16 kitchen decor elements that will remind you of the '70s, from kitschy accessories to vintage cookware and everything in between. Slip into a pair of bell-bottomed pants and join us for a tour of all of the far-out 1970s kitchen decor, patterns, and appliances that have disappeared. 21 Iconic '70s Kitchen Items That Everyone Had These durable vintage kitchen innovations now fetch premium prices among collectors and remain surprisingly functional.
Katie Kitsch/Flickr The 1970s kitchen was a bold, colorful, and undeniably unique space filled with design choices and gadgets that feel like a time capsule today. From avocado green appliances to patterned linoleum floors, every kitchen had a distinct personality. It was a time of built-in breadboxes, rotary phones with extra-long cords, and Tupperware in every pastel shade imaginable.
The combination of brass and peacock blue evokes his fun paisley prints, while the statement pendant lights from Arteriors remind me of his stylized '70s jewellery,' says Courtnay Tartt Elias, founder and principal designer at Creative Tonic. When thinking about kitchen lighting, make sure you get the right light fitting for the right tasks. The 1970s had a very distinctive color palette, dominated by avocado green and harvest gold, supported by various browns and that unmistakable '70s orange.
If your kitchen proudly displayed those colors, you were definitely dining in a 1970s culinary space. During the '60s and '70s, décor was the star of the kitchen - think bold wallpaper patterns under a globe pendant light, or sunburst clocks that embodied the energy of the era. Even ordinary items, like spice racks, bread boxes, and cereal canisters could double as functional decorations.
The '70s pop art movement made its way into the kitchen, with toasters featuring bold, vibrant designs. These toasters, particularly ones with unique or rare designs, are now considered valuable vintage items. From mushroom decor to that iconic jug (you know the one), let's take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to the quintessential '70s kitchen.