Love retro style? Forget the 1970s - it's been voted the worst decorating era in history!

Despite the latest trend for all things retro, it seems that as a nation, we're still keen to stay away from the lurid brights and overt textures of the 1970s.

In a poll conducted by Nationwide Credit Cards, 43 percent of people questioned voted the 1970s as the worst period in home decorating.

So, if you remember those thick shag pile carpets, ultra bright lava lamps and lurid avocado bathroom suites fondly, then you're in the minority.

The era got the thumbs down from 43 percent of those polled, far
outranking the runner up, the floral and frilly 1980s, which was despised by
16 percent of voters.

The Eighties, with its textured ceilings, frills and floral designs, was voted second worst with one in six choosing it.

So what is it about the 1970s that people hate so much? A quick straw poll round our office showed that we hated the woodchip wallpaper, wood pannelling and lava lamps. However, there are some good things to show for the era, including vibrant colours and large corner sofas.

So it seems that most of those quirky design details of the 1970s will have been stripped out of our homes over the past 35 years.

The 1990s, when shows such as Changing Rooms inspired us to have a go at stencilling and rag-rolling, appears to have been the favourite era for home decor, with only 3 per cent of the 2,000 polled saying it was the worst decade.