Millennials are Obsessed with This Ridiculed 1970s Home Design Trend – Find Out Why It's Making a Huge Comeback!

In a surprising twist of interior design fate, a trend from the 1970s that many thought had been flushed away into the annals of history is resurfacing with a modern twist. Yes, dear readers of the Seniors Discount Club, the avocado bathroom suite, once the epitome of dated decor, is now being embraced by the younger generation!


The Great Bathroom Report, conducted by home improvement giant Wickes, has revealed a startling affection for the avocado hue among British homeowners aged 25 to 34. A significant 27 percent of millennials surveyed expressed a desire to incorporate this once-maligned color into their bathroom renovations. This is a stark contrast to the sentiments of older generations who lived through the 1970s and are less than thrilled to see the color making a comeback.


compressed-avocado green.jpeg
Current homeowners prefer their bathroom staples such as toilets, bathtubs, and sinks in a muted avocado green colour. Image Credit: Pexels/Alejandro Robles Duque


But before you start reminiscing about the bold and often brash interiors of the past, it's important to note that today's avocado is not the same eye-watering shade that might still haunt your memories. The modern interpretation of the avocado bathroom is a nod to the past, with a contemporary and sophisticated approach. Think less garish, more zen.


Tim Richards, head of bathrooms at Wickes, suggests that the new avocado green reflects a desire for tranquility and a connection to nature, as well as the minimalist calm of Japanese design. It's a softer, more muted green that can create a serene and organic atmosphere in the bathroom.

Social media trends support this resurgence, with Pinterest reporting a 350 percent increase in searches for 'dark green bathroom' and a staggering 2,670 percent rise in interest for 'green home decor'. It seems that the allure of this earthy tone is not limited to bathrooms but is spreading throughout the home.

Professor Deborah Sugg Ryan, a British design historian and TV presenter, acknowledges that while the avocado bathrooms of the 1970s were a definitive trend of the era, the modern revival is far more refined. Millennials are not looking to recreate the past exactly as it was but are instead taking elements they like and giving them a fresh, updated look.


This newfound appreciation for avocado green is a far cry from just five years ago when experts believed that an avocado bathroom suite could devalue a home by nearly £5,000 (About $9,700). At that time, surveys indicated that if a new homeowner inherited such a bathroom, it would be the first thing to go.

While avocado is making a comeback, not all 1970s trends are experiencing the same revival. Wood panelling, built-in bars, heavily patterned carpets, and Artex ceilings remain in the past, with no signs of a resurgence. It seems that the selective memory of millennials has filtered out the less favorable aspects of 1970s design.

For our seasoned members who may still be skeptical about this trend, it's worth considering the cyclical nature of fashion and design. What was once old can indeed become new again, with a few adjustments for modern tastes. And who knows, perhaps there's a certain charm in seeing a new generation find beauty in what was once familiar to us.

Key Takeaways

  • Avocado-coloured bathroom suites from the 1970s are making a comeback amongst younger homeowners, particularly those aged 25 to 34.
  • The Great Bathroom Report by Wickes found that over a quarter of millennials would choose this colour for their bathroom renovations.
  • The modern interpretation of the avocado bathroom trend is more subtle, incorporating the colour with a lighter touch and more understated design elements.
  • Despite its past reputation of reducing property value, the report indicates a significant shift in preference, contrasting earlier beliefs about the colour's impact on home desirability.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this design development. Do you have any avocado bathroom memories or horror stories to share? Or maybe you're a fan of the color's comeback? Let us know in the comments below, and let's discuss the ever-spinning wheel of design trends!
 
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No never again brings back bad memories of cheap wood pannelling and exposed brick work as well as bright orange counter tops in the kitchen, loud patterned carpet and wallpaper and many other memories of the seventies styles in the house that were an absolute nightmare to change to the decor that I wanted.
 
Meanwhile, my 1970s house with totally-original Mission Brown trims attracted its first (successful!) offer four hours BEFORE the For Sale sign went up..... (and not from a Millennial, either.)

In the current climate, ANY property will sell, if the price is right.
 
Meanwhile, my 1970s house with totally-original Mission Brown trims attracted its first (successful!) offer four hours BEFORE the For Sale sign went up..... (and not from a Millennial, either.)

In the current climate, ANY property will sell, if the price is right.
Congratulations!
 
Our first home had a beautiful Avocado bathroom, and I loved it. The kitchen was screaming orange, I loved it.
What I don’t like about modern home colour and design, are the petite toilets we have to have, only in white, and boring carpet colours. Bring back colour, no wonder everyone is depressed.
 
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Our first home had a beautiful Avocado bathroom, and I loved it. The kitchen was screaming orange, I loved it.
What I don’t like about modern home colour and design, are the petite toilets we have to have, only in white, and boring carpet colours. Bring back colour, no wonder everyone is depressed.
I agree about the loos another thing I really don't like is every interior wall is white in every house for sale. Boring.
Kind regards Vicki
 
I remember painting over dark green bathroom walls in our first home. It seems that dark colours are in fashion again. The bathroom looked much larger when we used lighter enamel over dark green. I guess it is important that owners are happy to live with a colour or not.
 
I remember painting over dark green bathroom walls in our first home. It seems that dark colours are in fashion again. The bathroom looked much larger when we used lighter enamel over dark green. I guess it is important that owners are happy to live with a colour or not.
My husband is a painter and decorator yes the lighter the room colour the bigger it looks dark colours close the room in.
The colour Hogs Bristle seems to be a favourite, with many of his clients does not do much for me. Everyone has different tastes. Makes the world go round.
Kind regards Vicki
 
Colour is a personal taste, who gives a fuck what stylists think. People are so gullible to follow others choices, if you like it, choose it.
 
We had a big pink bath with matching toilet and handbasin - groovy! 60/70's era maybe.
Definitely 60/70s. I still have that pink bathroom. Functional but really ugly. I have never been able to afford a makeover. I have lived with it for 39 years so it has become a talking point now.
 
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Definitely 60/70s. I still have that pink bathroom. Functional but really ugly. I have never been able to afford a makeover. I have lived with it for 39 years so it has become a talking point now.
 
In my parents first home in the early 60s my parents had the pink bath loo and pedestal basin with black tiles.
Another house we lived in in the
 
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