When you conjure up an image of a 1970s home, you might picture brown and orange swirls but the decade's designs were so much more varied and interesting than that. They celebrated colour, played with pattern and encouraged freedom of expression – and this even extended to the most utilitarian of rooms, the kitchen.

Click or scroll on to discover the decade's most joyful and jaw-dropping kitchen designs...

While pretty floral prints first found popularity in the 1950s, the fashion continued into the 1960s and early 1970s, when Flower Power became a slogan associated with nonviolent protest against the Vietnam War. Hippies embraced the symbolism, adorning everything from their hair to their vehicles with flowers.

The pretty floral wallpaper and faux or dried flowers sitting atop the cabinets in this kitchen were a grown-up interpretation of the trend.

This model kitchen (left) and villa kitchen (right) are wildly different in style but are united by one beloved 70s colour: green! From deep forest to bright avocado, green was everywhere in 1970s interiors, symbolising a connection to nature and a shift towards earthy, organic design.

Kitchens featured green cabinetry, tiles and even appliances, often paired with warm woods and browns. This verdant trend reflected the era’s eco-conscious mindset, making green a defining shade of the decade’s décor.

Apricot was the perfect colour choice for anyone not quite brave enough to embrace bright orange. The soft peachy tones are incredibly effective on these glossy kitchen cabinets, particularly when paired with the bold monochromatic backsplash.

The stainless steel appliances and cabinet trim are subtle nods to the era's retrofuturist style.

This delightfully creamy kitchen celebrates the decade's passion for pastels. They added a feminine feel to the home and could be combined with more vivid colours to soften a strong look.

The pineapple-glazed ham in the oven is a classic 1970s dish – it even matches the decor!

Rich jewel tones were popular during the Disco era, as this ruby red 1978 kitchen showroom proves. 

While floor-to-ceiling red might be a little much for our modern tastes, deep, saturated colours inspired by gemstones – like emerald green and sapphire blue – were luxurious, sophisticated takes on the bold colours of the 1960s. 

As the 1960s rolled into the 1970s, design swerved away from the previous decade's intense colour clashing.

While people still enjoyed using colour to express themselves and stand out from the crowd, they toned bright hues like orange by pairing them with soothing tertiary tones like beige and brown, as in this cool 1975 kitchen.

The USA celebrated its bicentennial in 1976, sparking an interior trend for Americana. There's more than a hint of it in this kitchen, with its red and white colour scheme, early American-style cabinet hinges and wrought-iron ceiling lamp. 

Eat-in kitchens became popular in the 1960s, and they remained so throughout the 1970s and beyond, cementing the kitchen as the heart of the home.

Warm, earthy tones were very welcome after a decade of head-in-the-clouds hedonism, giving rooms a cosy, inviting feel. Dark wood kitchen cabinets achieved this perfectly – as did these groovy brown appliances. 

Here, white tiles, pale yellow curtains and a playful floral border prevent the room from becoming too dark while maintaining the warm feel.

Anyone alive in the 1970s will remember the ubiquitous wall-mounted phone in the kitchen, with the extra-long cord that allowed you to move around the room while chatting. 

This kitchen incorporates a plethora of 70s trends, including plaid wallpaper, stripes and floral motifs – all in the decade's trademark tones. 

This 1970s kitchen captures the era’s signature mix of bold colours and practical design. Patterned enamel cookware was a big trend, such as this tropical bird print known as 'Acapulco'. Homeowners embraced easy-to-clean materials and vibrant, personalised spaces.

Kitchens in this decade often featured laminate surfaces, reflecting a move towards efficiency and mass-produced, affordable home design but always with a joyful, maximalist twist.

After the Second World War, materials requisitioned for war work were freed up for use in the home. As a result, our kitchens filled with new, innovative appliances made from the latest materials – some of which were developed during the war, like the microwave and synthetic rubber.

Metal had been needed to build everything from ammunition to warships, but by the 1970s it had become a popular choice of trim for kitchen cabinets, giving them a sleek, futuristic feel.

This 1970s kitchen studio set is the most amazing kaleidoscope of colours, with red, green, pastel pink and bright coral all in one room.

Note the KitchenAid dishwasher next to the matching fridge-freezer. While dishwashers were luxury items in the 1950s, they'd become much more common by the 1970s. This was thanks to new homes having larger kitchens and to appliances becoming more affordable.

This portrait of Ford Modeling Agency co-founder Eileen Ford was taken in her Connecticut kitchen in 1978. 

While the exposed timbers and double French doors make this a typical country-style kitchen, the bold tiles give it a 1970s twist. Meanwhile, the busy floral tablecloth and matching chair cushions foreshadow the 1980s obsession with chintz. 

If you wanted to go big on colour but didn't want to feel overwhelmed by it, powder blue was the perfect choice. 

Blue cabinets, blue floral wall tiles, a blue clock and even blue tea towels and crockery could feel oppressive when combined, but thanks to the delicate hue, this kitchen feels soothing and calm. 

As eat-in kitchens grew in popularity, the breakfast nook emerged as a cosy space for casual dining. Usually a small area enclosed on three sides and located off the kitchen, a small corner like this one was perfect for enjoying relaxed family meals.

Dining rooms were often saved for guests, although the rise of open-plan living in the 1970s meant separate formal dining rooms became less common.

This simple brown and cream kitchen is instantly lifted by the sophisticated wood panelling, matching chairs and that incredible orange, brown and purple wallpaper.

It appears to take inspiration from Victorian floral and plant print wallpapers, but updated with a psychedelic twist.

This 1970s home photo showcases a pink and yellow kitchen, a bold combination that evokes a sunny, joyful vibe. While this candy-coloured trend may not have lasted, it captures the playful spirit of the era.

Even in the midst of style changes, one thing remains the same: the timeless debate over who does the washing up!

1970s appliances weren't just functional, they were also highly fashionable and available in a wide range of bold colours. This creamy yellow washing machine, dishwasher and oven are on the subtler end of the spectrum and perfectly match the wallpaper. 

Opting for a plaid pattern on the walls between the upper and lower units, with a floral border at ceiling height, was a hallmark of the era and something you'll see over and over again as you delve into 1970s design.

American media mogul Martha Stewart has been providing kitchen inspiration for decades. She was pictured here in the kitchen of her Westport, Connecticut home in August 1976. 

While the extraordinary amount of culinary paraphernalia almost hides the room from view, we can see wooden cabinets with rustic hinges, a small wooden kitchen island and dried flowers hanging from the ceiling, which were a popular decoration at the time.

This elegant kitchen incorporates all the decade's most popular earth tones. Harvest gold – seen here on the walls – was one of THE colours of the 1970s. It blends easily with the shiny green countertops and rich wood units, making this room feel like a sophisticated country kitchen, whether it was or not.

The warm, soothing colour palette allows visual space for the boldly patterned floor – another hot trend – without clashing.

Whoever designed this kitchen clearly had a lot of fun! The bright red Formica or similar laminate on the countertop, backsplash and even inlaid into the upper cabinets lifts the oppressive dark wood, as do the peach chairs and plaid wallpaper border.

Hardwearing and brightly coloured laminates like Formica became popular in the 1960s and early 1970s. However, the oil crisis of the early 1970s drove up the price, and its popularity waned from 1975 onwards. These days, designers love it for its chic retro vibe.

Loved this? Now discover more extraordinary retro homes and vintage interiors