genuine 70s design from Tacchini and the Sesann sofa.

Whether you want to spice up your home with decadence, glamour, soft velvet, moulded plastic, rustic wood or a touch of the future, a dose of 1970s design is sure to add a wonderful injection of a decade that feels as relevant today as it did then.

While the genuine 70s, the ones that were actually designed during the decade, are put into new production and brought back into our homes, much new design is also inspired by the decade. A welcome return of a formative era.

Products featured in the post