Seventies voted decade that style forgot as region looks to new loft

But now what many interior designers have known all along has been made official, as the 1970s has been voted the worst decade for home decor. A total of 43 per cent of people who were polled named and shamed the era in the research by Nationwide Credit Cards. The 1980s, with its textured ceilings, frills and floral designs came out second worst in the study among 2,000 people, with one in six voting for it.

The 1990s, when shows like Changing Rooms inspired people to have a go at stencilling and rag-rolling, attracted the lowest percentage of votes, with just three per cent of people voting it the worst decor decade.

Meanwhile, the 1950s and the 2000s attracted six per cent of votes each.

When it came to home improvements, the average amount people had spent on their most recent job was £114.

If money were no object, the most common fantasy home improvement on people’s wish-lists is a large, open-plan kitchen-diner, with nearly a fifth saying it would be their dream project, followed by a loft conversion (16 per cent) and separate garden room or studio (14 per cent).

There were, however, regional variations in people’s dream home improvement. In Yorkshire, the most popular project was a loft conversion or an open-plan kitchen-diner, while in Wales, the desire for a “man cave” or super-sized shed is particularly strong, the research found.