One of the most basic “class” markers I learned about what that natural materials are preferred to synthetic. Cotton and wood over polyester. Granite and butcherblock over Corian, wood siding over vinyl or aluminum. But those require more labor to make and maintain
The basic materials used were attractive by nature, as all natural materials are.
Also the value of time and labor was near zero so the effective "cost" of making decoration was almost irrelevant.