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Design Deja-vu - Great images from the 60's and 70's

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Happy August, kids! If your idea of a good time is driving from one estate sale to another in the summer heat, then you would have loved my weekend! The only problem was everything I wanted was either already sold or more than I wanted to pay. Luckily, I found these incredible vintage decorating books - the one on top was published in 1965 and the Better Homes book was pubilshed in 1975. 


After browsing through these books a half a dozen times, I'm convinced that there's nothing really "new" in design.  And I'm not saying that's a bad thing - I think it just shows that great design is timeless, and doesn't have to be "new & improved."  I have some images to share with you that are out of these mid-century books that are completely relevant (although some might say redundant) to where we are today! These images are crude, the pictures in the books were very small, and I took them with my point and shoot.

This image is from the 1975 BH&G book.  What about that wallpaper?  And that fresh green and white color scheme? It's good, right?


 Oversize paper lantern, (did they have Ikea and Pier 1 back then?) coffee table, painted parsons desk, turquoise and green color scheme. 


Yep, that's a ceramic garden stool and lots of Asian-inspired/Chinoiserie accents. Red lacquer lampshade.


Asian screen, painted coffee table, mix of furniture styles.


Horizontal stripes, black & white color scheme with a single accent color.



Gallery walls


Can you see that this room was done by Dorothy Draper?  Would you make any changes nearly 50 years later?


Don't get me started on this one.  Bri, I'm sure there's a project for you based on that wallpaper.  You can do it at my house :)


Okay, so what do you think?  I've read on several different blogs that certain design elements (like Chevron patterns, gallery walls, painted furniture and ceramic garden stools) are "over".  Do these 50-year old images prove them wrong?

Need some help pulling your style together?  Kim Lemmon can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call 423.653.3186 for details.

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