A love letter is an ode to passion—something we create to express an uncontainable affection.
For Kohler, color is our passion, and we’ve written a love letter to color in the form of our archives, a vault of treasures lovingly curated and preserved over the past 100 years. Since the first introduction of color-matched fixtures in 1927, color has defined the Kohler aesthetic, and the Kohler aesthetic, in turn, has defined bathroom design.
Kohler colors capture the universal yet deeply personal experience of color. Our love of color has brought beauty into the world through the creativity and individuality of the millions of people who make it their own every day
Today, in celebration of a century of color, we share our love letter with the world.
Archives on the Road
Kohler Presents All for Color
A century ago, Kohler revolutionized interior design with the introduction of color-matched fixtures. Since that pivotal moment, we have been composing a love letter to color in the form of our archives. For the first time ever, we are unveiling our archives to the public, showing 100 years of color, culture, and design.
Explore the Swatches
Long before mood boards, Kohler’s Color Coordinator cards paired each fixture color with walls, floors and accessories.
Hover to see the color in its original advertising.
1934-1973
Pink and pretty and pastel.
1938-1986
Cool and clear — the light tone of sky and sea.
1953-1969
Spirits are brighter, work seems lighter...with a sink in Sunrise.
1965-1985
A deep blue from nature’s palette that lets you choose fixtures as an artist would.
1965-1996
Here’s bold beauty to behold!
1967-1979
A warm green that flatters a multitude of complementary colors.
1967-1979
Suddenly your home has high fashion.
1971-1979
Now the outdoors look is in.
The Archives
Step Inside The Archives
Using our history to authenticate and drive our bold ambition for the future, we collect, organize, preserve, and make accessible any record, physical or born-digital artifact of significant value to Kohler Co., to provide our businesses with authentic proof points and inspiration.
Stories Worth Telling
Have it Your Way
The late 1960s and early 1970s brought with them some “BOLD” ideas for the bathroom, enter the Lady Vanity and the Man’s Lav, transforming the bathroom sink into a personalized retreat for men and women.
Black in the Met
In the 1920s, Kohler introduced matching colors in cast-iron enamel and pottery glaze, an industry first that resulted in an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
From the Kohler Archives to LACMA
The Electric Sink, the one-piece toilet and the Environment have left the Archives for Los Angeles, part of LACMA’s look at six decades of imagining the home of the future.
Timeline
Our History
Founded in 1873 with an entrepreneurial passion and vision, Kohler Co. has spent over 150 years shaping a legacy of design, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Discover more than a century and a half of Kohler Co. milestones.