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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To mourn the demise of the colourful bathroom.

121 replies

TennesseeDays · 30/04/2016 18:59

When I was little, I always wanted to buy colourful loo paper to clash with go in the bathroom (beigey-green coloured suite, possibly avocado, my memory is a bit hazy). My mum refused, as it was "common" to have coloured paper, and would only ever buy white.
My mum did say that when I was grown up and had my own bathroom, I could choose whatever coloured paper I wanted.

Well here I am, all grown up with my own house, 2 DC of my own, and I can't indulge my inner child DC by buying green paper one week, pink the next, blue the next etc. We can only choose white or tasteful cream, or buff paper enriched with cocoa and shea butter, and where's the fun in that?

AIBU to secretly crave a return to the days of the coloured bathroom suite and matching loo paper?

OP posts:
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unlucky83 · 30/04/2016 21:09

I grew up with a yellow bathroom suite ...it was still in that house up to a few years ago...and I agree it was nice and bright and warm.
And I bought a house with a turquoise suite that I was thinking of keeping but the bath had damaged enamel and the sink had a crack ...and it is really difficult to get the exact match (yellow bathroom had had a new sink and it was quite an exact match) - which is the problem with coloured suites.
The new house had turquoise tiles (which I managed to reclaim some - I intend to put in downstairs loo) but also had brown tiles on one wall ...a real clash!
When my parents bought their house it had an ancient bathroom - apparently the first inside bathroom in the village so I would guess late 1800s. It was white but had green wrought iron bits, dark green walls and bright orange loo roll... sadly as part of the remodel it was skipped (as was typical for the late 70s) but I'll never forget that loo roll...had never seen any before and I've never seen any since...
(House had been empty for a number of years and previous owner had been living downstairs for 10 yrs...so it could have been there from the 60s...)

HarlettOScara · 30/04/2016 21:12

My first house had an avocado bathroom suite. It also had woodchip covering every inch of wall and many other decor atrocities. I had to live with that bathroom and it's delightful peach walls for years before I could afford to change it.

However, the bathroom in my next house made me almost nostalgic for the avocado one. It was this yellow one...but accented with floor to ceiling tiled walls in a shade which could only have been called 'faeces brown' with the ceiling painted in the same shade if custard yellow as the suite. I took extreme delight in taking a sledgehammer to it the day it was ripped out. It was truly a crime against interior design.

To mourn the demise of the colourful bathroom.
wasonthelist · 30/04/2016 21:16
Toffeecrispy · 30/04/2016 21:19

My bathroom is boring timeless as the rest of my flat but when i move to a house will be more fun i get pink loo roll and towels though

Toffeecrispy · 30/04/2016 21:20

Timeless is an off white

ijustwannadance · 30/04/2016 21:23

My first flat had a salmon pink suite with emerald green vintage subway tiles. Clashtastic.

I used to make flowers out of coloured loo roll too.

sweetkitty · 30/04/2016 22:56

I secretly would love a cerise pink bathroom suite an you imagine it?

0hCrepe · 07/08/2016 18:37

We're having a loft conversion with an ensuite soon, I would really love a coloured bathroom- turquoise or yellow. Googling led me back to mumsnet as ever and I've picked up a few tips to fie one, thanks! Can't believe how rare they are!

bluebelle2662 · 07/08/2016 18:44

I think coloured bathroom suites are hideous, by enlarge. When I questioned my late Nan about her avocado bathroom suite, she said "why would I have a white bath and feel like I'm in hospital when I could have a green or blue bath and feel like a mermaid?"

Amazing woman.

cardibach · 07/08/2016 18:51

Mine is a pretty shade of aqua. I haven't changed it because I keep spending the money on travel can't decide what to do about it - the house layout means I may want to change the room it is in completely. I do like it though.

FoxesOnSocks · 07/08/2016 18:52

Finding 'it's avacado you c**t' funnier than I probably should.

0hCrepe · 07/08/2016 19:08

Ooh Cardibach let me know if you change it soon! The more I'm looking though I think I'll probably settle for a traditional white style but go for mint and black tiling on the walls.

Yonosemanana · 07/08/2016 20:32

I brought this home in my hand luggage from a trip.. At some point I'm aiming for the bath and tiles to match, (DH was conviced to carry a box of tiles still not put up- even he couldn't manage a bath though!)but for now this is my little piece of vibrant bathroom heaven...

To mourn the demise of the colourful bathroom.
user1466795981 · 07/08/2016 21:19

Anyone know roughly when coloured loo paper was phased out?

mysteryfairy · 07/08/2016 21:45

Marks and Spencer do quite a range of patterned loo roll of which the silver stars is the most subtle. There is a floral one which is vivid pink and green. I think a four pack costs £3 and it's actually an economical buy when one of the frequent 3 for 2 offers is on. It's nice quality!

Coloured bathroom suites are definitely coming back and you can quite easily spend four figures on a cast iron coloured bath, though admittedly the look is more Edwardian than 70s. Lots to be admired via Pinterest.

I think for anyone who is left with an original 70/80/early 90s suite the best bet is to embrace it and accessorise with orla kiiely or similar. Admittedly the more vintage your suite the better for this effect and 70s tiles are much easier to carry this off with than 80s or 90s.

emotionsecho · 07/08/2016 21:55

Relatives has a beautiful deep plum coloured suite, our first house had a pink bathroom suite, the bath was fabulous deep and kept hot for ages much better than the modern acrylic baths.

I quite like coloured bathroom suites, I think they can work in the right setting and as others have said make a refreshing and interesting change from boring white.

MothertotheLordsofmisrule · 07/08/2016 22:10

My parents had a peach suite with the choice of red or green undertones. They went for the greenish tinge and had peach toilet paper.

My granddad favoured the tracing paper single sheet stuff which always threatened to give you paper-cuts where you don't want them.Shock

19lottie82 · 07/08/2016 22:12

This is a cracker....... The pink grout finishes it off nicely!

To mourn the demise of the colourful bathroom.
scarednoob · 07/08/2016 22:13

when I was little, one house we lived in had a purple bathroom and a yellow bathroom. bet they are both white now!

BertieBotts · 07/08/2016 22:14

It was the case for ages that you could only get pink or white, I remember wondering why they were the only choices!

Then they had all kinds of colours, I remember being very excited by lilac toilet paper Blush

I bought the stupidly expensive Andrex stuff with the owls and spots and things in bright colours when that was out a few years ago and it brought me much merriment.

Now I have a child who seems to eat loo roll so I just buy whatever is cheaper per sheet... £1.99 for four rolls would be a waste these days.

BertieBotts · 07/08/2016 22:16

Ooh no I don't think silver and black will come in for bathroom stuff, much too sterile. It looks nice in a kitchen, but wouldn't look great in a bathroom IMO.

PuppyMonkeyBaby · 07/08/2016 22:24

Our house was built in the 80's. The bathrooms are ugly beige. They'll get ripped out and replaced with white when we renovate.

couldntlovethebearmore · 07/08/2016 22:33

Not bathroom related but my nan had a wonderful salmon pink fitted wardrobe and dressing table...was beautiful

woodhill · 07/08/2016 22:43

Our current house had sun king yellow which was replaced with champagne which is ok but will be updated soon.

Old house had pink and grey which I liked.

Dps house had a blue bathroom and pink ensuite built early 70s.