What if I were to tell you your world is fading to gray - literally? You may not believe me, but look around you. Look at the objects around, outside to the buildings’ facades, to the cars on the road. Note their colour, or rather, their lack thereof. 

Now consider these facts recently revealed in a study by the Science Museum Group, where researchers analyzed pictures of everyday objects, from 1800 onwards. 

Two centuries ago, there was a variety of different colours, with monochrome tones representing only about 15% of all items. But today, our world is governed by black, white, and gray with around 60% of objects being achromatic. Similarly, whilst bright funky-patterned wallpapers lined our parents’ childhood homes, our rooms are now white, or some shade of gray. And here is one last fact that might surprise you: three out of four cars sold nowadays are, again, in one of these three shades whereas in 1952, the colours blue, green, and red dominated the market. 

Graph from the study 

Now, the next question popping into your head might be: why? Why is it that our surroundings are becoming monopolized by shades of gray? Especially in an era where colours have become much more accessible, since we no longer have to grind them up manually. Well, this can be understood through three main reasons: standardization, perception and overstimulation. 

Standardization: The Capitalistic Drain

On one hand, the rise of readily available materials like plastic and stainless steel, and the decline of wood use, have all contributed to a more muted colour palette.

On the other hand, we can point the finger to capitalism and its global expansion. Companies often start by targeting a small audience and match styles to what that audience is accustomed to. As the company becomes larger, it requires more profit, so it needs to 'expand or die'. To expand, they have to find new audiences and this means softening the style choices to match the largest possible audience. Thus, the international reach of trade has led to homogenization of products and fashion, resulting in a loss of diversity and originality in designs, materials, and colors that are unique to each place and culture.

On the other side of the market - the customer one - capitalism also can be seen impacting individuals’ choices. Colour is commonly understood as a means of self-expression: kids often hold on to their favourite one as a hill to die on, as a foundational pillar of their identity. Yet, people seem to not be looking to express themselves with saturated vivid colors anymore. This phenomena is best understood through the economical lens as people prioritize higher resale prices - keeping a neutral palette enables a larger audience appeal - over unique markers of self-identity. After all, a gray couch may not light up your room, but it’ll lighten up your mood when it sells quickly. 

Perception: Chromophobia and Class

Colour has long been exiled to the margins of serious thought—dismissed as either a seductive danger or a frivolous distraction. It is the perpetual Other: too visceral for philosophy, too irrational for science, too feminine for high art. This is David Batchelor’s thesis which he exposes in his book called Chromophobia. He found that western aversion to colour stems from our association of it with otherness, excess, irrationality, and chaos, whereas black, white, and gray, on the other hand, are projected as neutral and serious. We can see this very clearly in our society: children wear vivid rainbow-coloured clothes but adults must wear neutrals in order to be taken seriously. 

Additionally, colour is also conceptualized as a social marker to aspire to, as a symbol of socio-economic status. In the past, dyes were expensive, therefore only the rich could afford colourful clothes or objects. Now, however, we have access to a wide range of colours at our fingertips. Yet, colour remains a luxury for only those who can afford it, a golden apple almost, yet not quite, within our reach. If you don’t believe me, think about a ferrari. I bet you're imagining it in a bright flaming red. A red termed unique by so many. But what ‘unique’ implies here is not simply that this red can be found nowhere else, but also that it is one with the car’s other attributes. The red is not an ‘extra’ that can be chosen, but instead an essential part of the car’s identity. 

Overstimulation: Excess Kills

Aldous Huxley once observed that “familiarity breeds indifference” —a truth that feels painfully obvious when looking at the world around us. After all, how could we possibly want to integrate colours in our daily life when our eyes are constantly assaulted with them in our environment. Ads scream in neon. Flags prone bold primary hues. Even food has taken on an unnaturally flamboyant palette, looking at you M&M’s. We see so much pure, bright colour around us that the only natural response to this excess in stimuli is to limit it as much as we can.

In spite of all this, this gray madness isn’t inevitable. It’s a choice - one driven by profit, social boundaries, and our collective retreat from sensory chaos. So, next time you buy a kitchen appliance, think twice about its colour. Wear bright blue. Paint your room a bold red. Choose a neon yellow car. Demand a world that’s not just livable, but lively.