Furniture trends move in a circle, not a straight line. What's popular now fades, disappears for years, then comes back around. Right now, that circle has swung back to the 1970s, with bright stripes and vibrant colors showing up again in new furniture lines.Why 1970s Furniture Styles Are BackFurniture styles don't disappear for good, they cycle. Michael from Kensington puts it simply: "What goes around comes around. What is new is old, and what is old is new." A look that's everywhere today can go quiet for a while, then resurface years later.He says the full cycle can take about a decade to come back around. Something that feels dated one year can feel fresh again not too long after, without much changing about the design itself.What Michael Saw at High Point MarketMichael was recently at High Point Furniture Market, the industry event where retailers like Kensington shop for what will end up on the showroom floor. The textiles he saw there were distinctly '70s: bold stripes, saturated color, the kind of look he compares to "Austin Powers furniture."For a store that's been watching trends for a long time, seeing that pattern resurface wasn't a surprise. It's the same cycle playing out again, just with a new decade's spin on the colors and fabrics.The Furniture Style Cycle, ExplainedHaving been in business for 113 years, Kensington has watched a lot of these cycles play out. Michael describes it as a big circle: a style is cool, then it fades, then it's gone entirely, then suddenly it's cool again. Nothing stays permanently in or permanently out.That perspective is useful for anyone shopping for furniture right now. If a bold, retro-leaning fabric or silhouette catches your eye, it's not a passing gimmick, it's a style that's been through this cycle before and earned its way back.What Doesn't Change: Kensington's Quality StandardWhile styles come and go, Michael is clear about what stays constant at Kensington: the furniture has to be quality, and it has to last. "One of our standards is that we carry furniture that is quality, that lasts, and if there is a problem, I'm here to stand behind it and make it right," he says.That standard matters more than whatever's trending in a given year. Styles will keep cycling in and out, but the construction and materials underneath a piece are what determine whether it's still standing up to daily use once the trend has moved on again.The Takeaway for ShoppersIf you're drawn to a bold, retro-style piece right now, you're not imagining things, the industry itself is circling back to that look. Kensington's advice is to enjoy the style while making sure whatever you bring home is built to hold up long after this particular turn of the cycle has passed. Key takeaways Furniture styles move in cycles that can take about a decade to come back around. 1970s-inspired textiles with bold stripes and vibrant colors are currently reappearing at industry events like High Point Furniture Market. Kensington has watched multiple style cycles over its 113 years in business. Regardless of trend, Kensington's standard is furniture that is quality, lasts, and is backed up if there's a problem. Questions people ask Are 1970s furniture styles actually coming back? Yes. Michael from Kensington says he saw 1970s-style textiles, bright stripes and vibrant colors, at High Point Furniture Market, describing it as furniture styles completing their usual cycle back into popularity. How long does a furniture style cycle take? According to Michael, it can take about 10 years for a style to fade out of popularity and then come back around again. What is High Point Furniture Market? It's the industry market Michael attends to shop for new furniture on behalf of Kensington's retail store. What does Kensington prioritize if styles keep changing? Regardless of trend, Kensington's standard is that the furniture is quality, lasts, and is backed up by the store if a problem comes up.
