13 Classroom Decorations That Screamed ’70s Style
Enter a modern schoolroom, and you’ll find interactive whiteboards, soft-hued bulletin boards, and streamlined designs. But transport yourself to a 1970s schoolroom? You’d encounter a vibrant wonderland of shag carpeting, avocado green accents, and posters evoking Woodstock’s spirit.
From bulletin board fonts to window drapes, the era’s decor exuded charm, whether you embraced it or found it mildly overwhelming. Here are 13 decorations that boldly proclaimed, “Welcome to the most vibrant school decade ever!”
1. Felt Letter Boards with Bubble Font
Every schoolroom boasted a board draped in vivid felt, adorned with oversized bubble letters proclaiming messages like “READING IS RADICAL!”
These distinctive fonts, frequently hand-crafted, were affixed with Velcro or staples, radiating Brady Bunch energy, especially against neon backdrops.
No digital screens here, just unfiltered analog vibrancy.
2. Macramé Plant Hangers in the Window
Macramé transcended bohemian homes, gracing schoolrooms as well. Educators suspended spider plants or ivy in hand-woven hangers, infusing an earthy, cozy vibe into the learning space.
Frequently crafted by students in art classes amid a DIY frenzy, they framed math lessons with dangling greenery.
3. Brightly Colored Bulletin Boards with Clashing Borders
Bulletin boards served as the era’s bold statement walls. Picture an orange paper backdrop framed by electric blue borders, perhaps accented with lime green cutouts.
Themes shifted monthly, yet the striking color pairings endured, transforming spaces into vibrant scrapbooks of creativity.
4. Record Players in the Reading Corner
Many classrooms had a small record player sitting on a low shelf, surrounded by stacks of children’s story albums and folk music records. It wasn’t uncommon to hear Peter, Paul and Mary echoing softly during quiet time.
The scratchy sound of vinyl added an oddly calming ambiance. Bonus points if the player came in mustard yellow or burnt orange.
5. Giant Wall Maps in Muted Earth Tones
Before digital mapping, geography unfolded on massive pull-down maps doubling as window shades. Rendered in olive green, rusty brown, or mustard yellow, they suggested the world thrived in earthy tones.
Though sometimes outdated, they captivated during dull lessons, with “USSR” looming prominently.
6. Inspirational Posters with Groovy Typography
Think classic slogans like “Today Is a Good Day to Learn” in swirling rainbow letters, surrounded by clipart-style stars and smiling suns. These posters were meant to motivate, but often ended up slightly hypnotizing students instead.
The colors were loud, the fonts were louder. They were the ‘70s version of a pep talk.
7. Beaded Doorways or Curtain Dividers
Some forward-thinking schoolrooms installed plastic beaded curtains to delineate learning zones. Passing through felt like entering a mystical realm or a cousin’s lava lamp-lit basement.
They infused spaces with freedom and playfulness, their swishing sounds enhancing the experience.
8. Chalkboard Diagrams with Swirly Colored Chalk
Teachers got creative with colored chalk, using pinks, yellows, and greens to diagram grammar rules or math problems. The swirling strokes often turned into unintentional art.
Kids would rush to clean the board just to play with the colors themselves. Forget smartboards because chalk had its own magic.
9. Construction Paper Chains for Every Holiday
No holiday passed without miles of stapled or glued construction paper chains hanging from the ceiling. Red and green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween—you name it.
Making them was part craft, part countdown, part team effort. They added movement and cheer to even the gloomiest of classrooms.
10. Overhead Projectors and Teacher’s Handwriting
The hum of the overhead projector was the soundtrack of the ‘70s classroom. Transparent sheets with mysterious markings floated above the bright light, often featuring the teacher’s barely legible handwriting.
Students watched eagerly as each sheet was dramatically revealed. It felt futuristic… until the bulb blew out.
11. Cursive Alphabet Strips Above the Chalkboard
Every classroom had that long banner stretching across the wall, showing perfect cursive letters from uppercase A to lowercase Z. It was a constant reminder of the penmanship standards of the day.
Even if your cursive was more “crumpled spaghetti” than elegant loop, that banner stared you down daily. Elegant and intimidating.
12. Giant Wooden Teachers’ Desks with Apple Motifs
The educator’s desk commanded attention: dark-stained wood, grand in scale, adorned with apple-themed trinkets. From pencil holders to “#1 Teacher” mugs, apples reigned supreme.
Off-limits and enigmatic, filled with red ink pens, it was a throne befitting the decade’s teaching royalty.
13. Wall Clocks with Chunky Numbers and Loud Ticks
Mounted above the chalkboard, these industrial clocks ticked like a metronome of impending doom. Their design was blocky, simple, and unmistakably ‘70s.
You could hear them from across the room, especially during a spelling test. And somehow, they always ticked slower when you were waiting for the bell.