Retro

Posted on Mon, 8 Mar 2010 by midcenturyjo

The early 70s what a wonderful time for interior design! I’d love to say that that’s a photo of me above but my room back then was nowhere near as groovy. I must be getting old though because I need to turn the volume down on the colours on most of these. Thoughts please on the built in tiled toilet and Mr Super Smooth. Today’s scans from Golden Homemakers 100 Ideas to Beautify Your Home, Gudenian Rockail & Mayer, Marshall Cavendish, London, 1972.

Martha says:

Brady Bunch all around – Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! The built-in toilet could be useful in case someone needs to sit beside you and hold your hand while you go about your business, perhaps sing something by The Carpenters together?

Gordie says:

re: the toilet. while I don’t love it, if you had a teensy bathroom, you could use that area as the shower seat area with shower above… I’m trying to make this work, people…
also, in the 60s, i had a bedroom (my own preteen design, ahem) with walls covered in giant (homemade) yellow and orange felt daisies. I had an orange area rug, and painted built in cupboards, wait for it, orange. oh, and I had an orange bedspread and pillows with yellow daisies.
i loved it…for about one week. then, i made my mother switch rooms with me!
lesson learned: use bright colors in moderation.

Jordana says:

I think I need monogramed towels. Yes. I really think they are lovely!

whyioughtta says:

These interiors bring to mind one word: REDRUM

When I was little friends beach houses always had an outdoor sawdust toilet – a "long drop" – and they looked just like this one only in plywood. The memories are not good. They smelled and they had spiders. So … No on the toilet!!!

AppleTree says:

the tiled in toilet makes a handy place to store reading materials, pink poinsettias, and many many germs, yuck.

What a delightful post! I remember those built in toilets…they seemed perfectly normal at the time…and now? Not so much!

ModFruGal says:

Love it. Some great stuff and some scary stuff in there. I’m with Gordie…I think there is a way to make that toilet work again…somehow. I had the blue version of that yellow bedroom….ah the memories.

Mr Smooth has definite potential, especially as he’s so keen on mixing drinks. Would I turn him away if he approached with a cocktail made for me? No. No, I would not.

I tried, I really tried, to be open minded RE tiled lavatory. But I can’t. It gave me the same feeling as when you go on holiday and the first time you go to the washroom you realize the toilets are different there. It’s not necessarily a bad experience, just an uneasy one. And unease is not a feeling I want to cultivate in my bathroom.

Ottawa alternagrrrl says:

Groovy, baby! There is something about looking back at the 70s and seeing that futuristic design. From what I remember, it was so cool at the time. Now, looking back on that as retro-futuristic (there’s a fun oxymoron), all I can say is: who know the future would look so much like the 70s, baby!

Now, Jo, as for the "outhouse" toilet, what can we say but "wow." And by that I mean, "wow" on so many levels.

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