This is a collaborative post
After decades in the design wilderness, avocado bathrooms are making an unexpected yet stylish comeback, bringing a nostalgic touch with a distinctly modern twist. Once dismissed as a dated relic of the 1970s, the iconic avocado green shade is back in the spotlight, embraced by a new generation seeking warmth, character, and a refreshing departure from white bathrooms.
But this isn’t about reviving those full avocado suites of the past. Instead, the trend has subtly returned, with avocado green bathrooms reimagined through sleek tiles, calming paint shades, and earthy décor accents. With Pinterest searches for green bathrooms soaring and millennials showing a renewed appreciation for nature-inspired spaces, the avocado green bathroom is back to prove that everything retro eventually becomes trendy once more.
An outdated trend coming back into style: Avocado bathrooms surge in popularity
Once the epitome of a dated look, avocado bathrooms have made a surprising return to the design scene, stirring up a sense of retro charm for a new generation. First seen in the 1970s, avocado green became a staple in British homes, bringing a pop of colour to the era’s colourful interiors. However, by the 1980s, the trend had fallen out of favour, with homeowners gravitating towards sleek, minimalist white bathrooms. For years, green bathrooms in shades like avocado were relegated to design history, replaced by bright, clean white tones that became synonymous with modern properties.
Yet, today, as we explore bolder colours and a renewed appreciation for retro aesthetics, avocado green bathrooms are back with a twist. Searches for dark green bathrooms surged 350% in Pinterest’s Autumn 2024 Trend report, revealing that homeowners are once again drawn to these nature-inspired shades. Interior experts point to this resurgence as part of a broader revival of vintage styles, with homeowners embracing shades of green beyond avocado, including sage and forest green, to add warmth and serenity to their spaces.
This reimagining of the avocado bathroom has become a way to bring personality and nostalgia into the home, without fully replicating the past. While avocado green may once have seemed like a relic, it’s now a versatile feature, lending a subtle, stylish nod to the past in a fresh, updated way. So, are avocado bathrooms making a comeback? The design world’s answer seems to be a resounding yes, and in 2024, these bold green bathrooms might just be here to stay.
Millennials love green bathrooms but it’s not for everyone
For millennials, the resurgence of avocado bathrooms taps into a love of nostalgia and a growing desire to bring calming, nature-inspired elements into the home. In a fast-paced world, younger homeowners are increasingly drawn to creating relaxing bathrooms that evoke a sense of peace and relaxation and avocado green, once an unlikely contender, is ticking these boxes. Looking deeper into colour psychology in interior design, shades of green have a calming effect ideal for bathrooms designed to be relaxing and serene escapes. Greens, like avocado, also evoke a connection to the outdoors, adding a grounding, restorative feel to a space.
Interestingly, Millennials seem to be the driving force behind this trend’s comeback. The recent Great Bathroom Report revealed that 27% of millennials selected avocado green as the top colour choice for a bathroom upgrade, showcasing a clear generational preference for this shade.
Research also found that fewer than one in 20 people over the age of 55 would choose avocado green for their bathroom. Yet these are the ones who lived through the ‘old’ avocado years so perhaps they don’t want to go through it again. For millennials who haven’t experienced the original trend, avocado bathrooms offer a fresh take on retro, creating a look that’s equal parts nostalgic and Instagrammable.
Yet, not everyone is on board with many commenters on Reddit criticising the comeback trend. For those who remember avocado green bathrooms from the 70s, the idea of revisiting this trend can be off-putting.
Avocado bathrooms of today: A modern twist on a retro classic
It’s hard to imagine now, but not too long ago, an avocado bathroom was seen as a real drawback for property value. A study from 2017 revealed that an avocado green suite could reduce a home’s value by as much as £5,000, marking it as a dated and undesirable feature. Yet today, avocado bathrooms have re-emerged as a stylish choice with some key differences to suit a contemporary audience.
Rather than returning to the full avocado bathroom suites of the 70s, today’s version is about subtlety and balance. The comeback isn’t defined by matching green toilets, sinks, and bathtubs. Instead, avocado green is being used as an accent, with a focus on tiles, paint, and even furniture, rather than a floor-to-ceiling commitment to the shade. This approach allows homeowners to create avocado green bathrooms without overwhelming the space, adding just the right hint of retro charm.
Pairing avocado green with neutral tones like white, beige, or soft pink creates a balanced, modern look that feels fresh rather than dated. Interior designers see green as a versatile neutral that pairs seamlessly with various shades, creating a harmonious look that feels grounded and natural. The updated style has won over millennials and design enthusiasts alike, as they take a nostalgic element and transform it into something new and contemporary.
So, are avocado bathrooms making a comeback? Absolutely. But this time, with a fresh, sophisticated twist on the old interior design trend.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post