The Kitchen Flooring Trend From The '70s That Deserves A Revival

From shag carpets and lava lamps to fondue sets and wood paneling, the 1970s were definitely a quirky decade for designers who valued characterful spaces and personalized homes. As times changed, these offbeat decorative items lost their luster, making space for a streamlined aesthetic that favored uniformity over uniqueness. Since fads tend to go full circle, retro motifs of all kinds have reappeared at some point or another. One of the kitchen design trends from the '70s that truly deserves a revival? It has to be geometric flooring.

While it's true that many 1970s kitchens were carpeted, linoleum flooring was also rising in popularity because it was hard-wearing, affordable, and easy to clean. A lot of '70s-era lino flooring was printed with fun geometric patterns to lend warmth and personality to one's cooking space. It often mimicked the appearance of ceramic tiles (which also leaned into the geometric fad back then) and came in vibrant colors to contrast against darker wooden cabinets. Other styles were more muted and featured different-sized rectangles slotted together in a zig-zagging, brick-like design. In some cases, the flooring matched the vibe of backsplash tiles to create cohesion. 

Today's low-key kitchens favor clean lines and the neatness of a minimalist look. This is exactly where a geometric floor pattern can come into its own and take center stage. With everything else pared back, colorful, '70s-esque flooring imbues an otherwise sparse kitchen with substance and charm.

If you want to install geometric flooring in your kitchen, linoleum is an incredible option because it's durable, eco-friendly, easy to lay, and much cheaper than ceramic tiles. Plus, there's an array of colorways, motifs, and symmetrical arrangements to choose from. The affordable price may also allow you to extend new flooring beyond the kitchen into a dining area or hallway if you wish. However, unlike floor tiles, lino will start to fade or become yellow over time. If it tears, you'll have to replace the entire piece instead of a single cracked tile.

Along with geometric flooring, another vintage design trend from the 1970s that's coming back around is decorative tilework. While plain backsplashes in a single color create the illusion of space and simplicity, patterned ceramic injects instant character and playfulness into the space. If a geometric print on the floor and backsplash sounds too full-on, there's much to be said for giving a kitchen personality via decorative pieces that can be displayed or hidden away as desired. For instance, one of the treasures of '70s kitchens we rarely see anymore is patterned pots and pans that were both practical and a style statement.