"The 1970s - a revolutionary decade born out of the turbulent late 1960s, during which militant outspokenness and cultural unrest shook up society with lasting effects. Protest against cultural norms and a disillusionment in consumerism went hand in hand with a strong sense of social commitment that propelled radical creative and functional changes in design." "Furniture and Interiors of the 1970s bears witness to the fusion of influences - both societal and individual - that took hold during this explosive decade and catapulted design into its contemporary framework."--BOOK JACKET.

In many different parts of the world modern furniture elements have served as material expressions of power in the post-war era. They were often meant to express an international and in some respects apolitical modern language, but when placed in a sensitive setting or a meaningful architectural context, they were highly capable of negotiating or manipulating ideological messages. The agency of modern furniture was often less overt than that of political slogans or statements, but as the chapters in this book reveal, it had the potential of becoming a persuasive and malleable ally in very diverse politically charged arenas, including embassies, governmental ministries, showrooms, exhibitions, design schools, libraries, museums and even prisons. This collection of chapters examines the consolidating as well as the disrupting force of modern furniture in the global context between 1945 and the mid-1970s. The volume shows that key to understanding this phenomenon is the study of the national as well as transnational systems through which it was launched, promoted and received. While some chapters squarely focus on individual furniture elements as vehicles communicating political and social meaning, others consider the role of furniture within potent sites that demand careful negotiation, whether between governments, cultures, or buyer and seller. In doing so, the book explicitly engages different scholarly fields: design history, history of interior architecture, architectural history, cultural history, diplomatic and political history, postcolonial studies, tourism studies, material culture studies, furniture history, and heritage and preservation studies. Taken together, the narratives and case studies compiled in this volume offer a better understanding of the political agency of post-war modern furniture in its original historical context. At the same time, they will enrich current debates on reuse, relocation or reproduction of some of these elements.

He's been called "the furniture pimp" by Mike D of the Beastie Boys. He consultedon the period 1970s furniture and interiors for the movie The Ice Storm. For those inthe know he is an absolute design guru. There are few people with a firmerunderstanding of the last 75 years of furniture, interior, graphic, and industrial design,architecture, and where they all meet in popular culture. Until now, unless you werefortunate enough to personally know Jim Walrod, you likely didn't know all theamazing facts about those subjects swimming around in his head. Ask his friendsafter even the most casual conversation with him and they'll shake their head inamazement and say, "I knew Jim knew!" Jim has three passions: self-discovery at his own pace; keen attuning to the offbeat; and compulsive peripatetic activity wherever he is in the world. Through decades of thisspecial combination he has picked up a diverse and quirky array of historical facts thathave simply been forgotten by many, if they ever knew them to begin with! Jim has anuncanny knack for pulling out of thin air during mid-conversation one arcane referenceafter another, such as who the model was for a famous Rolling Stones album cover, astrange book written by Charles Mingus, Liberace's early career, and what Frank Lloyd Wright admitted to later in life. Let I Knew Jim Knew be a fascinating tour inside Jim'shead with the only problem being that we couldn't possibly get to it all!

This volume is a guide to all aspects of decoration and design in the 1970s home. It shows the choices available to consumers during this period. It includes sections on bathrooms and kitchens, fixtures and fittings, furniture, wallpapers and paints, carpets, cushions and upholstery, lighting and much more.

Once described as the decade that style forgot, the 1970s has gained a renewed kudos and magnetism in the new millennium. The latest in the 'Interior Angles' series, 'The 70s House' represents a new, exciting treatment of 70s interior design in line with popular culture.

Focusing on interiors created dusring the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, this book aims to show the distinctive features of Italian interior design.