Wednesday 16 April 2008

Keeping it White

I wonder how many people remember Avocado coloured bathroom suites
In the 70’s it was one of the latest ‘in’ colours
So we installed that same colour with similar coloured tiles
and Avocado paintwork

Today of course white is the colour and I have even heard that prospective buyers will turn down a house if they see an Avocado suite

A few years after that we wanted to install another bathroom
and as money was tight we were thrilled to see an advert by someone who had just moved into a new house and not liking the colour of their suite,
wanted to sell it
It was a very good bargain – the colour was turquoise
Under the circumstances we were happy to install a colour that was not our choice.
We were doing the job ourselves so Alan tiled the room in white to try and offset the turquoise.
That probably would have been fine, but being the decade when stencilling was all the rage in home decorating
I stencilled quite a number of the white tiles with ‘seaside’ themes
and used a pre-stencilling paste that would make them permanent
I was thinking only of the moment and not looking ahead

Now it seems one can only buy white so when renewing our lavatories recently
we had no choice but to buy white whether they matched or not

We have just finished decorating these rooms so changed all the Avocado to white where it was possible to do that as we do not want to renew the suite and tiles at the moment. I would not have chosen white as a contrast with Avocado but I wanted to link up all 3 rooms.
We have redone the flooring with white Cushion floor too which helps

In the second bathroom with the turquoise suite the paintwork was always white
and because it seemed so boring
I added accessories with a seaside flavour over the years.

In fact Alan would sigh when I went into one of those seaside craft places

What you see here are my efforts to minimise the Avocado and Turquoise










The dreaded Avocado

Took out the Avocado fittings and replaced with white


This tiny room was not a problem

19 comments:

Vee said...

To me, that looks fresh and wonderful. I like the stenciling very much. Aren't some things timeless? You've done an excellent job of pulling disparate colors and styles together.

duopastorale said...

Nice shells. I have a similar jar.

LBP said...

I very much remember the avacodo. However, our house had the lovely shell pink! With black plastic tiles around the walls.

I think your room looks very "beachy". I like the look!

Blessings

Linda

Dorothy said...

I think is looks lovely...all fresh and clean...very nicely done...

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I think it all looks bright and fresh (as others have said) and I love the sea themes and the pretty turquoises and blues. Oh, and the shells too. Also, your nice, wide windowsills....wish I had some like that to set out my various glass pieces where the light would shine through them!

Jeanne said...

everything looks so lovely~
I love white and seashells and all your accessories.
Love Jeanne

Linda said...

I like the seaside accessories. I bought a house once, built in the 40's, with the bathroom having that sort of "dirty" green tile, rather like sage in color. At one time I would have been appalled but, as is the designer world, the color was hot again. I really learned to like it. White is safe, of course.

carolyn said...

I seem to remember that everyone wanted avocado, I recall school friends boasting about their parents new avocado bathroom suites! Wonder if they will ever become popular again.
You've done a great job.

Elizabeth said...

I think your bathrooms look wonderful.
I bet avocado comes back......Hm....
yes I love the jar of shells.
When we bought our first little house in S. London circa 1973 it was in a little Victoria terrace which had been damaged in the war and then completely re-done by a builder.
We soon got to know many of the young couples in the terrace.
We had a turquoise bathroom, next door yellow, then hot pink.... repeating down the road. Yellow was the prettiest, turquoise OK and the pink was NASTY.
I expect all those bathrooms have been changed again.
White is still safest as someone else remarked!

Angie said...

Great work. Clean and crisp! (I remember avocado too.)

Paula said...

Yes, I do remember when avocado was all the rage. My parents still have a fridge in that color.
I like your seaside them, it looks great against the white.

TO BECOME said...

I love what you have done in fact we have the same shower curtain. I have done my bath in things about the ocean. I did this just recently. I love it and so do my Grandchildren. But your is beautiful.

Thanks for the information about the beet root. Connie from Texas

Needled Mom said...

I have always liked the seaside theme, Barbara. The colors are all so pleasing. I think you did a great job. Funny thing is....so many of those earth tones with the avacado are being seen once more. And the cycle goes round and round.

Vee said...

Hi Barbara, thank you for visiting today and leaving such nice comments on so many posts. Did you get to see the house tour I did in response to yours? If not, come back and have a peek!

Willow said...

Much of the seaside decor would look nice at my house. I don't use turquoise (although I was 'blessed' with a turquoise bath, too) and go for the ocean blue shades.

someone else said...

I think you've done a great job of pulling it all together. The white is so crisp and clean looking.

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

Ah, yes, avocado! Our house was built in 1935 so we actually have a mint green tiled bathroom. Not a chance I am going to rip that out unless I have to, it would cost a MINT! :-)

Happy day!

Melissa

Charmingdesigns said...

My daughter would love your turquoise stuff.Laurie

Barbara Jacksier said...

Hi Barbara

I'm almost caught up with work and party clean up and decided it was finally time to go "visiting". WHat a lovely tour of Stock and your garden. Thanks for having me.


My mum's cousin Rita from Rayleigh is staying here for the month. It's quite a change to have crumpets in my bread basket!