70s Avocado Green Bathroom
We were thrilled to find virtually intact what is often pejoratively referred to as a 'coloured bathroom suite' at our 'new' property. Since 1970s (or any mid-century) features were high on my wishlist, the bathroom - original tiles and everything - was a great surprise (the estate agent had felt it best to omit any photographic reference for fear of putting people off, so there was no clue!) Such was my excitement at becoming the proud new owner of an avocado bathroom, that I was mildly disappointed to discover it was in fact, pampas green .
I know this thanks to the very helpful Exeter Bathroom Company , who kindly sent me some actual porcelain samples in the post (as opposed to online images) to ensure that we could identify the exact shade of green suite we had inherited, as the one thing I wanted to replace with new if possible was the toilet. Happily it was feasible: it is still currently possible to source the original styles and colours and we were able to obtain an exact-match pampas green toilet, cistern and seat. It wasn't cheap at around £450, but nevertheless less expensive than having a whole new bathroom suite purchased and fitted. And far more mid-century and interesting. So rest assured, it is entirely possible to bring an avocado (or other-coloured) bathroom suite into the 21st Century by means of a few key tweaks ( see tips & ideas below ) . And if you can pull it off, it will look better (in a mid-century sort of a way )than a new one ever possibly could !
I had been holding onto an olive green l'Occitane soap dish for a couple of years, wishing for a green bathroom to put it in, so it was worth having an 'avocado' bathroom for that alone! The Orla Kiely lavender & sage toiletries suit colour-wise as well as giving an instant and conveniently glamorous 1970s touch. The magnetic soap holder remains intact above the bathroom sink - and nothing other than Imperial Leather could possibly go here - fortunately the brand now does a white version of the iconic soap which suits our green bathroom much better than the peach version. And last but not least, something I would consider almost indispensable for a 1970s styled bathroom: Bath of Badedas alongside a handmade ceramic chestnut for emphasis - the distinctive aroma just as memorable as the oh-so-seventies TV ad which promoted it. And so conveniently green. What fun! They don't make them like that anymore - except that fortunately, they do.
Tips & Ideas
- So you have an avocado bathroom suite (or pampas green , linden green or wild sage ) and wonder how to make the best of it? Good news: the 1970s are back in vogue and coloured bathroom suites are in demand once again - especially for those wishing to create a mid-century styled home.So if you own or have bought a property with an avocado bathroom suite still intact thank your lucky stars: you can save money on a new suite and be on trend at the same time! The key to making it work is to bring your coloured bathroom suite into the 21st century by updating certain elements and - it's no secret - cleaning, re-grouting, fixing and painting as necessary: broken toilets or mismatched loo seats never were trendy or attractive, neither then nor now.
- As with other rooms, decide on a key colour for your bathroom (or you can use white and black as the main backdrop) and factor in a potentially braver highlight colour (which will be used sparingly for effect). Generally speaking, the main colour chosen will either be the same as, or at least in tune with, your current suite colour. The highlight colour will provide a 'lift' and point of interest and pleasing contrast & will also allow some flexibility in terms of room accessories and toiletries (an important factor!)
- Consider a rigid plastic bathroom wall cabinet (the company we purchased ours from, Gedystates that they are in fact made of thermoplastic resins) rather than a ply/chipboard one for a bathroom space: it will withstand humidity far better (presuming you can't get a fabulous teak one, which is water resistant, too, being the wood of choice for boats!) This Italian company still makes them! Don't for a moment imagine them to be tacky because they are made of plastic: in this instance they are perfectly fit for purpose: light to hang (toiletries are heavy enough), slimline, and also rot-free compared with ply/chipboard, they put modern versions to shame. I did have to purchase this item from Amazon [see Gedy : 3 door-mirrored bathroom cabinet in white gloss, £74.95: it has a ten year guarantee and needs no assembling: just attach to wall on suitable screws; this is what the manufacturer has to say: Gedy was founded in 1953 by Luigi De Luca in Milan, Italy producing bathroom accessories. They have been creating design led bathroom products for over 60 years. ]
- Why have a jumble of clashing toiletries when there are so many to choose from you are bound to find some to suit your colour scheme. Keep toiletries which clash (presuming you really do need to buy them in the first place!) in the bathroom cabinet or a discreet receptacle near the tub/shower. It doesn't matter which brand (or multiple brands you choose)as long as they look good in the space!It is besides, more satisfying to pick products which suit your colour scheme.
It is fun to include some mid-century style products too: the opportunities here are enormous, but as ever, stick with what suits and according to budget:
- Orla Kiely products or Molton Brown will add glamour to your scheme and some good pops of colour if you are on a luxury splurge (after all you may have saved money on fitting a new bathroom suite...) L'Occitane is heavenly - put it on your birthday/Christmas list.
- Bath of Badedas suits a middle-of-the-road budget in terms of expense but is arguably the most iconic bathroom product you could buy and a little goes a long way; Savon de Marseilles soaps fit this cost category too and the classic chunky shape adds a useful pop of colour. Better still, buy it if you go on holiday to France - it's much less expensive there and more or less a household essential! Lifebuoy bar soap (bright orange) is still available, and a very good retro colour it is too - not quite as cheap as it used to be as it's harder to find these days (see Amazon or the original factory/museum shop at Port Sunlight near Liverpool, where we stocked up on ours) OGX shampoos/conditioners might seem expensive, but are very thick/rich so last a while and provide lovely pops of colour to pick from, too (see photo gallery at foot of page)
- For a shoestring budget, don't despair there is plenty in this category too:
- Imperial Leather bar soap is a must-have if you have the original style magnetic soap holders (and even if you don't!) - shame they don't do the blue any more, but there is white or peach to choose from and they cost around £1.75 for 4 bars of soap
- And if you are after colour rather than retro products per se... Baylis & Harding is an affordable option, and Sainsburys do jolly good handwashes in various colour/fragrance possibilities for the princely sum of £1.25
- Pears soap another classic, is still going strong and now comes in a blue (just 70p a bar, various supermarkets) or green version as well as the original amber (around £1.20 for 2 bars)
- Nivea creme in the familiar round blue tub for dry skin is a nice retro touch too.
| | Making the most of original features LEFT : detailing of the original tiles; the loo roll holder is the original pampas green too; the locking chrome door handle is in perfect working order demonstrating that if it ain't broke, don't fix it! We did have to fix or replace a few things though: importantly, we got a new WC in matching 'pampas green', replaced an old cabinet (see photo gallery below + Tips & Ideas), took out the carpet and put down lino. A ply bath panel also had to be removed, a smart black one taking its place, tying in our black & white elements |
Source: https://www.mymidcenturymodern.co.uk/bathroom.html
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