Perhaps the WORST aspect of "post-modern" 70's decor was the resurfacing of EVERY THING. Classic Thonet bent wood chair? Paint it lime green! Granite stone wall? Paint it brick red! Original barkcloth easy chair? Recover in orange-n-brown plaid polyester! Raymond Loewy "Skylark" laminate on the kitchen counters? Rip it off, replace with brown, fake woodgrain formica! The one saving grace was all that cheap wall-to-wall carpeting...it SAVED the nice oak floors underneath.

"10 E-Z Do-It-Yourself Budget Ideas for Updating Your Home" - The MOST deadly publishing words in the History of Design.

"When in doubt, buy lots and lots of your favorite, inexpensive, bright yellow, white, and lime green (or brown, orange, and yellow) plaid wall paper, and cover not only your walls, but your doors and ceiling. You should be able to find the self adhesive version of the same (or similar) pattern in a "contact" paper, which will work for recovering your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, canisters, cabinet doors, end tables, coffee table, and toilette lid & tank. Finally, find the fabric version of your (or similar) pattern, and make your own curtains, drapes, tablecloths, place mats, napkins, dish towels, lamp shades, throw pillows, apron, Hostess gowns, sofa, and lounge chair. If you have the fabric "plasticized" it also makes a good shower curtain. We find it equally interesting to fill empty picture frames with the same material or lattice work you can paint yourself!

REMEMBER: The dizzier your guest becomes, the more successful your new decor!

Warning: your contact paper should NOT be adhered to gas or electric stove burners!" NEVER. No matter HOW good it looks! Keep safe! Apply only to the stove door! Also, contact paper does not stick well to the interior of the toilette bowl, despite porcelain being 'waterproof'.

Now GET TO WORK all of you Decorating Bugs!!"

Thank God we had Italy in the 1970's.