Shiny Wallpaper And Shag Carpeting Bring the ’70s to Life

When I was a wee tot back in the ‘70s, we had a family friend who had a thing for shiny wallpaper. Whenever she covered up another wall she would call my Mom to come look. So we would pile into the family truckster and take the 10 minute drive to her house.

Ah the ‘70s — the time before cable TV and the internet. When looking at new shiny wallpaper was entertainment worthy of a car ride. 

Back to these different wallpapers. The reason they were worthy of a car ride was because they were nuts. On any given day they could have passed for tin foil. So the excitement was in seeing what type of pattern this friend had found.

Now what was truly amazing is that all of these patterns matched her shag carpet. Yeah, baby, I know what you are thinking. Her house was a showplace, and until I saw the house featured in this week’s column, I would have thought hers was a stand-alone masterpiece. 

Hand to God, the outside of this home resembles the one of our family friend. The only difference is that this home is larger. It has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and has 4,450 square feet. The home, located at 3420 North Navajo Lane, Provo, Utah, sits on a little more than a quarter acre. The owners are asking $789,000.

Okay folks, put on your time-traveling hats, we are going in.

It takes your breath away, right? Is the shag carpeting really baby poop green or does it only look that way because of the lighting? I dare say, the exposed beams, the shag, the shiny wallpaper — all of it — would make Mike and Carol Brady green with envy.

Were it not for the sliding glass doors, you would not know where the outside ends and the inside begins. That is how similar the colors are.

Glorious.

There is little doubt in my mind that one or both of my ankles would spend an inordinate amount of time being sprained from missing the step from the living room to the stairs.

This is the exact same wallpaper our friend had in her bedroom. My mind is blown.

To the bathrooms.

Amazing. The reflective wallpaper is reflected in the mirror which is reflected in the wallpaper and on and on it goes. 

When I got to the picture of the basement it truly made me think that perhaps our friend had a doppelganger living in Provo, Utah. You see, our friend had visited Las Vegas and she came back inspired.

Her basement, which she converted into a lounge-type area complete with a bar, had this exact same carpeting. I am somewhat disappointed that there is no wallpaper on the walls but I have no doubt the doppelganger was selecting wallpaper when she decided to put the house on the market.

The ’70s get a bad rap sometimes but I just cannot help but feel a little sentimental. Not enough to put it on my walls but enough to look at it in pictures.