How do I achieve a chic retro 60's/70s look in my very dull late 60' s house?

[chewitt]

I want to love my home. It's a late 60's build and I would love to have some stylish retro features - how do I do it? Where do I start?

I saw an excellent book on this - will try and remember what it is...

Please - i just don't know where to start !

bump

You sound just like someone I know, are you someone I know?!
Anyway I am completely style free so can't help ;) Hope MissisBoot remembers the book!

Have a look on ebay for retro furniture/items in the antiques section.

this is also a good website for furniture or bits and bobs.

mydeco.com is also quite good for sourcing bits from all the shops, rather than going to individual websites.

what kind of budget have you got and which rooms are you looking to change?

Maybe pamplemousee! Where are you? Thanks digitalgirl will check them out.

Digigirl: top links! thank you x

your welcome!

South East

Southeast too Pamplemouse .

Think very bright colours (going the whole psychedelic wallpaper route might be a bit much) and simple furniture in, again, bold shades. If you can't face that, I would suggest, bright, deep colours on the walls - deep, burnt oranges, mustardy yellows etc - with retro-shaped chairs and furniture in darks such as charcoal for fabrics and teak for wood. Accessorise these with clashing soft furnishings such as cushions, throws etc. This sort of sideboard perhaps; maybe this kind of sofa would be great. If you live near Nottingham, this place is unbelievable. Some people are great at looking through skips and junk shops and finding wonderful things (I'm not one of them) but it is worth having a hunt around - except for really iconic pieces, the 1960s and 70s are still very undervalued - G-Plan can be picked up very cheaply. This book should help you get a feel for the detailing as well.

thanks lala - the book looks like a good investment. This is really a first attempt at any kind of interior design - I am worried that if I do a bad job of selecting stuff and putting it all together it will just look really dated and awful.

Will be in Nottingham soon too so will visit the shop too. Thanks

Are you EH? If so I have found a real life mumsnetter and am a little scared as you are a good mate! If not chewitt there is someone else I know in exactly the position you are and I will suggest to her what these people have suggested ;)

No - am not EH! Just had a peek at your profile and don't recognise you from the stuff on there! Funny moment though! Was slightly scared to mix mumsnet and RL!

Me too! Good luck with your groovy house

Thanks!

lalalonglegs - great site, we are also in the market for a short danish sideboard, if you have any more sites please post 'em!

chewitt - it's only paint - if you get it wrong, just redo it. Like I said, look for 60s shapes and styles for chairs and sofas rather than feeling you have to buy things just because they were made in the 60s/70s. You want the spirit of the time rather than an exact replica.

digitalgirl - have you looked at this place or this one? I would love a teak dining suite but am too stingy to buy one as my parents have the perfect set and I'm just waiting it out .

Thanks lala - lovin' the F&K site. Just need to find a spare grand from somewhere...

Chewitt - I watched a few old James Bond films for inspiration. The Sean Connery ones.

OOOO good idea, I love Sean Connery..is that really sad?

LaLa - Thankyou