Everyone Owned It In The '60s And '70s: The Appliance Color We're Glad Stayed In The Past

Allow us to present a slice of life in the 1970s. Well before clean, white kitchens and stainless steel appliances topped buyers' wish lists, the room we cook in was a bold, bright place. One of the most common colors was avocado green — the hue was on everything from cabinet doors to appliances. Avocado green was introduced by GE in 1966, two years after the manufacturer debuted wood-hued coppertone and two years before harvest gold gained popularity. From there, the shade that now perplexes modern homeowners was adopted by a slew of other major appliance brands. Before long, consumers were snapping up refrigerators, ovens, stand mixers, crockpots, and more, all finished in avocado green.

In other words, decades before avocado toast became a must-have brunch item, avocado toasters were trending in kitchens. Then, at the start of the '90s, GE decided it was, er, all white to do away with color. When they introduced their white-on-white line of ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, and dishwashers to the market, the brand proclaimed in one ad: "It's a far cry from avocado. And it certainly isn't harvest gold, either." By the turn of the 21st century, consumers were clamoring for the stainless steel appliances that they saw featured in celebrity chef kitchens. And while the use of cozy colors in kitchens is making a comeback, avocado green can be tough to work with, tending to pull focus in any space. When home buyers encounter it in the wild, Sarah Archer, author of "The Midcentury Kitchen" told Jezebel, they tend to swap it out. "Anyone who renovates an old fixer-upper," she shared, "very often you're ripping out some harvest gold or avocado appliances."

For some home chefs, the '70s throwback offers a desirable kitsch factor. But, while there's evidence that buyers are interested in going green — in Fixr.com's 2026 Interior Design and Color Trends Report, 66% of designers predicted a rise in restorative greens like olive and sage — the particularly bold shade of avocado remains an acquired taste. Even as The New York Times asked if the avocado green kitchen could make a comeback back in 2020, the outlet made more of a case for moving away from all white everything toward popular hues like dark green, plum, and pink. 

And with appliances in shades of olive, teal, and chocolate brown on display at the 2025 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, it's evident cook spaces are about to get a lot more colorful. Even if avocado green is far from your first pick, there are plenty of alternatives to stainless steel appliances that still look sleek. Wood-faced appliances are making a return, as are black and slate gray picks. For those looking for creative ways to add a pop of color to their kitchen, red is a classic choice.

But before you fill your kitchen with colorful appliances, consider if you're just hopping on a trend or if you'll still love that bright yellow refrigerator years down the line. It's smart to start small. Balance a brightly hued appliance with natural wood cabinetry or streamlined white tile. Or consider using the backsplash, bar stools, or smaller, more easily replaceable appliances to bring bold color trends into the kitchen for a look that won't ever go out of style.