Seventies Style Is Back in Luxury Interiors
From a sunken lounge in Byron Bay to a bold London pied-à-terre, designers are embracing the laid-back glamour, tactile textures and warm tones of a defining decade, writes Kate Youde.
Even if you didn’t live through the 1970s, you won’t have escaped the decade’s aesthetic. In recent years, the period’s influence has been seen from the catwalk to the big screen, not to mention our homes where warm, earthy tones, rattan furniture and rich velvets are enjoying renewed popularity. But why does this era recur as a reference in luxury design?
Interior designer Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem, director of YSG Studio in Sydney, Australia, believes the decade has “an everlasting relaxing mood that’s really grounding.” And she means it—literally.
“Furniture was low: coffee tables, sofas and soft, textural carpets that invite you to kick your shoes off and relax,” says Ghoniem. “Soft furnishings were voluptuous and fabrics were super tactile, from velvet to chenille. The ’70s is also defined by lots of solid timber pieces. Color confidence was much freer then, with patterned wallpapers and printed fabrics used for window treatments, too. All these stimulating elements indulgently feed the soul.”
Ghoniem drew from this pre-digital age when she was creating “a laid-back family utopia” in the Australian wellness and surf hub of Byron Bay, New South Wales. Comfort was key to the scheme. The centerpiece of the open-plan living area is a 1970s-inspired sunken lounge. This space was original to the 1990s property but she enhanced it with a custom “plump and cushioned” oversized L-shaped sofa.
The home’s palette of browns include warm caramel and toffee hues, as seen in the terracotta tile flooring in the living area. The choice reflects the owners’ desire for a ’70s feel, while pieces from the period are “sprinkled about”.
