Michigan Design Center opened 40 years ago, and many design trends have come and gone since 1977. We can all rejoice that shag carpet, avocado and harvest gold appliances, and flocked wallpaper have gone the way of the Ford Pinto and AMC Gremlin. However, there are still some trends popular in the ’70s that have staying power to this day. We asked a few MDC showroom managers to think back over the last four decades and share one or two trends that continue to have relevance today.
Mary Tennant, owner at Tennant & Associates, Suite 61:
“Silk has always been a beautiful, lasting, elegant fabric. The colors may change, but the fabric has endured.
“Grass cloth for wallcoverings has been popular through the decades. It may be a bit revised from how it was used in the ’70s, but it’s still in demand.”
Mary also sees midcentury classics showing no signs of losing their standing in the design world.
“In furniture, the Saarinen pieces created in the ’50s were still in vogue in the ‘70s, and remain so today.”
Lynne Moran, showroom manager at Virginia Tile Company, Suite 100:
“Mosaic tiles were very big in the ’70s, especially at the Paris- or Venetian-themed Las Vegas hotels, and they haven’t lost their popularity, although there have been some changes in mosaics. Back then, you saw them in florals and swirls. Today, the color choices have expanded and they’ve become more geometric with a variety of patterns.”
Lynne says subway tiles continue to thrive today, but again, with more variety. “Decades ago, they were essentially the same size, but you can find them now in all dimensions, larger, thinner – just about any shape.”
Dawn Tennant, showroom manager at Rozmallin, Suite 60:
“Mohair has maintained its popularity through many years of design. It is one of the most versatile natural fiber textiles that designers use,” she says.
Luxuriant, soft, but durable, mohair is derived from the coat of the Angora goat.
“Mohair always looks and feels luxurious, wears well over time, and works in any style, a true classic,” Dawn says.