The Latest: Sep 2, 2026

Sometimes 1970s wood-paneled spaces are great, but other times they just look old rather than retro. In Katie and Philip Bowling’s home office, that was the case.“We loved the coziness of the small office room, but it was so dark with the old faux wood paneling,” homeowner Katie Bowling (@katiebowlinghome) says. “The carpet in the room was so worn down.

When my partner and I bought our 1928 Arts & Crafts bungalow home in Portland, Oregon, at the end of 2023, I knew the kitchen was going to be a project. The floors were painted black and chipping off in large flecks. The countertops were avocado green and streaked with rust stains. The walls were gloomy and gray, and made the whole room feel like a basement. And the appliances? Beyond saving.