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The decades leading up to the turn of the century were quite different from today. Unique styles appeared on the clothes Americans wore and in the homes they inhabited. Cultural movements reflected the evolving preferences Americans had in their surroundings. Americans expressed themselves in different ways. Societal trends were visible in the housing industry. The average American home gives a good look at such trends. For some, the '60s were a lifetime ago. For others, that decade feels like yesterday. At the end of the day, there are big differences between then and now. Homes represent these changes very well and in multiple ways. 1. Colors galore A house in the 60s was as colorful as the clothing people wore / scarlethestevez.me When buying an older home, potential buyers immediately notice the splashes of different colors everywhere. The entire walls are bright orange, the cabinets are blue, floors are pink. Any color could be found anywhere. Needless to say, its presence was loud. Today, stepping into such a house provokes hesitation. Owners are often turned off by the contrasting shades. Additionally, they think about how the paint will coordinate with their furniture. For this reason, they prefer more neutral tones. 2. Plenty of paneling The average American home could be expected to have a lot of wood paneling / Elle Decor Many materials go into making a house. There are metal pipes, cement flooring, brick walls, and so on. The average American home in the '60s sported wood paneling. A lot of wood paneling. Every room might have this wood feature. The kitchen is no exception. Today, wood is still highly prevalent. But it is more common to see it as trim running along the floor or ceiling. Other times it is present as wood detailing or panels covering only half a wall. 3. The average American home appreciated some good wallpaper Wallpaper covered most walls / The Spruce Any areas not occupied by wood paneling were covered in wallpaper. Various patterns existed, from floral to geometric and everything in between. Older homes still sport floral wallpaper. These, too, boasted bold colors that proved difficult to coordinate with. Today, to an extent, wallpaper is making a comeback. Some homeowners do shun wallpaper when they see it, however. Paint is the preferred wall covering among Americans today. This can be plain solid color or textured using a special technique. 4. Don't worry, wood was not just for the walls Wood was everywhere / antiquealterego.com Rest assured, wood was not exclusively used to cover walls. In fact, homes in the '60s very much appreciated wood furnishings. Wood was present throughout the house, from tables to chairs, cabinets, and dressers. Now, other materials make up furniture. Some families enjoy the quaint look of wicker. Others still prefer the reliability of various metals. For economic purposes, less expensive materials might be used, too. 5. Shag carpeting was a big deal Samples of shag carpeting / Retro Renovation Shag carpets are fluffy and ostentatious. Because of this, they fit right in with the '60s aesthetic. The average American home loved these swatches of softness and brightness. The shag carpeting craze continued after the decade, caressing the feet of America for years to come. Those vibrant hues grew to be associated with hippies. Today, some homeowners balk at the idea of any carpeting. Allergens and dust mites easily become trapped in them. Also, among those who wear shoes indoors, they capture outside dirt easily. Others, though, appreciate the gentle feel against their toes and use the carpets as a form of self-expression. Read onto the NEXT page for more comparisons between the 1960s American home and today's home! 6. The sectional let homeowners play Furniture Tetris A section placed near a colorful wall / The Bargain Box Years ago, Americans still appreciated the convenience and the freedom to choose for themselves. This made sectionals an ideal couch for a den or living room. The flexibility and space available with sectionals let Americans choose who they relaxed in the comfort of their own homes. Cultural and economic differences may account for why that is different today. People still appreciate the sectional. But plenty more defer to smaller couches. Economic hardships might influence this, as sectionals require greater financial investments. Many conditions affect how the average American house looks. 7. A kitchen that coordinates perfectly with a varied meal The average American home had kitchens with every color imaginable / CHOOSE OUTDOOR KITCHENS Subtlety was not heeded in the average American home. Not only did their colorful rooms match their wild clothes, but they also mirrored a full, varied meal. This worked well for kitchens, where fruits and veggies of all colors could be found. Previously, boldness was the way to go. On the other hand, appearances like that spell out a huge renovation for new buyers. Today, buyers want those contrasting colors gone. In their place, homeowners incorporate natural tones and colors that are easy to work with. Rooms are far more subdued these days than they were previously. 8. The average American home, given the choice, was ranch style with room for landscaping Ranch style was a popular model in the '60s / Best House Design and Office Styles varied based on geography. Ranch styles were in short supply in New York and still are. But when available, Americans appreciated the efficient charm of these houses. Bonus points go to any with a screened-in porch and attached garage. More and more millennials are reaching adulthood. With this passage of time, they face a rite of passage. But more Americans these days appreciate homes with a bit more character if they buy a home at all. For this reason, the craftsman-style is a very popular model. Among others, though, they simply seek to work within their budget, no matter the aesthetic. 9. Money went towards multiple beds for one couple Merle Oberon and Melvin Douglas in That Uncertain Feeling. The fictional couple did not share a bed in the movie / AP Americans in the '60s shared something in common with British nobility. Among both groups, couples did not always share a bed. Fans of older movies may see proof of this when scenes show two beds for one set of husband and wife. What is perplexing now was custom then, and the furnishing reflected this. Jump ahead to the present day, and couples spend time finding a single queen or king-sized mattress that suits them both. This development changes the layout of the average American home significantly and reveals the country's cultural history. 10. Low on space? Pursue somewhere bigger! Families do what they can to be comfortable, then and now / H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock Already cultural differences make themselves evident between then and now. The needs of that era guided where people lived. From there, availability guided how they set themselves up. In other words, increased birth rates meant Americans needed more space for bigger families. Once in that larger house, they were comfortably able to give different rooms their own unique purposes. In the 1960s, suburban baby boomers represented a third of the American population. Compare that to today and it is clear time took its toll. People are fiscally frugal when able. As a result, upgrading in size is not always an option. But Americans still make do. Instead of moving to a bigger lot, they give rooms multiple purposes. A child's play area may be right in their bedroom. Or they may play in the den, where the whole family can bond. No dining room? That free space in the kitchen can fit a table. No matter the decade, Americans adjust to the times and needs. All the ingredients for an average American home in the '60s / Ultra Swank Do You Remember These Slang Terms From The 1960s? And since we're reminiscing about the groovy sixties... who remembers these wonderful tunes? For more of these throwback videos, check out our YouTube Channel!