The 1970s had a design philosophy that no other decade quite matched: comfort over status, colour over caution, and personality over polish. Earthy tones, chunky shapes, shag everything, and furniture that invited you to sink in rather than sit up straight. It was unapologetically cosy, and it turns out — several decades later — that approach is worth revisiting.
Whether you're genuinely redecorating in retro style or just feeling nostalgic, here are ten furniture styles that defined the era.
1. The Patterned Couch
Grandma's couch was an institution. Bold fabric in earthy hues — florals, geometrics, nature scenes, paisley — over a solid timber or chrome frame, built to last decades and often purchased on layaway specifically because it would. These weren't throwaway pieces.
The 1970s approach to furniture emphasised longevity and comfort over trend-chasing, which is part of why original pieces from this era still turn up in excellent condition. The design holds up well in modern interiors too, especially when paired with contemporary pieces that echo the warmth of the palette.
2. Earthy Tones
1970s colour schemes looked like the Australian landscape — warm, rich, and unapologetic. The palette of the era included:
- Burnt orange and rusty red
- Avocado green
- Harvest gold and orange-tinted yellows
- Autumn brown and natural stone
- Barn red
- Deep blue (used as offset to the warmer tones)
Entire rooms were committed to these colours — walls, carpet, furniture, cushions — creating an immersive warmth that felt like stepping inside an autumn afternoon. For more on how earthy colour schemes translate to modern interiors, see our post on decorating with earthy tones.
3. The Bean Bag Chair
From 1968 onwards, the bean bag was everywhere. The original design — a leather teardrop filled with polystyrene beads, commissioned by the Italian firm Sacco — spread rapidly because it solved a genuine problem: comfortable, affordable, flexible seating that worked anywhere and needed no assembly. Young adults loved it. Parents tolerated it. Eventually, everyone owned one.
The appeal hasn't changed. Affordable, comfortable, easy to move, and available in whatever colour suits the room — the modern bean bag carries forward exactly what made the 1970s original a hit. You can read the full history of the bean bag chair here, or browse our current range for options that capture the same spirit with better materials.
4. The Ottoman
No 1970s living room was complete without an ottoman. Usually square, usually upholstered in something earthy and tactile, positioned in front of whatever you were sitting on. The logic was simple: if you're going to be comfortable, be completely comfortable. Feet up, drink in hand, television on. Modern bean bag ottomans bring the same effortless practicality — and they're significantly easier to move.
5. Carpet Everywhere
In the 1970s, carpet wasn't confined to bedrooms and living rooms. It appeared in kitchens, bathrooms, and occasionally outdoors. Oranges, yellows, and browns were the dominant tones — and there was a practical logic to it: busy patterns and warm colours concealed dirt better than pale hard floors. Whether this was good design or simply convenient, it produced an unmistakable aesthetic that photographs from the era make immediately recognisable.
6. Wood Panelling on the Walls
Wood-panelled walls grounded the colourful, patterned furniture against a warm, natural backdrop. They added texture and depth to a room without competing with the earthy palette. The look was sturdy, warm, and distinctly 1970s — and it's having a genuine revival in contemporary interiors, where timber features are once again valued for the warmth they bring to a room.
7. The Tulip Chair
Designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll in 1955, the tulip chair found its widest domestic audience in the 1970s. The concept was to eliminate the visual clutter of chair legs — a single pedestal base supports a curved, moulded seat in one continuous form.
In white fibreglass with an aluminium base, it looked futuristic but felt domestic, and it suited the 1970s appetite for furniture that was modern without being cold. The tulip table, designed to match, remains one of the most recognisable furniture pairings of the era.
8. Bold Prints
If the 1970s had a single design rule it was: when in doubt, go bolder. Couches, cushions, curtains, and carpet featured florals, geometric shapes, nature scenes, animals, paisleys, and outdoor themes — often simultaneously. The prints were large, the colours were saturated, and restraint was not a virtue. The effect, done well, was warm and immersive. The effect, done poorly, was magnificent in a different way.
9. Shag Rugs
The shag rug was the carpet for rooms that didn't have carpet — or an additional layer of texture for those that did. Long, thick fibres in earthy tones or occasionally vivid sunburst patterns, often circular, often inexplicably large.
They were comfortable underfoot, absorbed sound, and anchored a seating arrangement in the same way a rug does in contemporary interiors. The circular shag rug with a golden sun motif is perhaps the most 1970s object that has ever existed.
10. Wicker Furniture
Wicker had been in and out of fashion for decades before the 1970s gave it a genuine moment. Rattan chairs, wicker couches, wicker baby carriages — the material suited the era's earthy, natural aesthetic and was light enough to move between indoor and outdoor use.
It matched the palette, photographed well against wood panelling, and was affordable. It appeared indoors as accent chairs and outdoors as patio furniture. A well-made wicker piece from the 1970s is still functional today — a testament to the era's emphasis on building things to last.
Bringing It Back
The 1970s aesthetic is cyclical — it goes quiet for a few years and then resurfaces, usually as an antidote to whatever is feeling too cold, too minimal, or too earnest in contemporary design. The earthy palette, the emphasis on comfort, the willingness to commit fully to a colour or a texture — these qualities translate surprisingly well to modern interiors.
The easiest way to introduce that energy into a room today is a bean bag. It was the defining furniture piece of the era, immediately recognisable, and it carries exactly the same qualities that made it popular in the first place: comfortable, affordable, flexible, and available in whatever colour the room needs.
Browse our large bean bag range — some things from the 1970s are worth keeping. Get in touch if you'd like help choosing the right option for your space.
