Hoghton: Retro 1970s holiday bungalow 'loved' by visitors

The meticulously restored Retro Bungalow in Hoghton, where houses have sold for £500,000 in recent years, is full of vibrant wallpaper, bright colours, lava lamps, fondue sets and house plants.

Nigel, 60, and Melissa Peter, 58, inherited the house from Nigel's late father, who built the house in 1973.

But instead of renovating the two-bedroom house, they decided to turn it into a 'seventies living experience' where guests can stay overnight and celebrate the era.

Melissa said: "It was just a 1970s time warp to be honest because his mum and dad had never thrown anything away.

"It's just that generation - my parents didn't throw anything away because they either mended or repaired it.

"Because we have that same ethos, we decided that instead of ripping it out and refurbishing it, that we would put it up.

"We have incorporated what was already there and have added some more 1970s memorabilia that we got from charity shops and eBay.

"It's now like a seventies living experience really - you come in and escape the modern-day pressures of what's negative in the world at the moment.

"It also reminds you of your childhood, if you were a child of the seventies.

"There's also things that make you smile or that might trigger stories for people - there's endless iconic accessories around the place.

"Some of it is really cringey and tasteless - but it's all part of an era that reminds you of your childhood so you can immerse yourself into the seventies."

Melissa and Nigel decided to just change some of the two-bedroom house, including the wallpaper, when they inherited it.

But they used original wallpaper from the seventies to make sure the bungalow stayed authentic.

They also furnished the property using various accessories such as a garish swirling carpet, vibrant outdoor furniture and seventies-inspired bedding.

There's also a TV in a wooden cabinet to complete the look.

Melissa said: "We decided that the wallpaper needed updating because we realised that when you start taking a few pictures down, that it starts to fade over time.

"We bought original seventies wallpaper so decided to redecorate it using that.

"The kitchen is full of bright green daisies and the lounge is a very traditional seventies-style wallpaper.

"We've bought various accessories to funk the place up.

"When most people think of the seventies, they think of brown and orange - or they think of David Bowie so we've got a bit of both going on."

The couple welcomed their first customers on March 1 but guests can book to stay at the bungalow for around £400 for two people for two nights.

Melissa says the staycation is the perfect opportunity for people to 'embrace the seventies' as much as they want to.

She said: "Our first guests absolutely loved it. Some people don't want to immerse themselves into the seventies and just want a holiday let.

"But people can embrace the seventies, come dressed up and get the Scalextric set out.

"They can even borrow some of our 1970s clothes and can embrace it as much or as little as they want to."

Nigel and Melissa have converted the on-site greenhouses into an indoor education centre for local school children.

As part of this, they have decided to give away a house plant to everyone who stays in the bungalow.

Melissa said: "We also took over my husband's father's garden nursery business so we've converted the greenhouses into an indoor education centre.

"House plants were very much a thing of the seventies, but they aren't anymore because everybody has a plug-in air freshener.

"But everyone used to take pride in having a house plant because plants kept the air fresh.

"We decided that it would be a lovely gift for people to be able to come into the greenhouse before they leave and choose a spider plant to take home with them."

Visit retrobungalow.co.uk/ to book