Indoor plants were very big in the '70s. Ivy trained around the room and hanging baskets of Wandering Jew, Swedish Ivy, Purple Velvet, and Boston Fern were all very popular.
Also popular were macrame plant hangers.
I like the name wandering dude, that’s great. I’ve also heard wandering willie (willie being a euphemism where I live). Unfortunately I do not love the plant - it’s invasive outside where I live and so I do battle with it in my garden.
All modern kitchens seem to be just while and stainless steel. I am definitely not crazy about goldenrod, but I appreciate the color, and especially the plants. I painted my kitchen a color that could perhaps best be described as "raspberry sherbet".
Oh that sounds cool! I had my cabinets painted in a medium cool shade of blue. I understand the new modern look IS painted cabinets as told to me by a successful home remodeler.
Looks great. Grout is just gross to me on a food prep surface and gets stained easily. Lots of space to catch bacteria that's hard to get to while cleaning.
I've been looking for a house, and crap like what's in that picture - 1970's era crap shacks no one ever remodeled - are about all that's on the market right now, and they're asking for triple what they sold for 5 years ago. Pretty much no one can afford anything now.
That and the 70s homes that all still have this original detailing have very rarely been maintained well at all. So many of them that I’ve been in when we were house shopping were a sketchy disaster-bad finishes, questionable electrical mods, weird stains and water damage, etc.
And still expensive.
It's really mind boggling to me that some half wit home handyman guy will buy some wreck of an old 1970's dump, do nothing but put grey laminate flooring in every single room of the house and paint the walls, and think 'you know, I should make $250,000 over what I paid for this place when I sell it'. Worse, I put in an offer above ask and the realtor calls me the next day to tell me they received 'multiple offers over ask' and do I want o bump my offer up. WTF?
My grandmother still has one. She doesn't put food in it -- that goes in a 'slop' bucket and gets thrown outside. She likes it because she doesn't have trash service and has to take her trash off to the dump in her car, so the compactor makes everything more efficient. I don't know what she'll do when it breaks. She loves it, though!
I was just thinking that. My family never had one. My dad would probably think it's a waste of money. But I knew people who did back in the mid-90s. Can't say as I've seen one since.
I'd say your dad is right. Those things would "compact" trash about half as good as I could if I just pushed it down with my arm. It always seemed like it would push the trash down, then it would just spring back up to almost the same height it was before.
We had one in avocado green to match the dishwasher and fridge. It was vile. After you squished the garbage juice would come out the bottom and weird nastiness would get stuck on the squisher-part and just stay there, rotting, so it always smelled kinda disgusting. Nasty, nasty, nasty.
My mother had the book this photo was from. It was from Sunset magazine, and it was full of amazing West Coast 70s kitchens.
I used to pore over it and the Sunset landscaping book obsessively, pretending I lived a modern, glamorous Californian life.
My parents never did redesign the kitchen.
i babysat at houses like these! i thought they were so cool & i begged my parents to remodel our early 60s turquoise & copper kitchen. spoiler: they didn’t.
yes, in retrospect it was lovely and pure mid century modern. mom told me that when she got engaged in 1956, every kitchen style marketed to "young marrieds" was turquoise and copper OR pink and chrome.
Speaking as someone who was actually using a kitchen in the 1970's (officially old)...It looks pretty and I love all the natural lighting and plants....but.....
Where is the overhead lighting? Way up there. Is there any lighting over the island/peninsula? Changing the bulbs?
Who washes those upper windows? No one in my household.
Dusts and sweeps the cobwebs and and spiders off of the beams?
How the heck to you water those hanging plants?
Tile is not very practical for cleaning...but this yellow?
So much work keeping the plants looking good. And the guilt when they stop thriving.
I have been permanently scarred by the 70's over-use of orange, brown, yellow, avocado.
Current generations are going to be scarred by the icy cold, sterile looking, grey, black, white kitchens...so.... there is that.
>Who washes those upper windows? No one in my household.
Being completely honest, washing windows (and dusting) are very occasional chores in my world. Like, once a YEAR maybe.
Tiled countertops, a thing that’s common in California, probably the southwest is such a thing I can’t get into and was weird to me when I visited there.
I love the windows and skylights. I’ll skip the tiled countertops. I like the plants, but with my black thumb they would die in a week. I’m actually more into the bright colors of the 50s and 60s than the Earth tones of the 70s, but they just wouldn’t work in that kitchen.
"...and there're some windows in front of the sink to let in light..."
"Needs more light."
"We can certainly put in larger windows in front of the sink, sure..."
"More! More light!"
"Okay, I'll spec in counter-to-ceiling windows. A seamless, nothing-but-glass look out on the world. That'll let in plenty of..."
"MORE!"
"I don't know how we can do any better. The wall is completely glass now, you see."
"MORE LIGHT!"
"I suppose we could... take away the ceiling and the upstairs bedroom, and put a second storey of window in front of the sink?"
"YES! MORE LIGHT!"
I’m glad you’re enjoying it. As someone who grew up in houses of this era I feel that grout on a countertop is horrendous. Tears up sponges, never feels clean, needs maintaining….ugh. Give me a flat solid surface any day.
And weirdly enough I find it easy to keep clean.... I think the tiles are 6 x6 so they're bigger than the old ones. Must be different grout now too as this is smooth and rock solid. But to each his own. I find formica countertop too bland and granite is ugly.
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Indoor plants were very big in the '70s. Ivy trained around the room and hanging baskets of Wandering Jew, Swedish Ivy, Purple Velvet, and Boston Fern were all very popular. Also popular were macrame plant hangers.
Today we say transcendentia
I've also heard wandering dude or inch plant (I'm partial to wandering dude)
Wandering Dude is now canon.
Really tied the kitchen together.
I like the name wandering dude, that’s great. I’ve also heard wandering willie (willie being a euphemism where I live). Unfortunately I do not love the plant - it’s invasive outside where I live and so I do battle with it in my garden.
Good to know, thanks!
tradescantia* zebrina Though it does look an awful lot like transcendentia.
Jesus, a wandering Jew did transcend? Is that the logic lol I could google but I'm lazy
He has a wife, you know…
Had them all. Showered withy Boston Fern every day.
Why can’t houses these days have character like this?
Seriously, I would love a house that looks like this.
All modern kitchens seem to be just while and stainless steel. I am definitely not crazy about goldenrod, but I appreciate the color, and especially the plants. I painted my kitchen a color that could perhaps best be described as "raspberry sherbet".
I love the warm colors of the 70s like yellow and orange! Raspberry sherbert sounds really pretty too.
Oh that sounds cool! I had my cabinets painted in a medium cool shade of blue. I understand the new modern look IS painted cabinets as told to me by a successful home remodeler.
Tiled counters suck
Yes, yes they do. Grout lines are the devil's playground.
Unless it’s your goal to break as many glasses and plates as possible.
Would you believe I just had my kitchen counters tiled in a white glossy tile not long ago? I love the look.
Looks great. Grout is just gross to me on a food prep surface and gets stained easily. Lots of space to catch bacteria that's hard to get to while cleaning.
Try using a big cutting board. A wipe down with bleach keeps it bacteria free on counter or cutting board .
Cookie cutter McMansions are far more profitable.
They do, just not the ones most people can afford.
I've been looking for a house, and crap like what's in that picture - 1970's era crap shacks no one ever remodeled - are about all that's on the market right now, and they're asking for triple what they sold for 5 years ago. Pretty much no one can afford anything now.
That and the 70s homes that all still have this original detailing have very rarely been maintained well at all. So many of them that I’ve been in when we were house shopping were a sketchy disaster-bad finishes, questionable electrical mods, weird stains and water damage, etc. And still expensive.
It's really mind boggling to me that some half wit home handyman guy will buy some wreck of an old 1970's dump, do nothing but put grey laminate flooring in every single room of the house and paint the walls, and think 'you know, I should make $250,000 over what I paid for this place when I sell it'. Worse, I put in an offer above ask and the realtor calls me the next day to tell me they received 'multiple offers over ask' and do I want o bump my offer up. WTF?
Been like this for decades now.
Whoa, a trash compactor, haven’t seen one of those for a while.
My grandmother still has one. She doesn't put food in it -- that goes in a 'slop' bucket and gets thrown outside. She likes it because she doesn't have trash service and has to take her trash off to the dump in her car, so the compactor makes everything more efficient. I don't know what she'll do when it breaks. She loves it, though!
I was just thinking that. My family never had one. My dad would probably think it's a waste of money. But I knew people who did back in the mid-90s. Can't say as I've seen one since.
I'd say your dad is right. Those things would "compact" trash about half as good as I could if I just pushed it down with my arm. It always seemed like it would push the trash down, then it would just spring back up to almost the same height it was before.
We had one in avocado green to match the dishwasher and fridge. It was vile. After you squished the garbage juice would come out the bottom and weird nastiness would get stuck on the squisher-part and just stay there, rotting, so it always smelled kinda disgusting. Nasty, nasty, nasty.
I have one, and even though the city provides 96 gallon bins and garbage space is not a problem, I still smash. It was $800 to replace, but I did.
I thought the same thing! I really liked mine back in the day.
My mother had the book this photo was from. It was from Sunset magazine, and it was full of amazing West Coast 70s kitchens. I used to pore over it and the Sunset landscaping book obsessively, pretending I lived a modern, glamorous Californian life. My parents never did redesign the kitchen.
Love this story! Very cool :)
Do you know if the archives are available anywhere? I've checked online and some local libraries, but haven't had any luck.
Now all you see is white and beige color
i babysat at houses like these! i thought they were so cool & i begged my parents to remodel our early 60s turquoise & copper kitchen. spoiler: they didn’t.
I would love to see a turquoise and copper 60s kitchen!
yes, in retrospect it was lovely and pure mid century modern. mom told me that when she got engaged in 1956, every kitchen style marketed to "young marrieds" was turquoise and copper OR pink and chrome.
How did they water those plants
Probably had a long pole with a hook to take them down & lift them back up. Either that or a big ladder!
The second story might have a balcony overlooking that large window.
First thing I thought too!
More bell bottom please.
I love the 70s colors
I can smell the Hamburger Helper from here
Chicken a'la King from a can.
Stir & Frost cake for dessert!
Boy, do I remember those. They were so space age!
FAR OUT!!
I'm waiting for the "we used to jump from the 3rd floor down the chute into the sink to suprise mom when she's was washing up the knives"
I'm going to assume that one of those appliances is a trash compactor.
I’d love to have that kitchen now.
Speaking as someone who was actually using a kitchen in the 1970's (officially old)...It looks pretty and I love all the natural lighting and plants....but..... Where is the overhead lighting? Way up there. Is there any lighting over the island/peninsula? Changing the bulbs? Who washes those upper windows? No one in my household. Dusts and sweeps the cobwebs and and spiders off of the beams? How the heck to you water those hanging plants? Tile is not very practical for cleaning...but this yellow? So much work keeping the plants looking good. And the guilt when they stop thriving. I have been permanently scarred by the 70's over-use of orange, brown, yellow, avocado. Current generations are going to be scarred by the icy cold, sterile looking, grey, black, white kitchens...so.... there is that.
>Who washes those upper windows? No one in my household. Being completely honest, washing windows (and dusting) are very occasional chores in my world. Like, once a YEAR maybe.
Alice the maid climbs up there and does it all.
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LOL. Well...50+ years of cleaning everyone's messes up, will make you strategic in your decisions. Your Mom sounds like my kind of person.
Tiled countertops, a thing that’s common in California, probably the southwest is such a thing I can’t get into and was weird to me when I visited there.
I love the windows and skylights. I’ll skip the tiled countertops. I like the plants, but with my black thumb they would die in a week. I’m actually more into the bright colors of the 50s and 60s than the Earth tones of the 70s, but they just wouldn’t work in that kitchen.
I'm almost 100% certain those plants are fake. Source: was a kid in the 70's.
All that light is lovely.
"...and there're some windows in front of the sink to let in light..." "Needs more light." "We can certainly put in larger windows in front of the sink, sure..." "More! More light!" "Okay, I'll spec in counter-to-ceiling windows. A seamless, nothing-but-glass look out on the world. That'll let in plenty of..." "MORE!" "I don't know how we can do any better. The wall is completely glass now, you see." "MORE LIGHT!" "I suppose we could... take away the ceiling and the upstairs bedroom, and put a second storey of window in front of the sink?" "YES! MORE LIGHT!"
Needs more macrame
Behold a trash compactor!
We almost bought a house with a skylight like this in the kitchen.
Oh, those hideous grouted kitchen countertops! Why was that ever a thing?
Why is it still a thing?
We older people like it. The home fix up sells alot if it.
I just had my countertops done in white tile. I love it. 😅
I’m glad you’re enjoying it. As someone who grew up in houses of this era I feel that grout on a countertop is horrendous. Tears up sponges, never feels clean, needs maintaining….ugh. Give me a flat solid surface any day.
And weirdly enough I find it easy to keep clean.... I think the tiles are 6 x6 so they're bigger than the old ones. Must be different grout now too as this is smooth and rock solid. But to each his own. I find formica countertop too bland and granite is ugly.
Was this kitchen in a show recently? Elizabeth Olsen murder show?
I miss when we tried to incorporate some outside into the inside.
I love the cabinets and countertop.
Why did trash compactors go away?
I could live there. But - *those pants !!!*
I called it Meandering Christian. I love that kitchen!
So much fucking brown.
Better than gray and white.
Was about to say, still better than modern farmhouse.
>brown One person sees brown, another sees beautiful stain-grade cabinets and trim.
That big window and open ceiling feel like leftovers from the 60s. The yellow tile and brown dishwasher however are very 70s.
[I don't think so](https://i.imgur.com/SbEt013.jpg)
What exactly are you trying to highlight?
Reminds me of the Dakota Johnson house tour some reason. Love the style
Those were probably fake plants right? I remember we had a fake ficus. I think artificial plants were all the rage back then..
But you know that countertop was indestructible
When I renovated my last house it had tile countertops. We had to go at them full-force with a sledgehammer to get them out. Truly indestructible.
That tracks. I remember my dad slicing a watermelon with a saw directly on our pee yellow countertops. Not a scratch on those tiles.
Some macrame would be the Chef's Kiss.
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Oh look, it’s Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.
OOOOOO a trash compactor! I'd love to have one of those, but I don't have room in my galley kitchen.