Welcome to EUROBAD '74

October 3, 2005 2:09 PM

Welcome to EUROBAD '74, an exhibition of Europe's worst interiors of 1974.
posted by atomicmedia (48 comments total)

Half of the furniture pieces shown are exactly what the shops are full of today. The only truly disturbing parts is the mother dressed like a nine year old having her skirt lifted by her son.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:14 PM on October 3, 2005

It's scary to think I was born into the height of this fashion and decorating nightmare. And that it is making a comeback with hipsters.
posted by teece at 2:16 PM on October 3, 2005

Some of those pieces would be nice individually, but most of those ensembles? Ugh.
posted by handshake at 2:25 PM on October 3, 2005

This rules.
posted by docpops at 2:27 PM on October 3, 2005

A little commentary would help. I'm afraid I don't see what's so bad about this one, for instance. It's a little dated--so what? We should be happy if in 3 decades the worst that could be said of the places we live now is that the decor looks dated.
posted by jepler at 2:29 PM on October 3, 2005

As far as the furniture goes, it's nice to see it in the context of the time. (I was 10 in 1974 FWIW). Since I live in a turn of the century house which is pretty much a small but not isolated town, it doesn't fit in here. That said some of it is of interesting design. The overall themes however.... eek...
posted by Eekacat at 2:31 PM on October 3, 2005

Perhaps beyond the ensembles, it's the wallpapers and paint choices that hurt the most. Most of the furniture isn't bad itself.

On the other hand, "My eyes! The goggles, they do nothing!"
posted by Mercaptan at 2:32 PM on October 3, 2005

Whoa. Oak grain and shag rug niravana. And my eyes are still vibrating from the color combos.
posted by Specklet at 2:36 PM on October 3, 2005

Yeah there is real criminality to be seen in the flooring, wallcovering, and ceiling treatments. Carpet in washrooms, deep green and other colored ceilings, horrendous clashing patterns. Simplify these, even while staying with the basic color choices, and things look a lot better. That '70's yellow-green though...
posted by scheptech at 2:41 PM on October 3, 2005

The only truly disturbing parts is the mother dressed like a nine year old having her skirt lifted by her son.

And this one, which is just plain creepy.

And the horse in the kitchen. That just can't be sanitary.
posted by Sheppagus at 2:41 PM on October 3, 2005

It's scary to think I was born into the height of this fashion and decorating nightmare. And that it is making a comeback with hipsters.
I'm about ready to start embracing hipster-dom. If we're making teams, I have a feeling there's more fun on that side of the line.
posted by underer at 2:42 PM on October 3, 2005

Like, ohmygod! My outfit totally matches this bathroom!
posted by adamrice at 2:51 PM on October 3, 2005

Sweet merciful crap, that's a green kitchen.
posted by Johnny Assay at 2:51 PM on October 3, 2005

Yeah, no kidding with the green, there. Yikes.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:52 PM on October 3, 2005

I'd take the green oak kitchen any day over the hideous contemporary white and/or cherry with granite counters and stainless appliances featuring vaguely gothic detailing that every freaking McMansion kitchen today sports.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:54 PM on October 3, 2005

I have absolutely no design sense, so the furnishings don't bother me much. The Toni Tenille/Abba haircuts, though...

Take-a-chance-take-a-chance-take-a-chance-take-a-chance...
posted by DawnSimulator at 3:01 PM on October 3, 2005

I've always wanted horses and cars in my kitchen. Seriously.
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:02 PM on October 3, 2005

every freaking McMansion kitchen

Yes, they've reach the remarkably similar phase like in every trend. Wonder what's next, the granite top / stainless appliance thing has been with us for a while now and in 30 years will be viewed as an easily identifiable and very likely undesireable style: anyone remember those cold institutional stainless steel appliances? What were we thinking? And they charged more for 'em!
posted by scheptech at 3:10 PM on October 3, 2005

I like this one, actually.
posted by BoringPostcards at 3:13 PM on October 3, 2005

Stainless is the late 90's version of Harvest Gold
posted by Keith Talent at 3:19 PM on October 3, 2005

an exhibition of Europe's worst interiors of 1974.

Sure, if by "worst" you mean "most awesome"!
posted by ktoad at 3:20 PM on October 3, 2005

Some of them are so ghastly that they're actually cool. I was 7-8 years old in 1974 and I never witnessed anything this bad, but then again these decorators were going for shock value...I hope.
posted by Devils Slide at 3:51 PM on October 3, 2005

Btw nice find, atomicmedia.
posted by Devils Slide at 3:52 PM on October 3, 2005

These are unbelievably wonderful. None of this Calvin Klein subtle tasteful crap. Let's just go hog wild with the most vile shade of green we can get our hands on, and then let's mix in some orange. Yeah.

One of the bathrooms of my house used to have the most astonishing brown and silver foil blossom-pattern wallpaper. I miss that wallpaper.
posted by mai at 4:04 PM on October 3, 2005

I'm pretty sure Ikea would never name anything Arkansas.
posted by kyleg at 4:05 PM on October 3, 2005

A lot of these interiors seem pretty nice. What's wrong with this interior?
posted by gyc at 4:10 PM on October 3, 2005

gyc says " A lot of these interiors seem pretty nice. What's wrong with this interior?"

No sense of scale or composition. Scan from left to right and see how many times your eye gets stuck on something or bounces around like you have a muscle spasm.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 4:17 PM on October 3, 2005

Still these Europeans have nothing on our own Quality American-Made Tacky
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 4:22 PM on October 3, 2005

The Madonna Inn terrifies me. Especially the Buffalo Room, among others.
posted by dazed_one at 4:29 PM on October 3, 2005

I'd take the green oak kitchen any day over the hideous contemporary white and/or cherry with granite counters and stainless appliances featuring vaguely gothic detailing that every freaking McMansion kitchen today sports.

Completely agreed. None of these places can compare with the atrocities displayed on that old MTV Cribs show. I liked a few of them quite a bit.
posted by mrgrimm at 4:32 PM on October 3, 2005

Agreed - the main thing that makes these interiors terrible is the schizophrenic composition and overstimulation factors. I actually like a lot of the individual pieces and the aesthetic - if it were much more subdued. And in a different color palate.
posted by salad spork at 4:47 PM on October 3, 2005

Oh, the Madonna Inn is wonderful, if overpriced. The Tack Room is deliciously red. (The flowered honeymoon rooms I can do without, but the Buffalo? or the Caveman? Classix.)
posted by mrgrimm at 5:01 PM on October 3, 2005

Textured ceramic and bathroom shag carpeting? yuck.

That green kitchen was just plain awful, though. Frankly some of these have to make you wonder how popular LSD was among interior decorators in 1970s Europe.
posted by clevershark at 5:30 PM on October 3, 2005

mrgrimm writes "The Tack Room is deliciously red."

My first reaction would be, "sh*t, I booked a room at the local BSDM dungeon by mistake!"
posted by clevershark at 5:32 PM on October 3, 2005

amberglow? i can't find it but i know it's there.
posted by gorgor_balabala at 5:54 PM on October 3, 2005

Cool. I would give anything to live in any of those homes.

And this is the same site that brings greetings from some of Sweden's greatest dance bands.
posted by nylon at 7:32 PM on October 3, 2005

MiltonRandKalman: Ah, yes, The Gobbler. You beat me to it.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2005

"The Tack Room is deliciously red."

Yes, that would make an excellent magazine or band photo shoot location.

Or, yeah, an S&M dungeon.

I note that the Buffalo Room has no A/C. Wonder how that giant taxidermied buffalo head smells on hot/humid days?
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 7:51 PM on October 3, 2005

And this one, which is just plain creepy.
posted by Sheppagus at 2:41 PM PST on October 3 [!]

That was actually the inspiration for the video of Fiona Apple's "Criminal." Okay, maybe not, but it could be.
posted by keswick at 8:08 PM on October 3, 2005

make you wonder how popular LSD was among interior decorators in 1970s Europe

I was lucky enough to stay in a hotel room like this quite recently (warning: self link, mpg video)
posted by Meatbomb at 8:25 PM on October 3, 2005

"One of the bathrooms of my house used to have the most astonishing brown and silver foil blossom-pattern wallpaper"

Apparently you moved into the house my parents renovated and then sold in 1978.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:55 PM on October 3, 2005

Pretty similar to any home magazine today.
posted by HTuttle at 10:41 PM on October 3, 2005

The only truly disturbing parts is the mother dressed like a nine year old having her skirt lifted by her son.

I figured it was older sister/annoying little brother. Mothers didn't dress like that in 1974.
posted by rory at 2:03 AM on October 4, 2005

Having lived in Germany from 1978 to 1982, all of these pictures were strangely comforting to me. And I love the subtle kink!
posted by furtive at 4:04 AM on October 4, 2005

That was wonderful (especially the bathrooms). My mum has a whole bunch of craft magazines from the seventies that show you how to accessorize such rooms.
posted by jamesonandwater at 6:05 AM on October 4, 2005

Bad American Style is alive and well today.
posted by Karmakaze at 7:02 AM on October 4, 2005

Karmakaze says "Bad American Style is alive and well today."

From the {Stupid flash, I can't link} Paradise Island Suite:
"To start your escape we've provided a tanning bed, in-room dock and a dolphin. Yes a dolphin. Your hiatus from reality begins here."

The fuck you say.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 12:44 PM on October 4, 2005

Artifice_Eternity says I note that the Buffalo Room has no A/C. Wonder how that giant taxidermied buffalo head smells on hot/humid days?

San Luis Obispo is neither hot nor humid. Shit weather is reserved for the other 49 states, as shit earthquakes is researved for one.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 12:55 PM on October 4, 2005