Derbyshire dad spends thousands transforming his home into shrine to 1970s

A Derbyshire dad is living in the past after spending thousands of pounds transforming his home into a shrine to the 1970s.
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Martin Aylett, 51, spends hours attending vintage fairs searching for 70s treasures for his modest two-bedroom semi.

He’s laid garish brown and orange kitchen tiles to go with his 1974 Russell Hobbs toaster and orange kitchen units.

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The divorced dad-of-two even bought original 70s Fairy liquid bottles, Persil washing powder and Woolworths dish cloths to clean his custard-yellow crockery.

Martin Aylett  in his retro 1970’s house.Martin Aylett  in his retro 1970’s house.
Martin Aylett in his retro 1970’s house.

His living room also boasts an orange and brown swirly Axminster carpet along with a 1960s three-piece leatherette suite and Rowe AMI juke box.

Martin even drives a 1972 VW Campervan which he parks outside his £140,000 home in Windsor Road, Linton, Swadlincote.

He said: “It all started about four years ago when I bought the property and had a blank canvas to decorate, carpet and get the house into ship shape.

His home is like stepping ointo a timewarpHis home is like stepping ointo a timewarp
His home is like stepping ointo a timewarp
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“I thought that would be ideal opportunity to give it that 70s vibe, I've always been interested in the 70s, I grew up in the 70s and it seemed a nice time when things had that design and flare to them.

“I like taking things back to that time which was my childhood when life was a lot simpler and it is not like now when everything is instant

“I must’ve spent around £5,000 so far getting it into the state it is in, it’s become something of an obsession.

“I’ve got 1970s carpets, curtains, furniture everything, is original there is no reproduction stuff.

An orange and brown swirly Axminster carpet matches a 1960s three-piece leatherette suite.An orange and brown swirly Axminster carpet matches a 1960s three-piece leatherette suite.
An orange and brown swirly Axminster carpet matches a 1960s three-piece leatherette suite.
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“One of prize possessions is a juke box, that is the one thing that takes pride of place in the living room and lounge come diner.

“The juke box, a Rowe AMI, is at the far end with a 70s stereo system and quite a lot of the room is taken up with vinyl records.

“The carpets are 1970s Axminster and quite heavily patterned, the curtains are from the seventies and there are a lot of orange and browns in there as you’d expect from that period of time.

“The cream leatherette sofa with orange cushions is totally original.

Martin Aylett, 51, has laid brown and orange kitchen tiles to go with his 1974 Russell Hobbs toaster and orange kitchen units.Martin Aylett, 51, has laid brown and orange kitchen tiles to go with his 1974 Russell Hobbs toaster and orange kitchen units.
Martin Aylett, 51, has laid brown and orange kitchen tiles to go with his 1974 Russell Hobbs toaster and orange kitchen units.
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“The juke box was £2,000, the carpets a couple of hundred pounds and the same for furniture.”

Martin admits he has installed some mod-cons into his home including the internet so he can run his retro business and search online for 70s décor as well as modern fridge freezer and flatscreen TV.

He said: “It is becoming quite popular and collectable now, the mid-century stuff and there is quite a big market for it.

“These things are still out there if you know where to look, I do use the internet a lot.

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“The furthest I’ve had to travel to pick up bits and pieces is about 100 miles.

“Not everything from the seventies is functional these days.

Did your home have wallpaper like this?Did your home have wallpaper like this?
Did your home have wallpaper like this?

“TV is one of them, I do have a brand new washing machine and modern oven and fridge freezer because we all need clean clothes and all need to eat properly.

“There are some things you can’t have from the seventies and use them."