This seems very true in the UK, too (the car park picture is familiar, and our favourite family game in the car is spotting rare pink / yellow / green cars).
But while there are lots of mention of "the world" and "global" (not least in the headline), this seems to be almost entirely about the US... American culture is of course pervasive in much of the world (eg the example here of Apple laptops), but is this truly a global / worldwide trend?
Perhaps it's partly due to the monochromatic tendency of Western civilisation that overseas trips can seem so vibrant and colourful?
I think part of the push to neutrals is mass market efficiency, but also, the desire for calm vs chaos. I decorate with neutrals on everything that is expensive and hard to change. Stainless steel, or white in a kitchen is timeless, and you can always add color with less expensive items. I have a gray home with white trim that serves as a backdrop for a riot of flower colors. I happen to have a red car, which is fun, but the interior is cream and gray. There is more positive in these trends than you allow. I am not depressed.
Great perspective, Elizabeth. I do interior design for fun, and it's wise to stay neutral with your core and investment pieces and use art and accessories to bring your home to life.
What color are the walls of most art galleries? (Pronounced ark elleries in my part of the world.) Start with a plain canvas, then add shape and color economically or bountifully to taste.
The year before the Palisades Fire (house survived - roof sprinkler system) we painted our home in what I called “Sedona colors”: a dark yellow with brick red trim. Our friends from other countries loved med it, most neighbors, not so much until one put up a bright blue fence. Our little corner is much cheerier as our neighborhood rebuilds.
Vindication! I have been complaining about the depressive Soviet lack of color for some time now. Even wood flooring looks mildly charred. Horrible and hopeless looking!
This essay is insightful. It adds confirmation to my suspicions of late. While the focus is on the relationship of the phenomena to the colors of what we live and work in, and of what we travel between them in, it just hints at more. The colors of the Gens X, Y and Z design pallets and relationship to that and the zeitgeist of America. Possibly more revelatory is that aspect of our color pallet of our design sensibility expressed on a daily scale... our clothing. Being an old hippy boomer, frequently in tie dyed clothing, I'm increasingly concerned at the colorless decisions my younger friends are making.
It surely speaks of something much darker deep in the soul of western nations generally where I think the phenomena is most visible. I think it is spiritual actually..
Very interesting read. In my neighborhood, at least 50% of the houses have painted their brick white. It is a very strange phenomena. I feel like I’m living in a monochromatic Neighbourhood and I don’t like it.
I miss the colours. Specially in Northen Ontario where the winters are so long. It’s gray inside and outside. We’ve been gradually adding colour back to our home and surroundings. I find that it has a huge impact on mood and motivation.
This seems very true in the UK, too (the car park picture is familiar, and our favourite family game in the car is spotting rare pink / yellow / green cars).
But while there are lots of mention of "the world" and "global" (not least in the headline), this seems to be almost entirely about the US... American culture is of course pervasive in much of the world (eg the example here of Apple laptops), but is this truly a global / worldwide trend?
Perhaps it's partly due to the monochromatic tendency of Western civilisation that overseas trips can seem so vibrant and colourful?
Grey has also taken over my hairline
To get you ready for the white coming along just behind it!
I think part of the push to neutrals is mass market efficiency, but also, the desire for calm vs chaos. I decorate with neutrals on everything that is expensive and hard to change. Stainless steel, or white in a kitchen is timeless, and you can always add color with less expensive items. I have a gray home with white trim that serves as a backdrop for a riot of flower colors. I happen to have a red car, which is fun, but the interior is cream and gray. There is more positive in these trends than you allow. I am not depressed.
Great perspective, Elizabeth. I do interior design for fun, and it's wise to stay neutral with your core and investment pieces and use art and accessories to bring your home to life.
What color are the walls of most art galleries? (Pronounced ark elleries in my part of the world.) Start with a plain canvas, then add shape and color economically or bountifully to taste.
The year before the Palisades Fire (house survived - roof sprinkler system) we painted our home in what I called “Sedona colors”: a dark yellow with brick red trim. Our friends from other countries loved med it, most neighbors, not so much until one put up a bright blue fence. Our little corner is much cheerier as our neighborhood rebuilds.
Chrome yellow is one of my favorites.
There is no little girl who goes to sleep dreaming of a Mies van der Rohe dollhouse.
Vindication! I have been complaining about the depressive Soviet lack of color for some time now. Even wood flooring looks mildly charred. Horrible and hopeless looking!
This essay is insightful. It adds confirmation to my suspicions of late. While the focus is on the relationship of the phenomena to the colors of what we live and work in, and of what we travel between them in, it just hints at more. The colors of the Gens X, Y and Z design pallets and relationship to that and the zeitgeist of America. Possibly more revelatory is that aspect of our color pallet of our design sensibility expressed on a daily scale... our clothing. Being an old hippy boomer, frequently in tie dyed clothing, I'm increasingly concerned at the colorless decisions my younger friends are making.
Great article! In the UK it is noticeable that people who drive black cars rarely bother to put their lights on in conditions of low visibility. Why?
Do you know how much it costs to replace the light bulb on a car? Your turn indicators will also last longer if you don't use them.
It surely speaks of something much darker deep in the soul of western nations generally where I think the phenomena is most visible. I think it is spiritual actually..
hehe- do they also reflect smog levels?
Very interesting read. In my neighborhood, at least 50% of the houses have painted their brick white. It is a very strange phenomena. I feel like I’m living in a monochromatic Neighbourhood and I don’t like it.
I do like minimalism though, feels like clarity and less visual noise
My car isn't gray. It's GUNMETAL.
I miss the colours. Specially in Northen Ontario where the winters are so long. It’s gray inside and outside. We’ve been gradually adding colour back to our home and surroundings. I find that it has a huge impact on mood and motivation.
I think grey was us hitting the reset button lol. Now, it’s time to let our freak flags fly.
It seems to mirror the whole feel/tone of society right now - don't want to offend, keep it bland.
But, I'm seeing more coloured cars out there, so there is hope. :)