Interior Desecrations: Hideous Homes from the Horrible '70s: Lileks, James: 9781400046409: Amazon.com: Books

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Interior Desecrations: Hideous Homes from the Horrible '70s Hardcover – October 26, 2004

by James Lileks (Author)

140

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“Sweet smoking Jesus, what was the matter with these people?”

Who knows? But we do need to accept the fact that otherwise sensible American housewives who would never grind a quaalude into their morning coffee or sleep with their tennis instructor nevertheless went daft during the 1970s and performed heinous acts of design on unsuspecting homes.

What James Lileks did for dinner with the critically acclaimed classic The Gallery of Regrettable Food, he now does to the wonderful world of 1970s home interiors. Blazing plaid wallpaper. Vertigo-inducing matching patterns on walls, rugs, chairs, pillows, and blinds. Bathrooms straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The whole ’70s shebang. If you think the ’80s were dumber than the ’70s, either you weren’t there or you weren’t paying attention.

James Lileks came of age in the 1970s, and for him there was no crueler thing you could inflict upon a person. The music: either sluggish metal, cracker-boogie, or wimpy ballads. Television: camp without the pleasure of knowing it’s camp. Politics: the sweaty perfidy of Nixon, the damp uselessness of Ford, the sanctimonious impotence of Carter. The world: nasty. Hair: unspeakable. Architecture: metal-shingled mansard roofs on franchise chicken shops. No oil. No fun. Syphilis and Fonzie.

Interior Desecrations is the author’s revenge on the decade. Using an ungodly collection of the worst of 1970s interior design magazines, books, and pamphlets, he proves without a shadow of a doubt that the ’70s were a breathtakingly ugly period. And nowhere was that ugliness and lack of style felt more than in our very homes, virtual breeding grounds for bad taste, manifested in brown, orange, and plaid wallpaper patterns. This is what happens when Dad drinks, Mom floats in a Valium haze, the kids slump down in the den with the bong, and the decorator is left to run amok. It seemed so normal at the time. But this book should cure whatever lingering nostalgia we have.

Exploring all the rooms in the house, Lileks marries the worst of design with the funniest of commentary. His sharp-witted humor, keen eye for detail, and ability to pull the most obscure 1970s references out of his hat make Interior Desecrations the perfect gift for those of us who languished away the decade watching Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie, and Chico and the Man down in our rec rooms, sprawled out on the shag carpeting, waiting for it all to mercifully end. For those people born later and who may think it was all made up—it wasn’t. Would that it was! The photos in this book are not the product of some cruel designer gone crazy with Photoshop. They’re all too real. So adjust your sense of style, color, and taste. . . and beware! You’ve been warned.

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Print length

176 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Crown
Publication date

October 26, 2004
Dimensions

8 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

1400046408
ISBN-13

978-1400046409
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JAMES LILEKS is the author of The Gallery of Regrettable Food: Highlights from Classic American Recipe Books. He is a columnist for the Star-Tribune in Minneapolis and a syndicated political humor columnist for Newhouse News Service. Visit his popular website, lileks.com, for the whole James Lileks experience.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Entryways

You'd have to take care leaving the house through these spaces; the sudden change in taste could give you the bends.

Look. Folks. It's simple. If you have poor taste in decorating, don't go nuts in the entryway. Wait until your guests are inside before you spring something unusual on them. But, you say, doesn't that fabulous statuary look so right over by the door? It's an ancient Belgian God of Fertility or something. You can hang hats on the erection. Or use it for umbrellas! That' s not the point. Most people don't want to encounter this sort of thing right away, if ever. Especially one that's been handpainted in such a unique fashion. Put it in the spare bedroom; it'll keep houseguests from lingering.

One more rule for bad entryways: don't forget a small table with a bowl on top. It serves no use; there's nothing in the drawer; people bump into it when taking off their coats. But there must be a small table with a bowl on top. It's not the law, but it might as well be.

The visual equivalent of granulated glass in your eyes. Looking hurts. Blinking hurts. Rubbing hurts. Blindness, when it comes, is almost a comfort.

It's one of those rooms that almost feels ashamed of itself:

Don't blame me. I had nothing to do with this. I couldn't move. I watched what they did to the kitchen, heard the cupboards scream out as they applied the dots, one by one by one. . . . I knew I was next and there was nothing I could do. It was horrible.

Atrocities like this are partly responsible for the founding, in 1977, of People for the Ethical Treatment of Entryways.

Says the note in the designer's guide that coughed up this picture:"Gigantic patterned wallpaper in a small area is exciting because it breaks all the rules." Well, a flaming pile of pig crap in the foyer breaks all the rules. Smearing goat brains on the walls breaks all the rules. Sometimes rules are there for a reason-such as keeping you from doing this.

"You can be adventurous in little-used areas." You mean little-used areas like the front door? What, did people enter through the chimney and leave through the coal chute?

This is a foyer. This is the first impression. This is how you warn people your taste tends toward interesting colors, such as those found on the buttocks of a rudely shaved monkey.

Of course, one could say the same thing about the Hindenburg disaster.

Living rooms

The name for these parlors-living room-wasn't entirely inaccurate. Something did live there-a fern, perhaps. Some dust mites. A spider. But humans? Rarely. These were showplace rooms, mausoleums where the examples of domestic style were interred. On any given day the sofa and chairs would be sheathed with plastic condoms, lest the fabric be soiled; the drapes drawn lest the hard mean sun suck the color from the cushions. All these rooms needed to complete the picture was Lenin in a glass casket. The people who stuffed their living rooms with this horrid junk would probably have bought plastic covers for the plastic covers, if such a thing had been marketed. Think about it: Your plastic covers keep the fabrics fresh and clean, but what of the covers themselves? Dust, sunlight, pet dander, parakeet psoriasis-why, your plastic covers are depositories of domestic filth. Your friends understand why you keep the covers on when they drop by for a chat; you're saving the sofa for Company. But don't you owe it to friends to give them a surface that's Company fresh? Introducing new Cover Covers, from Dow Corning! No messy polyurethane rolls with DNA-mutating aromas; Cover Covers, which come in a handy spray can, keep covers fresh for centuries to come.

Or you could just rope off the room.

Or you could brick it up and show people pictures.

Laminate the pictures first. You can wipe off the fingerprints.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown; First Edition (October 26, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400046408
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400046409
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,187,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #945 in Interior & Home Design
- #1,744 in Interior Design
- #8,756 in Fiction Satire

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Top reviews from the United States

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A funny book about the furniture and accessories from the 1970's

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2007

Verified Purchase

This is a very unique book because it compiles examples of the MOD ERA furnishing styles, and the very "fashionable" furniture & accessories from the early to late 1970's! LOL! ....Most photos will make you laugh out loud!

As you flip through the pages, you'll be dumbfounded as to how people actually lived in those decorated 1970's homes! Example: the colors were so jarring,...just like some of the clothes were.... (Eg: flourescent orange and hot flourescent pinks throughout some our wardrobes and walls!! Ugh! ).

Anyhow, you will find at least one example of a home that you may have lived in, or visited ,---- sometime in the 1970's.

Also, the "cheapness" of some of the accessories truly comes through in this book's photos. You almost have to see the photos to believe them!

Though some younger kids may be enjoying the "RETRO look" right now,however, in seeing the actual accessories (and WALLPAPERS) in this book, the younger generation may possibly understand why the 1970's style lasted such a short time & was forgotten for almost 20 years!!

Lets' face it, the 1970s' were not known to be ultra-inspiring times in either the Fashion World nor the Decorating World. (Maybe the previous 1960's Fashions were indeed actually inspiring to many, --- but once Mary Quant and Biba closed it's doors in London, the quality went slowly down hill!... The Economic times, being a contributor to that downward spiral [Fashion] problem).

So when you look at this book, you'll be reminded as to why we were so eager to FORGET those Autumn Golds,Hot Pinks, and Avocado Green colors of yesterday!

RECAP: They way I look at this book, though, is that this book is indeed part of America's history!...It tells part of the story. Therefore, I'm glad I own it.

2 people found this helpful

Griffith & Osborn

Need something to make you laugh on a bad day? This is it!

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2020

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I already owned this book and I LOVE it!! A friend of mine had surgery and I thought she could use a good laugh. I sent her this book and she texted me immediately. She was laughing so hard, which unfortunately hurt her stitches but she was in a really happy mood! If you grew up in the sixties it is so fun to look back at the decor and REMEMBER IT IN YOUR HOUSE!!! The snarky remarks are not for everyone as I read in other reviews, but frankly, the book is really FUNNY AND GREAT!! We have several of James Lileks' books and find them quite enjoyable. Memories from your youth with the comments you always wanted to make! Enjoy this book - it is a wonderful look back at a unique time!

One person found this helpful

not his best, but good

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2012

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James Lileks is one of my favorite writers. I've got all his books and check out his website regularly. He reminds me of a snarky Bill Bryson. Really, really funny guy.

Unfortunately, this book really doesn't rise to the level of some of his other work. It's pretty darn funny, but there was definitely something lacking in this one. It just seemed a little more obvious. A lot of it is just another spin on how nausea-inducing or optic-nerve-damaging the various interiors were.

I also thought some of the interiors were not that horrible. Most are, but some just seemed classic modern or simply showed a Pop Art influence. Generally, he skewers the low-brow, not the high-brow - which, I think, works much better for him.

Finally, for those of you who have checked out his website, you will be stunned that he omitted the section on The Gobbler. This is a long-gone motel in Wisconsin with a turkey theme and really awful trying-to-be-hip-and-failing-miserably decor - and one of the funniest things I've ever met on the net.

If I had never read Lileks before and had just discovered him, this would have probably gotten a 5. Too bad I couldn't given it a 4.5.

2 people found this helpful

Shiny wallpaper, stereo toilets, and plaid... oh, my!!

Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2004

Verified Purchase

Ah, we teens thought we were so cool in the '70's. That new TV show about the '50's, "Happy Days"?? Hilarious! Those clothes, that music, those decorating styles! No one, we were sure, would EVER make fun of the '70's.... no, we were too "with it," too "where it's at."

Fast forward thirty years, behold the excruciating microscopy that is Interior Desecrations, and be ashamed. Be very ashamed. Did we ever really beg our parents to buy plastic chairs and shag carpet for the "rumpus room"? Did we ever really think no one could possibly get tired of harvest gold, avocado green, and orange-red as decorating colors? We did. And James Lileks is more than happy to remind us. This sequel to his hilarious "The Gallery of Regrettable Food" had me laughing out loud yet glad no one was around to see me flinch as I saw interior desecrations that our family actually had in our home in the '70's. While there is not as much text to read as in TGORF, there is still plenty to digest. Wait, don't use the word "digest" when you see some of these nausea-inducing photos. I do think there could have been a bit more homage paid to shag carpet, homemade macrame plant hangers, and space age design, but hey, you can't have it all. The pop culture references are also priceless -- take it from someone who ate Quisp cereal every morning and had a crush on Bobby Sherman.

If you lived through, ignored, loved, hated, or merely tolerated the '70's, you have to have this book. If only to remind yourself that while beauty may be temporary and fleeting, UGLY is forever.

35 people found this helpful

If You Survived the 70s, You Need This Book

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2021

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This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. The author has found photos from magazines and interior decorators' catalogs and he accompanies them with dry, sarcastic remarks, such as his comment that one striped sofa actually clashes with itself.
I suppose the book might not be as funny to younger folks who do not remember psychadelic wallpaper or plaid polyester bell bottoms, but, to those of us who do, this is a don't-drink-anything-while-you-read-it book. :D

2 people found this helpful

Fun look back at a hideous decade in Interior Decoration!

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2013

Verified Purchase

This book is full of amazing pictures that illustrate just how awful the 70's were as far as decor. Some funny dialogue to go along with the visuals.

One person found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

TO Allen

This is an awesomely funny book, with some incredibly crazy and bizarre interiors ...

Reviewed in Canada on May 14, 2017

Verified Purchase

This is an awesomely funny book, with some incredibly crazy and bizarre interiors of that era. The captions are hilarious and I almost cried laughing the first time I read it.
I bought this book many times as gifts, which it has been a real hit, especially for those who are into design or home remodelling.
I'm sure 40 or 50 years from now people will think the same way with our homes today.
I hope they republish this book as it is harder to find these days.

L. A. Nearing

Great Fun!

Reviewed in France on June 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

The commentary is so cuttingly funny I could not read it aloud. The funniest part is that all of the images were taken from magazines that proclaimed to be expert in home design and decor for their time. It pokes fun at how trendy we all are.

Purple People Eater

So kitsch it's trendy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book was published in 2004 so what may have been tasteless then is basically now back in. I bought it as a housewarming for a friend who has just moved in to a 70s house. She loved it, partly for the kitsch and partly for the great design ideas! Recommended.

One person found this helpful

Emmanuel Maicas

Probably the funniest book I've ever owned.

Reviewed in Canada on November 23, 2013

Verified Purchase

Years after reading it, I still remember the photos, the captions and I laugh out loud. BTW, I know nothing about interior decor.

Kitty

Great Pictures, but WARNING: This book Contains Some Bad Language!

Reviewed in Canada on October 31, 2015

Verified Purchase

I am sort of delighted and disappointed with this book at the same time.

Here are my reasons why:

PRO: The pictures of the interiors that are showcased in this book are really great and there are lots of them to look at. If you enjoy retro 70s interiors as I do, you will really enjoy all of the pictures that are in this book.

CON: The author of this book truly has an apparent chip on his shoulder, as his writing style and descriptions in this book, exhibits complete sarcasm and signs of a sad childhood. I think that the author was trying to be funny. However, to me, all it came off as was vulgarity. Also, I did not appreciate the author's choice of foul language.

All in all, if I were to pick up this book and look at in person before purchasing, I probably would not have purchased it just based on the writing of the author. However, because I really can't return this book, I decided to cover up all the parts of the descriptions in the book that I did not like (which is mostly all of it) with stickers. Doing that made me feel better.
So in conclusion, if you don't enjoy bad language or sarcastic, angry writing, this isn't the book for you. However, if you do enjoy retro interiors as I do, you will probably enjoy this book (to some degree).

One person found this helpful

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