*Trigger Warning: This article mentions war, illicit drug use and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug abuse, please call the Frank drugs helpline on 0300 123 6600. They can talk you through all your options.
If you’ve been living under a rock, you might have missed the mushroom above it. 70s is back; with 70s home design has come a range of motifs and shapes that defined the period.
Whether it was through 70s bohemia or space-age styling, the mushroom was a popular motif that is now back in our homes. Only now, it features in mid-century modern and Scandi homes with a minimalist touch.
This is not a fad: mushroom lamps have been on the market through the last five or so years. But the embrace of the mushroom in other forms signals that 70s revival and all it represents is not going away any time soon.
Why Mushrooms Are Having A Moment Now
Candy Smith, Head Buyer at Rex London, says: “Mushroom homewares tap into a wider move towards nature-inspired interiors.”
If you bought one of the mushroom lamps at the time of their release, you might not have even recognised them to be mushrooms. Their muted colourways and minimalist shapes made them feel more mid-century and sleek than their inspiration. But art imitates life, even if it tries to dull the sting of it.
The best explanation for this is in the culmination of biophilic design; with remote work in garden offices and wellness at the forefront of design, we’re in the search for natural shapes and styles. Although not the most elegant, the mushroom fits the bill.
“As people look to create homes that feel comforting,” Candy continues, “playful and emotionally uplifting, organic shapes and woodland references feel reassuring rather than trend-led. Mushrooms strike a perfect balance—they’re rooted in nature, but they also have a whimsical, almost nostalgic charm that makes them feel fun and approachable.”
The Dark Side Of Mushrooms
Mushrooms may also be making a comeback because of the challenges that this generation is facing. Like the 70s, the threat of international conflict looms and we’re looking for a way to deal with the gravity of the situation.
The darkest connotations of the mushroom are perhaps the mushroom cloud, formed from an atomic or nuclear bomb. In our own time there is the concern of nuclear warfare and with the release and success of movies like Oppenheimer, the incomprehensible is heavy on the mind.
Mushrooms, referring to their use as psychedelic drugs, were a form of escapism. While I wouldn’t advise that anyone use drugs to deal with the stress of political and economic crises, it is encouraging to see people make their homes sanctuaries through biophilic design. If you’d like to learn how to do that in your home, we interviewed a Dutch architect on this topic and asked a textiles expert her styling tips for botanical prints.
Make Homes Fun Again
“Interior trends don’t always have to be all encompassing,” Candy says. “Sometimes a quirky trend comes along that makes you smile and our current love affair with all things mushroom falls into that category.”
For a while, we took ourselves a little too seriously in design. With the move towards “lived-in” and multigenerational homes, it makes sense that we want something that we can smile at. Although our homes are ways to showcase our personalities and experiences, they are not personal museums. From time to time, we have to put something unexpected in there to communicate such.
“The key to using mushroom homewares successfully is restraint,” she adds. “A small number of well-chosen pieces can add personality without overwhelming a space.”
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