Is This The Bathroom That Finally Brings Avocado Fixtures Back?

Green bathtubs, sinks and toilets — and especially avocado green bathtubs, sinks and toilets— are usually the thing of bathroom nightmares, and the one of the first things to go during a renovation. But we just spotted a recent renovation that might help change your mind about uniquely colored fixtures.

This beautiful bathroom arrived in my inbox and caught my eye, with its green fixtures, light blue walls, and marble sections of wall and floor. It’s a fascinating blend of color, materials and styles.

Today it’s pretty rare to see anything other than white tubs, toilets and sinks, but that wasn’t always the case of course. The pendulum of fixture colors has swung mightily over the years. In the early days of the dedicated, separate bathroom, glazed white fit the image of a sanitary zone, akin to germ-free hospitals that were easy to clean. It wasn’t until the 1920s that manufacturers, like Kohler, introduced suites of matching sinks, toilets and tubs – signaling a shift in perception of the bathroom, not just as a functional zone, but as a space for color, pattern and decoration (and another room in the house on which to spend money). The now-famous avocado green came around in the 1960s:

From Kohler:

It was a decade of rule-breaking styles and colors. It was a time of rebellion as men burned draft cards and the sexual revolution was in full swing. Hot pink, day-glo orange, and acid green broke with conventions for color in dress and home decor. With its introduction of vivid accent colors – Blueberry, Citron, Antique Red, Coppertone, Expresso, and Jade – Kohler captured the energy of the times.

If we live with colored fixtures today, it’s usually either because they populate our rental bathrooms, we can’t afford to renovate, or we absolutely love the retro look. But London-based design firm Boundary Space, who designed the bathroom above, thought it was time to celebrate the much-reviled avocado bathroom again and bring it back in a modern way. Both the tile, floor, tub and sinks embrace the deep green and make color a focal point (and major conversation starter) of the room. It’s a nice break from all the vintage-style, white subway tile-clad bathrooms that have dominated the design space in recent years.

Although both the sink and the tub they used are available, you’ll have to take the extra step to get the color seen here. The sink is Kohler’s Kathryn pedestal sink, which was refinished in order to achieve the color. The bath is from Jee-o‘s Soho collection, and was custom sprayed. Of course, I’m dying to know: a) where the toilet is; and b) whether it’s avocado green as well.

It remains to be seen if white will continue its chokehold on bathrooms, or if color lovers will have their day again.

What do you think? Is this a look you love, or is it too soon for avocado green again?