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Story: Home décor and furnishings

The 1970s: wallpaper

This 'scrubbable' vinyl wallpaper from 1978, with its large, bold pattern, is typical of the time. Some patterns, like this one, were geometric with hints of art deco style, while others had exuberant stylised floral designs in eye-catching colours.

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Heritage New Zealand – Pouhere Taonga

Courtesy of Vision Wallcoverings

Permission of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Home décor and furnishings – Nostalgia and materialism, 1960s to 2000s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/40721/the-1970s-wallpaper (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 15 January 2013.