While a cultural revolution has been underway in ’60s society, a color revolution was taking place in America’s bathrooms. Avocado green and other colors were all the rage starting in the late ’60s and lasting through the late ’70s for bathroom tubs, toilets and sinks. Over time, avocado bathrooms went out of fashion, but not all them went away. If your house has a bathroom with avocado fixtures, then you’ve got a lot of options for supplying it an update.
Go Retro
If you inherited a bathroom with avocado green fixtures from your house’s previous owners, then consider taking an if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them approach. Embrace your toilet’s retro vibe and decorate it 1970s style. Paint the walls pale green and choose mod-print fabrics for your shower curtain and window treatments. You want the result to look retro and cool, not dated and dingy, so choose accessories that are true, but in good shape. Search secondhand stores for wall art, vanity mirrors and other period pieces and give them a good cleaning before placing them on display. To finish the look, cover the floor with a fluffy green rug and illuminate the vanity with vintage sconces or pendant lamps.
Earth Tones
Although an avocado green bathtub may not represent your design aesthetic, it doesn’t have to be an eyesore. Use browns and neutrals to complement your avocado bathroom fixtures and create a soothing earth-tone palette. Paint the walls beige or mocha and, even if possible, paint cabinetry a deep shade of brown. If your budget allows, install ceramic tile that mimics planks of wood. Otherwise, camouflage existing flooring using a textured cotton bath rug. When decorating your own earth-tone bathroom, choose items made from natural materials, such as wood, stone, terra-cotta and cotton. Tuck a basket full of brown, beige and avocado green towels in a corner to unify the room’s palette. Botanical prints in simple wood frames and potted plants improve the toilet’s earthy feel.
Develop a Spa
When paired with white, avocado green looks clean and fresh. To create a spa-style bathroom around an avocado tub and toilet, keep the decor light and easy. Paint the walls with a satin or semi-gloss finish white or linen paint and choose a crisp, white shower curtain and window coverings. Consider installing pure white wainscoting on the walls to get a cabin feel. If the sink is freestanding, as most are in old bathrooms, add a tiny white or pale green cabinet to the space to take toiletries. Insert a stack of fluffy towels to add texture to the space. To keep your spa bath from feeling sterile, sprinkle the green of the fixtures in accessories, such as throw rugs, apothecary jars, storage bowls and soap dishes.
Go Wallpapers
If budget constraints stimulate you to live together with your house’s avocado bathtub and toilet, use them as inspiration to your bathroom decor that’s bold and new. Rather than trying to play down or camouflage the green, pair it with yellow or orange for maximum impact. Paint the walls or cover them with wallpaper in a graphic print in your new color scheme. If you are able to spend the splurge, then swap out old faucets and grips for slick, modern fixtures that provide your tub an instant facelift. Decorate using an eclectic blend of art and accessories to produce a look that’s innovative and cohesive.