What we can learn from 1970s homes

Size matters

In 1973, the average size for a new single-family home in the United States was 1,660 square feet, the Census Bureau says. In 2011, it was 2,480 square feet. But that elbow room comes at a high price.

"Bigger homes are more expensive to heat and cool and to maintain," says Pam Kueber, who runs a blog called "Retro Renovation." "Pretty much every single cost related to owning a home is scalable based on how big it is."

Environmental concerns may be making smaller homes fashionable again. A 2011 National Association of Home Builders survey found that 74% of builders, designers and architects think the average single-family house will be smaller in 2015.

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Energy conservation

The 1973 energy crisis wasn't just an issue for drivers. It got the attention of homeowners, too. Policymakers also took notice, and the Energy Tax Act of 1978 promised credits of up to $2,200 for homeowners who invested in solar- and wind-energy equipment.

In recent years, these "green" improvements have come back into vogue for numerous reasons, with governments again offering energy credits for homes. Experts say today's residences use as much energy as those built in the 1970s, despite advances in insulation and the use of energy-efficient appliances. Possible reasons: Houses are bigger, and people have more electrical gadgets today than before.

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Simple roofs

Ranch-style homes became dominant in America in the 1950s through the 1970s. They had roofs that were low and simple, often with wide eaves to help shade the windows. The Cape Cod-style houses that were popular on the East Coast after World War II also sported simple roofs .

The larger and more complex houses that became popular in the 1980s and 1990s often had more complicated roofs, with multiple gables and dormers. These roofs are arguably more visually interesting, but their complexity also means more potential for leaks or costly repairs.

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Green walls

Homes with ivy-covered walls once were common, but vines fell out of favor, because people thought the creeping greenery was damaging their brickwork.

But scientists at Oxford University, itself home to numerous ivy-covered buildings, found in 2010 that the plants actually protect walls from extreme temperatures, moisture and pollution.

In 2011, the Montreal Urban Ecology Center issued a guide promoting the use of climbing plants on walls in that Canadian city. The nonprofit group says ivy-covered walls provide insulation and help keep homes cooler during summer, through evapotranspiration and shade. They are also good for the environment, the group says, because they capture carbon dioxide and provide a habitat for birds.

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Awnings

Central air conditioning was not ubiquitous in homes built in the 1970s and earlier, which meant that people needed other ways to keep their houses cool in summer. Awnings were a great option, shading windows during the summer, when the sun was higher in the sky, and letting in more light and heat during the winter, when the sun was lower.

"Awnings get very little respect today, but they are an old-school and extremely efficient way to keep your house 10 to 20 degrees cooler," Kueber says. "It's an environmentally sensitive way to cut your air-conditioning bills."

The chance to cut energy costs and reduce homes' carbon footprint is making awnings and other passive-energy design features cool again.

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The case for no staircase

Single-story homes were popular well into the 1970s, before split-level residences gained favor with homebuyers. Since then, multistory houses have become the norm.

But not everyone likes climbing stairs, and older people, in particular, may appreciate homes that are all on one level. These residences may now appeal to aging baby boomers who are looking for places to live during retirement.

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Cork floors

Shag carpeting is just one of the unfortunate flooring choices from the 1970s that can induce shudders in contemporary homebuyers. But at least one retro floor covering deserves a second look.

Cork was commonly used to cover bathroom floors in the '60s and '70s, and the material is enjoying a bit of a renaissance. Cork is naturally mold-resistant and sound dampening, and it is eco-friendly, as well. Unlike wood, which requires that forests be cut down and converted to lumber, cork can be harvested by trimming the bark from living trees. It is the rare building material that is both retro and sustainable.

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Old-growth wood

Older homes were made from wood from older trees. The practice of using lumber from old-growth forests -- those with trees that had been growing for 200 years or more -- was arguably bad for the environment but good for builders and homeowners.

Lumber from ancient trees is less likely to shrink over time, which makes it more durable and dimensionally accurate than boards cut from the fast-growing, farmed trees .

The good news is that alternatives to old-growth timber now exist, and they are used for the same reasons older wood was used in the '70s.

Engineered lumber uses lamination and other technologies to make the best of wood from younger trees. Also gaining popularity is reclaimed wood from remodeled or demolished buildings, abandoned barns, railroad trestles and even long-submerged logs recovered from lakes or rivers.

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Paint awareness

Beauty can have a dark side. For homes, that became clear in 1978, when the federal government banned paint containing more than trace amounts of lead from residential use. Lead has been linked to health issues that include behavioral problems and learning disabilities in children. Paint chips and dust can contain dangerous levels of lead, the Environmental Protection Agency says.

This concern has picked up again in recent years with a focus on paints, varnishes and cleaning products that release volatile organic compounds that include benzene, formaldehyde and other potential toxins. Many paint companies have started offer low-VOC and no-VOC paints for use in today's homes.

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Outdoor focus

Many of today's "outdoor living" features were born in 1970s "patio homes." These abodes allowed residents to concentrate on living instead of maintenance.

The patio home was built as a marriage of an apartment and ranch house: The one-story home often featured a large patio to allow residents to enjoy the outdoors in a private setting, while a housing association often took care of the exterior and landscaping.

The trend for a prominent outdoor living space continues. The National Association of Home Builders cites outdoor-living spaces as one of the top five trends in new homes, with features such as fireplaces and outdoor kitchens.

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