The 1970s were a decade of bold interiors, distinctive furniture and some very memorable decorating choices – and many of us will remember them from our own homes.
We’ve dipped into the Express & Star archive to find a fascinating collection of pictures showing how homes across the West Midlands looked during the decade. From fitted kitchens to show homes, living rooms and housing developments, the images offer a glimpse into everyday domestic life.
Think polished teak wall units, patterned carpets, floral wallpaper, floor-level lounging and the arrival of new heating technologies as homes changed with the times.
Whether you lived through the 1970s or simply love the distinctive style of the decade, these pictures offer a chance to step back inside the homes of the era.
Do you remember what your home looked like in the 1970s? Which style or feature from the era was your favourite? Share your memories in the comments.
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1. Curved glass hearths, low-slung seating, and late-seventies lounging
A circular stone hearth backdrop, low-slung buttoned floor cushions, and a check shirt-and-denim look - this April 1978 photograph shows a Parkray 'One Eleven GT' solid fuel room heater set within a contemporary living room. Designed with a curved glass door and teak veneer casing, the unit connected to a back boiler that powered hot water and radiators throughout the house. Flanked by floating display shelves, a small portable TV, and plush carpet, the room captures the trend toward casual floor-level lounging in the late '70s. Do you remember sitting on floor cushions right by the heater to catch up over a drink on an evening? Who recalls when Parkray heaters with teak casings and curved glass doors were considered the height of modern fireside design? | Express & Stare archive
2. Pine power and eye-level cooking
Patterned wallpaper, pine-panelled units, and a Tiffany-style pendant light - welcome to the ultimate 1970s kitchen aesthetic! Captured in July 1978, this showroom display featured Moffat’s 'Fiesta' range, showcasing knotty pine cabinetry paired with high-tech eye-level cookers that were the envy of every home baker back in the day. With cane-backed dining chairs, glass storage jars on open shelves, and classic lino underfoot, this layout was designed to bring warmth and space-age convenience right into the heart of the home. Did your family kitchen boast knotty pine units or patterned wallpaper back in the late 1970s? Who remembers cooking with one of those iconic double-decker Moffat stoves? | Express & Star archive
3. Patterned carpets and first-home perfection
Swirling floral carpets, damask feature wallpaper, and a television resting on spindly legs - this July 1976 snapshot captures newlyweds Geoff and Gillian Wright in their newly furnished lounge on Clifton Avenue in Cannock. Having saved £3,500 over two years, the couple bought their three-bedroom semi for £12,000, even paying an extra £50 to secure the fitted lounge and stair carpets. Complete with a stone fireplace surround and a hi-fi stereo setup on the side table, this cosy space embodies mid-seventies suburban comfort. Do you remember when busy patterned carpets and matching wall coverings were a must-have for setting up a first home? Who recalls when television sets stood proudly on slender legs in the corner of the room? | Express & Star archive
4. Fresh foundations and the dawn of 1970s housing
Weatherboard cladding, brand-new paved footpaths, and freshly turned earth—this January 1970 photograph captures a modern pilot housing scheme taking shape at Coventry Street, off Willenhall Road in Wolverhampton. Built by Wolverhampton Council and McLean Contracts Ltd., this development of eighteen centrally heated homes replaced older, decaying terraced streets with sleek modern design, offering families up to four bedrooms and a bright new start at the turn of the decade. Do you remember moving into a newly built housing estate like this back at the start of the 1970s? Who recalls when white weatherboard cladding and central heating were the ultimate symbols of modern suburban living? | Express & Star archive