All Mod Cons

Miniseries

Not Rated

How we decorated and redecorated our homes over the latter half of the twentieth century reflects our changing attitudes to domesticity, home ownership, gender roles, and children. Through interviews and the witty use of archive, an intimate and affectionate social history of British homes.

Where to Watch Miniseries

6 Episodes

The DIY Pioneers
E1
The DIY PioneersThe post-war years led to a boom in home ownership and consequently a generation of fanatical do-it-yourself home improvers. How DIY transformed the interiors of British homes.
Ever So Contemporary
E2
Ever So ContemporaryIn the 1950s, walls were knocked down, windows enlarged, and open-plan living rooms built as an antidote to post-war gloom. The colour, light, and space of this 'contemporary look' changed the way that British people lived forever.
Just Switch On
E3
Just Switch OnAfter rationing ended, the consumer society was born. Britons were able to fill their homes with a variety of electrical goods.
The Pad
E4
The PadIn the 1960s, a whole generation let their imaginations run wild to break all the rules of interior design, liberating themselves from the formality of their parents' lifestyles. The accent was on fun, with revolutionary ideas such as paper chairs, inflatable furniture, and waterbeds. Towards the end of the decade, psychedelia and the hippie movement heralded the arrival of ethnic influences and a softer, textual look in homes.
The Outside Room
E5
The Outside RoomThe end of World War Two marked a shift away from the practical nature of horticulture stressed by the Dig for Victory campaign, and once again flowers bloomed in Britain's domestic gardens. As gardens became more decorative, magazines and radio programmes turned their attention to the new hobby, while labour-saving devices and garden centres helped make the garden a place to relax in and enjoy.
Yesterday Once More
E6
Yesterday Once MoreIn the 1950s, people were desperate to be modern, and old attitudes were bulldozed away; in the '60s, objects thrown out as junk by previous generations were suddenly in demand for the young and fashionable. Now the rage for nostalgia has spread to homes located all over the country. Why we became obsessed with furniture and architecture from the past.