VIDEO: A glimpse of British homes through the decades

Despite our lives and homes having dramatically changed over the last 40 years, new research released today finds that Brits are finding it hard to part with some of their decades-old house features.
A 1970s living roomA 1970s living room
A 1970s living room

Almost a third of the surveyed Brits confessed they have décor or fittings in their house that are 40 years and older – nearly one in 10 Brits believe their carpet (9 per cent) and light fittings (10 per cent) have been there for 40 years or more, and amongst Brits aged 25-to-34, two in 10 believe their wallpaper has been around the longest.

The research by Vax further reveals that over a quarter of Brits have the same artex ceilings in their home today that they had in the 70s. And amongst other 70s’ house features that are still present in British homes today include: Lino floors (24 per cent), carpet in bathroom (15 per cent), patterned carpets (14 per cent) and pine kitchen cupboards (10 per cent)

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But even though Brits are living with their old household items, we also claim to be a nation of home improvers. A whopping 94 per cent say they have redecorated or remodeled a room in their homes in the last 5 years, with nearly half of them having made the changes in the last year.

And when it comes to their home décor inspiration, almost a quarter of Brits turn to home decorating TV programmes for expert ideas.

TV property expert and former model, Amanda Lamb said: “Whether you have a penchant for 70s inspired coloured bathrooms or favour today’s sleek, minimalist finishes, your home should be a space you enjoy and a reflection of your own personality and style. Just because a feature was popularised in the seventies does not mean it has no place in modern interior design. The trick is to know the difference between stylish, and simply out-of-date. Bright patterned floors in an otherwise neutral, muted room can create the illusion of space. However, a cut-off of your grandma’s psychedelic carpet is less retro-chic and more plain-ugly.

“Ensuring the interior design works for the style of property, and suits the needs of you and your family, while staying on top of the upkeep through essential home cleaning and maintenance means it’ll not only become a home you love, it will also be reflected in the value of your property when it’s time to move on.”

Watch the video showing a chronological overview of home styles and trends through history here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/tryg5w7nD-o"