1970s semi. What to do with it? Instagram accounts?

[Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo]

We have been here a number of years, blocked up the serving hatch, put proper rails and banister on the stairs and painted everywhere but I still feel as though it needs an overhaul. Nothing is dreadful and maybe that’s what’s stopping us doing more.

I have NO style. I know I don’t like country chic in 70s builds but apart from that I’m stuck. How do I get some style? Any instagram accounts worth following? All the ones I find I like are in very different style houses so I cannot imagine them in mine. How do I work out what I like?

Pinterest.

The search for 1970s house renovation.

I think I’d look at some mid century inspiration if I were you... try Florence+Henri (on Instagram)
Sarah Sherman Samuel (check out Mandy Moore’s mid century maison which she designed ... it’s beautiful). You could also have a rummage around Emily Henderson’s website, her first home in Los Feliz was a stunning example of late mid century design...

stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/first-home-look-back-full-house-tour

www.architecturaldigest.com/story/mandy-moore-takes-ad-inside-her-dreamy-1950s-home

instagram.com/florenceandhenri?igshid=8vbqudjuocxi

Thanks. I have had a look on Pinterest but these seem to be complete renovations which are still helpful but we do not have that much money, or the houses are bigger with more options.

Both those links have beautiful homes but I cannot make the leap to mine.

I really do not have a clue and so I think I need to see almost what I have done up and copy it

I’m making mine out to be awful-it isn’t but it also isn’t stylish.

How do I know what is in fashion without being too dated in a year? Where do I start with the styling of rooms in a modest way rather than big overhaul?

Wondering if an interior designer may be the way forward to help us work out what we actually like!

This isn’t ours but similar in the sense that it is ok but not got any colour etc

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89865202#/

Pinterest is great for working out what you like: Create a board and browse around and add everything you like to the board. After a while you'll start to spot patterns. For example most of the links above have white walls and wooden floors. Is that a look you like?

If I was going to do the living room in the rightmove, I'd paint it white and buy a bigger rug (needs to be twice the size),possibly one with some colour. I put up some pictures and take a colour from one of them (and/or the rug) to use as an accent and buy a few coordinating cushions. I hate vertical blinds, so I'd replace those too.

You need to add depth, height and texture. So shelves with a variety of things on them. Plants. Small tables. As PP said, a very large rug that touches the furniture. Think about diffusing the light, then add ambient and focus lighting. Think about how you'd use the space... So places to put drinks down, places to start the remotes. And texture... Yes to small accents of slate, glass, ceramic, wool, felt, velvet...

We had blinds in ours but took them out so I’m glad that is seen as a good thing!

Also just put up staggered shelves with plants/frames and ornament on.

So rug...we are in two minds about flooring whether to go for a new carpet or hard flooring. We have been trying to decide this for around 2 years! Imagining a rug too may actually make this easier - I can see a bigger rug would look so much better.

Our curtains in the living room are cream/blue/oatmeal. I’m very much not a grey lover but not sure whether to go darkish on walls. At the moment our walls are Dulux timeless and a bit too cold.

This is helping thank you!

What direction do the rooms face? What kind of atmosphere do you want to achieve?

instagram.com/1970shouse?igshid=19esvwd3vayso

Or this one if you want to go full in authentic!
instagram.com/70shousemanchester?igshid=k9p7ha0hr42o

Oh gosh 70s is definitely not the style I’m trying to achieve though hats off to those who pulled that together! But because I know so little, I’m finding it hard to picture how it could look. If it was a Victorian house I’d have some dulux heritage colours-warm and rich but with a light airy kitchen.

The living room, master bedroom and smallest bedroom (a decent sized single or more snug double) all face south, south, east and get lots of natural light.

Kitchen, office, 2nd and third bedrooms and bathrooms all face the opposite direction and get no direct sunlight coming through.

Our office I like as it is completely white with black steel accents and the only colour is the books and big nature themed photographs in black frames. But this isn’t a look that would work in the living room or master bedroom.

I have a secret love for interesting wallpapers but think I’d only be brave enough in the bedrooms.

I definitely want to get rid of the short original 70s skirting boards as they’re really dated.

We have young children and don’t want to spend loads but are aware we do need to spend!

I'd work with an interior designer, personally. Yes it costs money but they know what they are doing and can save you from making costly mistakes that you then have to fix! And they can sometimes pass on trade discounts to you too, so you get better prices. You don't even need to involve them in the whole project, with many of them you can just consult on paint colour schemes or a certain too, etc.

I think with this style and age of house you can’t go too far wrong aiming for a scandi/IKEA modern/ish look. You don’t have to paint everything white but it can get incredibly confusing and expensive if you try and follow Instagram or mid-century/fully “styled” looks. For each room I would honestly have a look on IKEA website and find some images that you like and then try to recreate that as much as you can.

Thanks for the thread op, I put an offer in on a 70s house a couple of weeks ago and it needs total decoration. We’re really keen to through some traditional 70s colour at it, that house in Manchester is amazing. Couldn’t go the whole hog in the kitchen and bathroom though!

I get you OP, I have absolutely no style or creativity when it comes to my house, everyone says to use Pinterest but I just can't translate what I see on there into something that won't look stupid in my 1965 ex council house living room (or be a total pain in the arse to clean)

We desperately need to do our house up but I really hate thinking about it 🤦‍♀️

My approach has been to trawl shop websites - IKEA, habitat, h&m, la reroute, Etsy, blinds2go, wallpaper websites etc and save pictures of stuff I liked the look of - furniture, wallpaper, art prints etc.

That's given me a good steer on the style/colour etc I'm attracted to and something else to work from.

My current house is mainly white walls as I've been too scared to commit, but I want something a bit more ambitious in my next place.

Don't worry about fashion or trends, think about what you like. If you have your eye on a statement sofa or mirror or fancy a four poster bed, start there.

You can definitely go with the heritage colours if you fancy them! I generally think if you like it go with it in your own home, without worrying too much about how it will go as slowly but surely it all starts to come together... the hardest bit is starting.

Could get some inspo here: instagram.com/shnordic?igshid=1gro4gzsf7ulk

I'll shortly be living in a 1970s semi too, thanks for this thread! In previous houses I've loved period features and old heritage styles so this is a bit of a change for me, and that kind of look definitely wouldn't work in a 1970s house. I'm not a massive fan of mid-century style either. I'm thinking a clean, Nordic look might be the way forward, maybe with a few bright accents.

I like the styles of these Instagrammers. Some of these looks might suit your house.

instagram.com/ireneburg7?igshid=lt299xfvtmx1
instagram.com/themodernhouse?igshid=od54580xntn0
instagram.com/our_1930srenovation_story?igshid=o56rxwibe59t

70s houses are perfect for Scandi style decor

Another couple of my faves.
instagram.com/bolajihaus?igshid=17kd8fd7qvk5g
instagram.com/grillodesigns?igshid=1lv0v2mgrvhkx

This sort of thing

www.google.co.uk/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=scandi+style+interior&hl=en-gb&safe=strict&client=safari&fir=Ne2gKv0gx9OuNM%252CWUwg7f4jiOMOYM%252C_%253Bg5DA2EJwYUZhfM%252C0WWfdtnqYWX3nM%252C_%253BfCVt7FtfbRQmgM%252CjP4zHUZYpXpdwM%252C_%253BLpBuU5jM5m0_YM%252COcQGbnOi6UykRM%252C_%253B3RYDWRrW9eowcM%252CBsTM4lIhrT80OM%252C_%253BJC3DtXqeeJ7kmM%252CF8xeHQzNt3TzaM%252C_%253BFiQ1kJPNhdk0oM%252CE3uSnsnS5GWtUM%252C_%253Bnfu04dRiGhDmaM%252C-GUs07VQN0pXrM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kTH2_PKEEQFBKcp-uYCJixYUh0MuQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj90-zR3fPvAhWOFMAKHU9MDWYQ7Al6BAgDEBo&biw=414&bih=813

What’s your present style op? What are you drawn to normally?