“Tiger Lily” kitchen sinks, “Antique Red” bathtubs, “Fresh Green” toilets — and new for Kohler in 1972, “Black Black”, too. The late 1960s heading into the early 1970s were chock full of interesting colors for bathroom and kitchen plumbing fixtures. These are some of my favorite colors ever — “Tiger Lily” orange, yes! — and don’t forget: Harvest Gold and Avocado galore. Let’s take a look at 15 photos from a Kohler catalog I recently added to my collection.First off, let’s get the color names:
That said, Google can’t read words in photos, so here’s the list:
Available on all products:
- Kohler Mexican Sand
- Kohler Peachblow
- Kohler Harvest Gold
- Kohler Avocado
- Kohler Cerulean Blue
- Kohler Fresh Green, introduced in 1971
- Kohler New Orleans Blue
Available on selected products:
- Kohler Black Black, new for 1972
- Kohler Coppertone
- Kohler Antique Red
- Kohler Tiger Lily
- Kohler Expresso
- Kohler Blueberry
Now let’s look at some of the colors in action:
Kohler “Black Black”, new for 1972.
Above: My favorite, Tiger Lily, is shown in the “Trieste” kitchen sink. I also spy Coppertone on the “New Man’s Lav” and the “New Urbanite” sink is Harvest Gold.
Avocado Green must already have been a phenom, because there were three photos of products in the catalog. Including of: Urinals; no comment.
My catalog was mostly in black-and-white — it was a catalog for stores to order from, not a consumer-focused catalog. I’m featuring pretty much all the product photos in it.
Above: That the Kohler “Lady Vanity” in Mexican Sand, I’m pretty sure. Those Lady Vanities — and their countertpart, the Man’s Lav, were awesome.
Above: I think the three photos above are all Cerulean Blue. The color is not identified.
Above: New Orleans blue is a deeper blue tnan Cerulean blue. The scan did not pick up the richness I see in the actual catalog image.
Yikes, dig the poles — these were marketed as “stanchions” in sets of four. They included two stanchions with interior water tubing and shower arms.
I’ve seen this sanchioned bathtub in the wild [emphasis: wild!]:
I visited then wrote about this 1963 ‘Showgirl Chic” Palmer Krisel house when I spoke at Las Vegas Home & History Week. An incredible bathroom in an incredible house!
Back to the Kohler catalog: Peachblow shower insert… and a pair of bubblers. Yes, that’s what they call drinking fountains in Wisconsin, at least when I lived there many a moon ago.
Harvest Gold. And a Stangl wigstand in the photo shoot — I had one of those but I… dropped it.
Scrumptious, all of these colors.
ineffablespace says
The faucet shape of several of those faucets is Triton but with different decorative handles. They had a different name I am sure but the shape less the handles is Triton, and Triton is sold without handles. You may be able to get vintage handles to work.
Tut says
The avocado tub, shower surround, and dual sinks are still in my parents’ house. Sadly the toilet was replaced with something, eh, whitish.
I want an avocado urinal. That would kick ass.
Madeline says
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that looks like a Rochelle in Cerulean Blue and a Pompton in New Orleans Blue…!!!
One day, in all seriousness, I’m going to build my dream shed style cedar contemporary 70s house. I’d like to be able to source the right fixtures. Kohler needs to reintroduce all of these fantastic colors, as well as those gorgeous toilets!
Pam Kueber says
I’ll have to go look…
Allison says
Does the catalog give the name of the kitchen faucet on that avocado sink?
I need a new ebay search, like right this minute!
Pam Kueber says
I’ll have to go look…
ineffablespace says
This style, with the square knobs with interchangeable inserts (or not) was Kohler Alterna
The basic faucet shapes are still sold as Triton
Allison says
Thank you!
I see there are a few NOS bathroom and shower sets on ebay… $1150 and $2000!
My taste is better than my budget, apparently. But now that I know they exist, I can prowl Habitat with a new goal.
Allison says
My oldest friend from grade school recently showed me a picture of their house about 5 years ago, “before” their gut renovation. In the kitchen there had been a gorgeous Tiger Lily Trieste sink!
Ripped out and sent to the dump. Honestly, even if its not to your taste, couldn’t you give some other poor color fanatic a chance? I was mad at her for at least an hour.
Patti says
Just had to pull the Mexican Sand toilet out of the second bathroom. Least now I know the name of the color!
Susie Q. says
I was scrolling through, loving all these photos, when then–I got to the photo with the blue toilet. We had the same wallpaper in our bathroom when I was a kid! Ours was a red, white, blue, and black colorway–very bicentennial and patriotic. I spent many a year reading that wallpaper, lol! Now I miss it.
Pam Kueber says
Fantastic wallpaper: Bicentennial Chic! https://retrorenovation.com/2014/07/07/bicentennial-chic/
Tarquin says
Looking through, I would love New Orleans Blue, Avocado, and Tiger Lily also Harvest Gold. They are so perfect for a 70″s house. Kohler, please bring these colors back.
Tarquin says
I want all of this in my house. Why don’t they bring back color? It was so fun, exciting, and inviting. Is there anyone we can write to at Kohler and ask them to do it all again? I have a 70’s house and the kitsch is in the color; I could always use more.
Madeline says
I’m right with you! Let’s get Kohler to bring these back!
Carolyn says
I would venture to say that if you are in the area of SE WI (Kohler is about 90 min away from Chicago, Green Bay, or Madison) for any reason to stop in at the Great Wall of China (seriously – I can’t make up stuff like that!) and ask the tour guides when colors are coming back. Also, if a slew of people are contacting the company requesting a line of colored fixtures, they might see it as a need to fill. Strength in numbers.
Jeff H says
Wow, great colors– where have all the colors gone? Great design too. I really like that kitchen sink, lavatory, bubblers, and angular toilet.