Wild sage, lemon, peach, sorbet, mint, and avocado: not the makings of a bizarre fruit salad, but some of the forgotten shades of Britain’s bathrooms that were popular in the mid-20th century. The colourful suites disappeared from homes as whites and minimalist, neutral designs took over in the 1990s. But avocado-coloured bathrooms are back, and it is gen Z and millennials driving the trend.
About 30% of homeowners between 18 and 34 years old say they would pick green – with avocado shades in particular – if given the chance to upgrade their bathroom, according to a report by the DIY retailer Wickes. And suppliers have noticed increased interest, unheard of a decade before. Sam Powell, the founder of the retro bathroom supplier Brokenbog and the Bold Bathroom Company , said there had been an uptick in interest in avocado-toned pieces.
“The coral pink is very popular and avocado is becoming increasingly popular,” he said. The company used to focus on replacement pieces, parts for restaurants or pubs and occasional requests from TV shows or films, but over the past couple of years a younger crowd has been showing interest in these retro fixtures. “We’ve had a real shift in our customer base, whereas for a long time, we were largely dealing with the older generation.
It would be an old lady who’s had their bathroom since 1975 and they want to keep it in keeping. “Now we’re seeing a lot of people coming down from London where they’ve bought their first house.