Such a different Soviet style of interior
Rough, hard wallpaper on the walls, creaking parquet flooring and uncomplicated furniture sets – these are the interior details that most people try to permanently throw out of the house. But there are people who are interested in home improvement during this historical period. They even take inspiration for contemporary furnishings by looking at photographs of the then apartments..
Some people like this design.
Soviet interior is not very popular
Most people only dream of getting rid of things that have been for many years.
Russian style. Interior and everyday life in the first decades of the existence of the USSR
On a par with such popular interior styles as baroque, modern, country, you can put the Russian style, which corresponds to the era of the existence of the USSR. Designers often call the Soviet interior style the pretentious word “kitsch”, which literally means “a low-standard production facility stamped with a carbon copy.” The beginning of the formation of such a situation in the premises began in the 20s of the twentieth century and has not ended until now for one simple reason: people who were born and lived most of their life in the union cannot accept the changes and furnish their home (refrain from alterations), imitating culture of the times of Brezhnev, Khrushchev.
In the first years after the change of power from the imperial to the Soviet, people were not up to re-gluing wallpaper and rearranging furniture. Urbanization began to occur en masse, and the housing shortage began to be felt. But the authorities, having no funds to build new houses, decided differently – to transform the former rich houses of the bourgeoisie into dormitories, which to this day are referred to as “communal apartments.” Their main feature was the presence of a common bathroom, kitchen and corridor. In each of the living rooms there were sometimes 5-7 people.
This design can be modernized without any problems.
Some people who lived during the Soviet era did not dare to somehow change their homes
Post-war Soviet interior of the 40s
Military actions on the territory of the former USSR left a mark not only in the memory of people, but also in their life. Lack of money, hunger forced people to give up excesses, the interior of the apartments of the post-war period is more than modest.
In such apartments, they mainly used cheap furniture.
Some simply did not have enough money to furnish an apartment.
The design gradually changed
Soviet interior 50-60s
The style of the 50-60s in the interior design of Soviet apartments is strikingly different from the situation of previous decades: the population recovered after the military destruction and its consequences. Modern designers classify this period as “multifaceted retro”, which is strikingly different from Soviet minimalism. The following elements and solutions are typical for the furnishings of this period..
- A lot of light – massive, bulky and eerily dark curtains were replaced by light, translucent curtains. Artificial lighting went beyond “just a lamp under the ceiling”, classic cascade chandeliers began to be complemented by wall sconces, floor lamps, table lamps.
- Brightness of colors – rich green soft corners, lemon-yellow curtains and other original decor of unusual shades turned Soviet housing into a mini-design studio.
- Multifunctional furniture (sofa-couch, chair-bed, folding table) complemented the interiors of that time due to the lack of living space.
The only thing that did not express the Soviet interior of the 50-60s against the background of the modern one was banal wallpaper with a strip or a flower. The furniture upholstery, except for a bright color, was not expressed in any way against the general background. Textiles helped to diversify and decorate the interior. Monochromatic canvases and ornamented fabrics were fashionable at that time. Even today, in the apartments of people whose youth passed in the 60s of the last century, you can find bedspreads with such ornaments: plant motifs, geometric patterns, simple canvas decorations in the form of a chessboard, Christmas trees, squares.
Back then, the design was boring and monotonous.
Some people’s apartments have not been renovated yet.
Soviet interior of the 70s
It may seem to the younger generation that in the USSR, regardless of the decade (40s, 50s, 70s), everything in the houses was the same. But, people who lived in Soviet times remember the smallest details of the interior well. In the 70s of the last century, there was a breakthrough in architecture – in the cities began to build houses “Brezhnevka”, which had at least 9 floors, equipped with comfortable novelties – a garbage chute and an elevator. The authors of the idea themselves called the apartments in such buildings an improved version of “Khrushchev”.
Apartments built in the 70s have 1 to 5 rooms, low ceilings and a cramped kitchen (7-9 sqm). You can partially familiarize yourself with the interior of the Brezhnevka buildings while watching the movie “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears”: bleached ceilings, wallpaper with geometric patterns or light brown stripes on the walls, birch parquet on the floor. The stop of the living room is simple – there is a chipboard “wall” against one wall, a sofa and two armchairs opposite it, next to it is a coffee table or a polished table, which was laid out on holidays. The bedroom also had a sofa, dressing table and a bulky wardrobe..
In the 70s, they began to build houses
The living room is uncomplicated – there is a chipboard “wall” against one wall, a sofa in front of it
The bedroom also had a sofa, dressing table and a bulky wardrobe.
There must be carpets on the walls in the interiors of the 70s, there should be fishes in the sideboard (the very blue ones that some people still keep), and a three-tiered chandelier with pendants “like crystal” (made of banal plastic) sparkles under the ceiling … The walls in the apartments of the era of the 70s, and in the 80s, are decorated with calendars, posters depicting Soviet artists.
In those days, everything was monotonous and boring.
Calendars and posters were usually hung on the walls.
Shocking in the Soviet interior
Many items produced during the Soviet period can only be found in abandoned attics or in rare collections. But not only household items cause surprise or laughter on the faces of young people living in the 21st century. A lot of things that once seemed fashionable and beautiful to people are now called the popular word “outrageous”. There are 5 objects that cause the greatest surprise on the faces of the younger generation..
The first thing that catches your eye when viewing photographs of the period of the USSR is the carpets on the walls, which are rightfully leading in the rating “Soviet shocking”. The canvas with the image of deer, still lifes was used for decorative purposes and … to save wallpaper. Also, the reason for the original decoration was cold walls (the role of a heat insulator) and noisy neighbors (the role of a sound insulator).
Soviet design makes young people laugh or surprise
Soviet design can be modernized
There are many confusing things about this design.
The second place of honor in the rating of shocking items of the Soviet era was a sewing machine with foot drives, which serves as a “helper” in needlework and a place for storing shoes. A tablecloth was usually covered over it, after which the device turned into a work table. The third object that can surprise today’s schoolchildren is a TV or radio on legs (like a stool).
The fourth position in the rating deservedly goes to openwork napkins, which were used to cover not only the table, chairs, but also the previously mentioned TV and radio. Since the 30s of the last century, openwork, often homemade, has been used as a decor for pillows, tops of cabinets and sideboards. A sideboard or, as it is also called, “buffet” closes the top five. This piece of furniture served as a storage place for sets produced by the Leningrad Porcelain Factory (or other festive tableware), family photographs, and sometimes money. Such things were put in the upper part of the sideboard with glass inserts in the doors – so that everyone could see the “wealth” of the family, in the lower part of the sideboard, behind wooden doors, towels, clothes and other valuables were hidden (for example, a forbidden Bible or jars of cucumbers).
The walls were usually decorated with paintings, calendars or posters.
The wallpaper was usually striped or floral.
Carpets on the floor
When the phrase “carpet in the USSR” is mentioned, it is the wall dress that immediately comes to mind, but floor carpets were no less popular in the Soviet period. Why was their popularity at its peak in the 50s and 80s of the last century? Yes, simply because they were expensive, and if the family could afford to buy a carpet, it means that it is prosperous and lives in abundance..
Often bought such carpets.
- Woolen pile, produced in Turkmenistan. The basis of the ornament of Turkmen carpets is “gel” (rhombuses, squares, polygons).
- Pile or lint-free products of Armenian production. The main motive of such carpets is a lotus flower with unfolded petals..
- Silky pile carpets made in Azerbaijan. They are distinguished by unique geometric ornaments, the most popular types are “Kazakh”, “Shirvan”, “Cuba”.
In addition to products of Central Asian production, in the USSR, carpets made at the Vneshposyltorg factory (jacquard products with half-woolen pile), the Obukhov carpet plant (two-pile pile carpets), the Almaty carpet factory (4-color bar rugs, smooth bar tracks) were popular..
Wall cabinets usually kept photographs
The main attractions of the family were usually placed in sideboards and wardrobes.
Usually Soviet design was boring and monochromatic.
Design of a modern apartment in the Soviet style
Country, Provence, Art Nouveau – these styles are fed up with people who love unusual experiments. Soviet interior in a modern interpretation is pretentious and original. In one of the rooms or in the whole house, you can create the atmosphere of the period of the USSR in different years. A color combination chart will help with this..
| Main color | Complementary colors | Contrast |
| Green | Brown, white | Pink, red |
| Blue | White Red | Orange, yellow |
| Light brown | Olive, red, green, burgundy | Blue |
| White | Purple, golden | Purple |
| Gray | Light blue, blue, white, beige | Red Green |
Soviet design can be modernized without problems
Carpets were usually hung on the walls.
Conclusion
History, whatever it may be, is the foundation of the present. In the USSR, people decorated their homes to the extent of their financial capabilities, the then fashion. Today, Soviet interiors are considered a relic of the past, but it is likely that the fashion for floral wallpaper, bright sofas and colorful carpets on the walls will return..
Video: Soviet design
50 photos of examples of Soviet-style apartment design:
