New research from bathroom supplier Nuielux has found that almost half of British people say they dislike the recent resurgence in popularity of retro-inspired avocado coloured bathroom suites.
Nuielux – which is a brand owned by Roxor Group – polled 2,000 UK adults, and found that 47% said that the avocado bathroom suite was their “most hated bathroom design choice”.
Avocado suites have become synonymous with bathroom design trends of the 1970s and 1980s, before white and minimalist designs rose to prominence in the 1990s. However, in recent years several brands have reintroduced avocado shades to their product ranges, in a move which is said to be particularly popular with Gen Z consumers.
According to Nuielux’s research, Baby Boomers (categorised as those born between 1946 and 1964) are the most disgusted by the return of avocado – with roughly three-in-five (57%) disliking the style. Some have theorised that this is likely due to fatigue with the trend, having been there to experience it firsthand several decades ago.
The research also found that this generational group was the most resistant to “modern trends”, with 37% saying they disliked matte black fixtures, and roughly three-in-ten (28%) saying they were against freestanding baths.
Meanwhile, Niuelux found that Gen Z – or those born between 1997 and 2012 – have a much stronger dislike for “earthy bathrooms” than avocado, with more than half (54%) naming the style as their most hated bathroom design elements. Almost half (46%) also said they disliked wall-hanging furniture, instead saying that they saw fitted storage solutions as an indication of a luxury bathroom.
This new research also echoes recent findings by national retailer Wickes, which also reported a generational divide about perceptions to the avocado bathroom suite. According to a Wickes study from last year, 30% of customers aged between 18 and 35 said that avocado was their preferred colour of choice in a new bathroom. Meanwhile, fewer than one-in-20 consumers aged over 55 said they’d want to use the colour in their own bathrooms.
Aside from dislike for just the avocado bathroom suite, exactly the same number of participants (47%) said that their most-hated bathroom design was “grandma-core” inspired spaces, categorised by things such as vintage wallpaper and floral patterns.
Aside from that, Nuielux found that a quarter were put off by brightly coloured bathrooms (26%), a similar number (23%) said they disliked fully tiled walls, and roughly one-in-five (18%) were personally against open shelving in the bathroom.
“At nuielux, we love hearing Brits’ real opinions about bathrooms,” commented Marcus Pearson, Nuielux’s head of design. “While social media is full of people telling us what’s on-trend, that doesn’t necessarily reflect what real British homeowners want for their own bathroom space. Trends are a great place to look for inspiration, but we always advise choosing products that are timeless and future-proof.”
