Your swinging pad!
September 6, 2007 10:27 PM   Subscribe

 
Via the always excellent Eye of the Goof.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:28 PM on September 6, 2007


Apart from the picture on the wall, I think this one's quite good. (IANAID)
posted by bunglin jones at 10:31 PM on September 6, 2007


Groovy.
posted by nightchrome at 10:34 PM on September 6, 2007


The problem with a lot of these is the wallpaper. Come to think of it, what happened to wallpaper?
posted by vacapinta at 10:35 PM on September 6, 2007


Huh. Half of this stuff reminds me of the lobby of a W hotel, the other half makes me want to puke.

Whatever else happens, I'm pretty certain that macramé will never, ever be in again.
posted by rkent at 10:47 PM on September 6, 2007


Relaxing in their russet retreat: the Robertses (R-VA).*
*Note: At the family's request, all wall and floor edges have been removed to reduce the risk of inadvertent laceration.
posted by rob511 at 10:48 PM on September 6, 2007


Back in the day? I could have sworn half of that has been featured in coolhunting or apartment therapy as the epitome of modern urban style.
posted by lekvar at 10:52 PM on September 6, 2007


Wait. I'm supposed to not like these? (There are some truly hideous ones. Others are not the kind of thing I'd do to my own residence, but I can see the appeal.)
posted by djlynch at 10:58 PM on September 6, 2007


I myself happen to love them.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:03 PM on September 6, 2007


i don't know how to break this to you, but most people in the 60s and 70s actually had better taste than that

the rug in this picture was sold by sears and roebuck - we had one

we did NOT have the tacky green and plaid sofa, but a perfectly staid and respectable beige brownish davenport

all this room is missing is vincent price

who said fallout shelters had to be plain?

with a burgundy carpet, this would almost pass for 70s style
posted by pyramid termite at 11:09 PM on September 6, 2007


Ah, nice...

I like this post very much, for 2 reasons:

1. I was afraid every word would be a different link, leaving no clue as to which one was most important. One link -- nice and simple.

2. I will probably be moving very soon into an apartment built in the early '60s, which has much Space Age/Rat Pack/Mid-Century Modern potential.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:14 PM on September 6, 2007


I absolutely loved the photos, but I grew up in the '70s when our rooms looked like this.
posted by astruc at 11:16 PM on September 6, 2007


excellent post

Whatever else happens, I'm pretty certain that macramé will never, ever be in again.

I always hated the utter creepiness that is macrame but never say never.
posted by scheptech at 11:44 PM on September 6, 2007


It's like the heaven to this hell. (HELL OF NSFW)
posted by louche mustachio at 12:47 AM on September 7, 2007


wow, what a find! thank you so much, this is actually a rather useful reference for me...
posted by sleep_walker at 12:58 AM on September 7, 2007


So *that's* where Razorfish got their palettes from.
posted by ryoshu at 1:24 AM on September 7, 2007


(louche, someone once told me of a project where amateur porn photos had the naked people blacked out and then the interiors were critiqued. You seem like the kind of person to tell me where to find this holy grail.)

I kinda like some of the interiors, but others, yikes.

When my wife and I were looking to buy our first "together" home we found a split level in the Loyal Heights neighborhood of Seattle which was a c.1958 time capsule. Absolutely every single thing in it was original to the house, from the fireplace to the kitchen appliances. Wavy, translucent plexiglass separated the living room from the hall to the bedrooms. It was an amazing find. Didn't go down too well with the Mrs., so we didn't buy. I imagine these days it's been remodeled into the faux chateau look so popular with the aspiring these days. A loss.
posted by maxwelton at 1:25 AM on September 7, 2007


Come to think of it, what happened to wallpaper?

Bland is the new black.
posted by vbfg at 1:25 AM on September 7, 2007


Oh, yeah, given ownership and not rentership over my living quarters, I'd certainly lean decorate my pad in a fashion similar to that exhibited in these photos. And rest assured, when I do own my digs, I will be active in the revival of groovy wallpaper.
posted by polytropos at 2:05 AM on September 7, 2007


No, Macrame is pretty much definitely wrong and evil and we have seen before.
posted by public at 2:28 AM on September 7, 2007


Maxwelton:

Obscene Interiors
posted by louche mustachio at 3:35 AM on September 7, 2007 [2 favorites]




Is this something I would need a carpet rake to understand?
posted by paulsc at 3:57 AM on September 7, 2007 [1 favorite]


Retreat! Retreat!
posted by konolia at 4:54 AM on September 7, 2007


How deep is your shag?
posted by Flashman at 5:11 AM on September 7, 2007


One could regurgitate cat food almost anywhere here without seriously offending the eyes of other inhabitants. Nowadays when a queasy feline runs for carpet to vomit on, chances are things will clash. It's time to bring back Harvest Gold carpet, or sell kitty bitties in a pleasing variety of decorator colours.
posted by fish tick at 5:18 AM on September 7, 2007


That's not a carpet, that's a Muppet.
posted by louche mustachio at 5:19 AM on September 7, 2007 [3 favorites]


I blame the nuclear bomb. First, for ushering in the Modern era that gave rise to the "futruristic" styles of the 60s & 70s and second, for failing to blow us all to kingdom come for those hideous transgressions.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:31 AM on September 7, 2007


I don't know how to break this to you, but most people in the 60s and 70s actually had better taste than that.


Not in my family. /me remembers the bright yellow Naugahyde and bamboo sectional couch that matched the yellow wicker pattern wallpaper and the dark green rug.
posted by octothorpe at 5:33 AM on September 7, 2007


Your Favorite Colors Suck.
posted by lodurr at 6:02 AM on September 7, 2007


Wow, I have several interior design books from the 1960s-early 70s that cover this territory with very well printed color photos.

The best/worst are the 'Oulde Englische' themed interiors with archaicisms like wrought-iron coffee tables, red walls with more wrought iron, heavy oak furniture, and dark brown carpets. Living rooms less quaint and historical and more Sadean D&D fantasy world. Brought to you by Better Homes and Gardens and populated by happy young homeowners in cable-knit turtleneck sweaters.
posted by ardgedee at 6:24 AM on September 7, 2007


All I can think is that I hope my place doesn't look this bad in 20 years time.
posted by orange swan at 6:30 AM on September 7, 2007 [1 favorite]


Wow, these are glorious. I just moved into a 70s ranch house with a den: stone fireplace (big, chunky stones, some missing), picture window (that's divided into panes) and the obligatory brown carpet and brown paneling. I was in despair, but now there is hope! Thanks, Astro Zombie! All I need now are some orange chairs, semi-living rugs and a swingin' dude with major lapels.
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:30 AM on September 7, 2007


I still remember how proud my mom was of her avocado green stove and refrigerator. They went well with our dark wood paneling and fake Tudor ceiling beams.
posted by tommasz at 6:33 AM on September 7, 2007


I've read that every well-dressed woman goes classic sooner or later. Perhaps the same could be said of good decorators. And the sooner the better.
posted by orange swan at 6:59 AM on September 7, 2007


I can't stop laughing. The comments are hilarious, too. This is great, Astro, thanks.
posted by mediareport at 7:19 AM on September 7, 2007


Man if you are over 30 this brings back some memories. Thanks, AZ.

Relaxing in their russet retreat: the Robertses (R-VA).*
*Note: At the family's request, all wall and floor edges have been removed to reduce the risk of inadvertent laceration.
posted by rob511 at 1:48 AM on September 7


That first link makes me laugh. That Steve McQueen-wannabe sitting on one end of the couch, and the family on the other end. It's like Mom brought the kids over to his "bachelor pad" to meet prospective new Daddy. Steve's trying to look hip for the kids, with his sporty collar sweater and his quadraphonic record player. That record player has spun "Bolero" and "Sketches of Spain" so many times on so many failed dates with stewardesses that he keeps emergency backup copies just in case.

What a scene. "Hey there, little Johnny, do you like race cars? Maybe you'd like to watch the Indy 500 on my color TV sometime. You've never seen green until you've seen RCA green. And Tracy, who's your little friend here? What? No, that can't be Johnny's doll, he's all man, aren't ya sport? Tell me Tracy, are you going to grow up to be a waitress like your mom? It's a great way to meet a husband." His head should be severed.
posted by Pastabagel at 7:35 AM on September 7, 2007 [2 favorites]


That's not a carpet, that's a Muppet.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!
posted by Tehanu at 8:03 AM on September 7, 2007


Painfully awesome!
posted by Dantien at 9:20 AM on September 7, 2007


Many of these homes were powered by static electricity alone. True story.
posted by schoolgirl report at 9:22 AM on September 7, 2007 [4 favorites]


Come to think of it, what happened to wallpaper?

Movie "Lucky Number Slevin" makes me miss them.
posted by of strange foe at 9:24 AM on September 7, 2007


omg. *asthma attack. Never liked the commercial early/mid-60's interior decorating, except now in an anthropological nostalgia-fun kind of way. Sort of post-beatnik organic shapes combined with Madison avenue's version of psychedelic. ouch.

That lurid digs site, rofl! When macrame was everywhere.
posted by nickyskye at 9:27 AM on September 7, 2007


I can't believe nobody's reference Lilek's Interior Desecrators in this thread. The whole site used to be online-- now there's just a few examples (and a book he published a couple of years ago). Interior Desecrators brought me more than once to a state of helpless, belly-clutching, tears in my eyes laughter.

I kinda wish Lileks had focused on his more obvious powers of teh funny instead of going bonkers over the Islamofascist Conspiracy To Kill Us All, but there it is.
posted by jokeefe at 9:31 AM on September 7, 2007


Come to think of it, what happened to wallpaper?

Wallpaper is hip again, dude. Check apartmenttherapy for examples.
posted by jokeefe at 9:32 AM on September 7, 2007


The best/worst are the 'Oulde Englische' themed interiors with archaicisms like wrought-iron coffee tables, red walls with more wrought iron, heavy oak furniture, and dark brown carpets.

Ugh. Yes. Back in the day, all Round Table Pizza places based their interior decorating on such a scheme.

I had a friend whose parents' house had a rumpus room down at the end of a wrought iron spiral staircase. It had a parquet hallway that clicked when you walked on it, huge stone fireplace, wallpaper with giant mustard and rust colored abstract butterflies, and a conversation pit with rust colored shag carpet. We used to go there to do mushrooms when they were away.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:52 AM on September 7, 2007


Sweet Jesus, No! The wife and I are remodeling and she has become obsessed with this kind of gaudy Kitsch. She's going to read this thread and I'm going to come home to orange floors and flocked wallpaper, I just know it.
posted by quin at 10:21 AM on September 7, 2007


Is it just me, or do these remind you of Venture Industries, too?

Doesn't the Ham Radio bedroom look like the place where
Colonel Horace Gentleman died?
posted by webnrrd2k at 10:24 AM on September 7, 2007


Makes me wonder how well current styles will hold up in 30 years. I've been through a lot of remodeled kitchens lately, and I have to say, if I see one more dark-grey granite countertop, I'm going to do violence.

I had the avocado kitchen appliances and linoleum, with one wall papered in a large floral motif, in my childhood kitchen. The other color choice was called "Harvest Gold." But it was mustard.
posted by expialidocious at 10:54 AM on September 7, 2007


They can still make some pretty cool color palettes too!
posted by taursir at 11:29 AM on September 7, 2007


Actually, if anyone else is on Colourlovers, tag the palettes with YourSwinginPad so we can all find them.
posted by taursir at 11:44 AM on September 7, 2007


quin: if the love of your life takes her decorating advice from MeFi, you have deeper problems than a shag carpet.
posted by athenian at 12:14 PM on September 7, 2007


tommasz said: I still remember how proud my mom was of her avocado green stove and refrigerator.

My current stove is a vintage avocado green specimen (and I used to have the matching fridge until about 5 years ago). It works great and it didn't cost me anything, but it totally clashes with the rest of my kitchen. It does, however, possess kind of a kitschy cool factor. Guests are either repulsed or amused by it, but it's always a conversation starter.
posted by amyms at 1:50 PM on September 7, 2007


I looove this bathroom!
posted by amyms at 1:52 PM on September 7, 2007


I've always wanted a bathroom that was completely exposed to the backyard.

For I have jettisoned Western culture's fear and hatred of the body. I experience no shame as I do what comes naturally and gracefully. Damn any onlookers. I am comfortable with my body and its fuctions. The body is beautiful. I don't concern myself with others' hang-ups.

*flush*
posted by jason's_planet at 5:35 PM on September 7, 2007


Groovy man. What a colorful environment in which frame the windowpane. I think I hear Jerry and Grace and others playing in the background. It's electric. These colorful walls breath love, just watch them man, can't you see it?
posted by caddis at 5:36 PM on September 7, 2007


« Older Royal Magazine: Summer Solstice   |   Life Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments