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7 August 2017

Property Ladder – 1970s décor still widespread in NI

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More than a quarter of Northern Ireland homeowners are holding on to décor that’s been in their property for 40 years or more, according to a new survey.

Patterned carpets, lino floors and tan leather upholstery were revealed as the top three home trends of the 1970s standing the test of time, with 4% admitting their home has light fittings, carpets or wallpaper that has remained unchanged for 40 years or more. 

While Northern Ireland homeowners may be reluctant to let go of certain household items, they also claim to be home improvers.

A whopping 94% of us have redecorated or remodelled a room in the last five years, with nearly half having made these changes in the last 12 months alone. 

Despite a penchant for retro design, and with many respondents fondly remembering patterned carpets, coloured bathroom suites, bamboo furniture and pine kitchen cupboards synonymous with the 70s, people here are striving to modernise their homes, investing in open plan kitchen/ diner/ living spaces, cordless vacuum cleaners, real wooden floors, pod style coffee machines and white gloss kitchen cabinets, to name a few.

Almost half of the people surveyed (48%) say top of their home wish list would be a breakfast bar, with other aspirations including underfloor heating (48%), American-style fridge freezers (42%) and log burning stoves (39%).

When it comes to appearance, people living in Northern Ireland care most about the living room, with 62% having redecorated it in the last five years. 

And when it comes to design inspiration, good old fashioned interior design shows are still hitting the spot, with 19% claiming TV programmes provide the biggest source of inspiration when planning to decorate their home.

Jonathan Rogers, a floorcare specialist, Vax, who commissioned the study to mark the company’s 40th anniversary, said: “What is really interesting is how the typical British home is an amazing contrast between living with the designs of the past, such as Artex ceilings, but also incorporating the latest trends such as hard  wooden floors or instant boiling taps.

“Life has changed significantly since the 70s and so have our needs, so it is not surprising that 81% of people have redecorated at least one room in their home within the last two years.

 “While research shows we might still be hanging on to some design throwbacks from the 70s, we still want our home to look great, so it’s no surprise to know 32% of homeowners in Northern Ireland have or want a cordless vacuum as part of their modern home.”

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