The Outdated Boomer Trend That's Making A Big Comeback In Bathrooms

In the world of design, younger homeowners tend to drive the latest cutting-edge trends, with new generations willing to push the envelope past the ideas of the homes they grew up in. However, the reality is that so many of these "fresh" home interior ideas are actually part of a cyclical pattern, where things that were once in fashion usually come back into style several decades or a generation later. Such is the case with something started by the parents of baby boomers, reinvented by the boomers, and then brought back to life again in today's bathrooms: colorful plumbing fixtures.

Colorful plumbing fixtures were first introduced to the U.S. in the 1920s. However, as baby boomers started purchasing homes and driving decor trends of their own in the 1970s through the 1990s, they put their own spin on technicolor plumbing fixtures. Boomers helped bring about new color introductions such as the quintessential avocado, mustard, burgundy, and brown hues that ruled the '70s, those pastel seafoam green, baby blue, and rose pink designs and decor trending in the '80s, and the biscuit, almond, and peach phase of the '90s. 

However, when the neutral beige chokehold of the early 2000s took hold, colorful plumbing became less in fashion. In the 2020s, we may be seeing a resurgence of these old-school baby boomer palettes — with people favoring more color in their bathroom, especially in their fixtures. Let's dive into these forms of boomer nostalgia popping up in today's newly designed bathrooms.

As I have seen in my interior design practice over the past couple years, colorful plumbing fixtures are back in a bold way! Today's kaleidoscope bathroom interiors are paying homage to boomer color palettes in two ways: both in a fairly faithful vintage throwback vibe, as well as a more nuanced, modern take on the boomer bathroom suite with clean lines, matte finishes, and mixed materials. 

There's been a contemporary resurgence of interest in colorful plumbing fixtures, which I strongly believe is because more people are rebelling against the stark, safe (dare I say, boring) white-on-white bathrooms of late and are willing to take exciting color risks for the sake of impactful design. 

With current bathroom trends centered around personality, color, and warmth, it's no surprise that sinks, tubs, and toilets are now readily available in a wide rainbow of hues. While there are companies bringing back popular glossy boomer heritage colors straight out of vintage bathrooms, there's also a fantastic market of brands introducing nuanced matte-finished colors with a more modern spin.

Featuring sleek, contemporary silhouettes and clean lines, many of today's colorful fixtures give off a distinctly modern vibe rather than relying on vintage shapes. Additionally, instead of the polished finish of boomer fixtures, many contemporary plumbing selections have a subtle matte finish to give it an updated edge, such as on vessel basin sinks and clawfoot tubs. While there are some designs rocking the boomer idea of a full matching colorful bathroom suite, there's another wave of bathrooms showcasing a mix of finishes and colors on their fixtures. 

This curated mix creates a layered, more contemporary palette that nods to the retro concept rather than resurrecting it. Finally, brands are introducing a more dynamic range of hues beyond candy-colored pastels and throwback colors, with a variety of dramatic, moody tones and borderline neutrals that are more in line with today's color selections.

So whether your aesthetic is more retro-chic or eclectic modern, there are contemporary colorful bathroom fixtures that feel right at home elevating any look with charm, personality, and visual interest.