Alas, it has now become a cliche, this time of year, for all manner of manufacturers doing business in the color arena to declare their Color of the Year. As a result, I am now evolving to dislike this tradition — seems to me yet another way that marketeers are trying to convince the mass of America to dislike what they already have for grass that is greener (or purpler, or whatever). Nonetheless, I will give this a try for at least one more year. My annual Color of the Year selection is a bit of a different stripe: I like to show how colors of bygone days are just fine, very pretty, thank you very much. So, for 2014, our Retro Renovation Color of the Year is one of the most disparaged of vintage colors: Harvest Gold. I like this color very much. This is a wonderful color. Phlew on you, marketeers and interior design fascionistas, who try to convince us that harvest gold is h***** and d**** and must be banished in favor of (the baloney you are trying to sell us today). Above: Formica selected a harvest gold shade for both the walls and carpet in this 1966 advertisement. See how harvest gold plays so nice with others? Above: Maribeth’s kitchen came with a harvest gold dishwasher.
Harvest Gold as we know it catches fire in 1967
I have not done all the historical research to back this statement up, but: I believe that what we now call harvest gold — a somewhat muddy lightish gold — has always been a popular color in home decorating. A tarnished brass is not too far off from harvest gold. And before polymer lacquer was invented, brass tarnished. Linen takes on a lovely gold patina, all the more so when it oxidizes.
Gold has the effect of bringing a bit of yellow sunshine into a room. I think of it as a neutral. I have a harvesty gold wall to wall carpet in my basement, which has cherry paneled walls and overall, an early American feel, and it is a wonderful, warm base for the space. My bedroom walls are gold.
Of course, today we associate the color Harvest Gold with the 1970s, when it became a very popular as a color for kitchen appliances, in particular.
Important history of Harvest Gold for kitchen appliances: According to reader Patrick, who has done a lot of research on appliance colors, GE introduced the color Harvest (never officially know as Harvest Gold) in 1967 Spring 1968. “This color along with Avocado,” he said, “catches on like wild fire and is offered until circa 1984.”
In an updated comment (originally posted in comments, below), Patrick says:
General Electric introduced the color Harvest (GE never called it Harvest Gold) in the Spring of 1968 and soon other manufacturers followed suit. In 1976 all the appliance manufacturers picked a standardized color palette to begin being offered in 1977. Prior to this decision the colors offered by one manufacturer did not exactly match the colors that an other manufacturer offered, ergo if you wanted to mix and match appliance brands your only choice was to pick white so the colors would be harmonious. At the end of 1976 General Electric started running a campaign introducing its New Naturals color palette in home magazines of the day. The new colors were Harvest Wheat, Fresh Avocado, Coffee, Onyx, Snow White, and a new color called Almond……. Harvest Gold as it became known was offered into the mid 80’s.
Above: Wilsonart put this color on to laminates in the late 1960s, although I squinty squinty cannot see what they named this color.
Above: The color was popular on upholstery and as an accent color in earth-toned interiors popular in the 1970s. But HEY, pretty much this same color can be found on sparkly frieze upholstery back in the 1950s, too. Okay, maybe the old gold has a little less green in it, but it’s darn close. Both photos from: 10 Kroehler sofas from 1976.
Why did Harvest Gold fall from favor?
In a consumer-driven society, these big color trends eventually collapse under the weight of their own popularity. Actually, it’s a testament to the fact that through the 1980s, we were so less consumer-driven that color trends like harvest gold even lasted as long as they did. Today, I think that the color cycles of what’s “in” and what’s “out” are turning faster and faster. Beware buying according to trends!
Disclaimer
I love all colors.
I am saying “harvest gold” in a wide sense. Warm golds and even yellows that tend toward the warm gold — like ripened cornfields… the leaves on sugar maples in the fall… and Sting’s mesmerizing fields of gold:
Do you use this color in your house today?
Emily says
We bought a house built in 82 with great interesting architecture including a central courtyard and a loft. It had been a rental for years, every thing beige, tan or grey. We have painted the walls gold and the 18 foot ceilings rust and we are featuring green in the kitchen. Added a few vintage light fixtures, a macrame chair and shag carpet in the loft. All we need now is a few spider plants and turntable!
Ruth Wadsworth says
I have a harvest gold kitchen fresh from 1976. Original floors, counters, and wallpaper. I’d attach pictures but there doesn’t seem to be an option for that here.
Brenda Zolli says
I am definitely a blue person! So when I moved into my current home in 1979, I was slightly h******** [edited] to find a harvest gold kitchen..floor, wallpaper, appliances. I h**** [edited] it and couldn’t wait to change it out.
We ended up painting the very dark cabinets white and put in a neutral ceramic tiled floor. Luckily the counters were white already, and the dishwasher had a white panel inside (remember those?), so, once we installed a new white stove, I was able to get my much desired blue and white kitchen. I still have one remnant left in the master bathroom, the fiberglass shower stall! We exchanged the harvest gold sink and toilet for white. My handy husband tiled the walls and floor black and white. The shower was in good shape and we couldn’t afford to replace it, so I painted the wall a soft creamy yellow, which complements the gold. When the black and white shower curtain is pulled, you hardly notice it.
I like white for appliances and fixtures. It never goes out of style.
HH says
I am redoing a 1970 camper. It a harvest gold sink, stove and hood vent. I bought a dorm refrig (white) and would love to paint it gold. Any resources in where I can find harvest gold paint in a shake can?
Thanks
pam kueber says
I don’t know the answer to this one, HH. Perhaps a local auto body shop would paint it for you for not too much????
Donald says
I have had custom color matched automotive paint mixed by a good paint store. That part wasn’t too expensive. They can put it in spray cans (I did this for some) but that was over $150 if memory serves. Better off to just get the paint have an auto body shop spray it for you.
Doug kreiss says
Hi folks I am trying to find “Harvest” Formica sheets. I am restoring a 1977 Chevy K5 Blazer Chalet, and the interior is harvest gold or something a bit more yellow. But I can’t find the Formica can anyone help? Please let me know. Thanks
pam kueber says
Hi Doug, there are many more companies to try https://retrorenovation.com/2011/09/19/8-places-to-find-retro-laminate-for-kitchen-or-bathroom-countertops-my-researchtips/han just Formica, see this story where we give you the names and hotlinks to nine companies that make that make laminate. Happy hunting:
Chris Hyde says
We just bought a house with a kitchen full of perfect condition St. Charles cabinets in Harvest Gold. it is a huge kitchen with an island. We love them !
pam kueber says
Yay! Welcome!
jill savely says
AWESOME…. we purchased a house with Orange St Charles cabinets; my guess is that it had Harvest Gold appliances. The Clue: the Harvest gold sink and the harvest gold Mannington floor.
Pam Kueber says
Lovely colors all!
Deborah says
I have a 70s pressure canner in that wonderful color. I bought it to do roasts in.
My friend just bought a fabulous unaltered MCM ranch house. Her kitchen and appliances are harvest gold. I am so happy she loves the house the way it is. Its like a 50s time capsule.
Jan says
My very first washer and dryer on my own were Harvest (Gold). I was being, I think, rather “rebellious” and getting completely away from my parents’ Avocado appliances (at one time, all of them; but in later years, when they sold that house and left all the kitchen appliances, they had a Maytag washer and dryer for a few decades!). Although, I’ve always liked anything yellow!
Jacquie Y says
We found a 1972 P7 GE Spacemaker stove slathered in almond paint. I sent an email story of how we came across this gem. Look for “The Search for Harvest gold”. You said you didn’t have much in the way of pics, oh, …I definitely have some! 🙂
Rebekah says
My mother still has her 1978 harvest gold double oven and cast-iron sink when she moved into her home in 1978 in TX. The double oven and cooktop still works today.