70s Design: Bold, Bright and Back Again

The 1970s marked a radical break from restrained modernism, embracing excess, experimentation and personal expression. Designers pushed boundaries with bold colour, expressive forms and unconventional materials – creating interiors that felt playful, personal and unapologetically different.

In this talk with specialist Kayleigh Davies, we explore the cultural forces behind 70s design, its daring approach to colour and materials, and why original pieces from the era are once again shaping contemporary interiors and attracting collectors today.

Kayleigh Davies
With nearly 15 years of experience in the auction industry, Kayleigh Davies is a seasoned valuer, auctioneer, and toy specialist. She is well-known to many from her appearances as an expert on the British television show Cash in the Attic, where she brings forgotten objects and their stories back to life.

Kayleigh has a particular passion for the unexpected—rare records, vintage posters, comics, and design pieces that reveal surprising histories. She holds a master’s degree in antiques, and her academic work includes a dissertation on bootleg toys: unlicensed, often quirky creations that sometimes eclipse the originals in both rarity and value.