Inspiring editorial from MIX Magazine
Are we seeing a decline in colour? Recent data and drivers suggest this might be true. Yet looking a little closer, a more complex and nuanced picture emerges.
Rick Owens | Tomb Chair | Desacralized by Galeria Philia | Photo Maison Mouton Noir, courtesy of Galerie Philia
In a church in Milan, Galerie Philia presented a group of objects for its exhibition Desacralized; the only agreed imperative was that the work shown should be entirely white. This minimal colour approach tallied with our own findings, expressed in recent story PLAIN (2024/25). This overwhelmingly neutral palette was unprecedented; a colour group no longer playing a supporting act in balancing brighter tones.
And the direction of travel was underlined further by a report by Nesta data analyst Cath Sleeman:
“Our preliminary analysis suggests that everyday objects may have become a little greyer over time.”
Nesta | Changes in the colour of objects in the Science Museum’s collection over time
So what’s going on here? First up, Sleeman’s data set was sourced from the Science Museum Group Collection; over 7,000 photographs of everyday objects in 21 categories, from lighting to domestic appliances. The most common colour found was indeed a dark, charcoal grey. The ascendancy of this colour was matched by a decline in brown and yellow. Highly saturated colours did register, starting in the 1960s, but they are insignificant in comparison to grey’s dominance.
Kasthall
Yet on closer inspection, reports of colour’s relative demise may be overstated. As Sleeman herself explains, this review is not definitive.
“We must remember that the photographs examined here are just a sample of the objects within the collection, and the collection itself is also a non-random selection of objects. Moreover, these trends will continue to change as new objects are acquired.”
Sleeman also indicates that the materials used are hugely influential; the decline in brown heralded the jump from wood to plastic.
Yet materials aren’t the only story here, there are other factors at play. It’s important to remember that the gulf between directional and commercial colour has always been staggeringly wide. As is often noted, for many people choosing colours is at best baffling and at worst terrifying. This incipient consumer conservatism has no doubt powered the current preference for grey. Sue Wadden, Director of Colour Marketing, The Sherwin-Williams Company, explains:
“A lot of designers are stuck on the wheel, it’s really a big challenge to engage with colour, we need to convince people not to be afraid, if we are to break out of these doldrums.”
Luiz
Global economic insecurity doesn’t help of course; grey is the ultimate safe neutral. As Wadden reveals, prior to the sub-prime crisis in the US in 2008, Americans favoured rich colours like terracotta, after the sub-prime, grey dominated.
“When there is a lot of noise, as there is at the moment, a sort of perma-crisis, then you can’t blame people for opting for calm, undemanding colours that offer a respite from all the chaos. Nothing too bright or bold; colours that are above all stable.”
Lyfa
And don’t forget the prevailing headwinds of minimalism and functional utilitarianism. Liz Michael, Founder and Creative Director, Gris Paints explains:
“I do think people are increasingly looking for pared back aesthetics. I can’t tell you what is in people’s minds, but I do think people seem to be attracted to a more minimalist and cohesive concept."
Faina | Duzhyi | Desacralized by Galeria Philia | Photo Maison Mouton Noir, courtesy of Galerie Philia
Factor in the extraordinary longevity of Scandinavian aesthetics, currently fused with that other culture of colour minimalism, Japan, and its surprising palettes are featuring any colour at all. Rachel Lacy, Colour Category Manager, PPG Architectural Coatings Australia and New Zealand agrees:
“Everything remains very stripped back, there’s nothing frivolous about colour at the moment.”
Rather than the ubiquity of grey, perhaps a more persuasive argument is that neutrals have simply become a lot more diverse and are no longer playing a solely supportive role, as discussed in our story PLAIN. Lacy agrees:
“When I first worked in the paint industry, there were very limited neutrals, now they cover the entire spectrum. It’s more about colour strength, these are greyed down colours that sit on the edge of neutrality. This is a group that has expanded 10-fold and it’s one of the most significant changes in the last 20 years.”
Lyfa
There are, however, some curve balls coming grey’s way, notably the unknowable outcome of colour’s response to the Metaverse. The very un-grey Metaverse could well change the way we use colour, as choice is effectively unlimited and unconstrained by the physical qualities of materials, with specific colours working better on screen than others. We just don’t know yet how these particular cards are going to fall. Perhaps rather than domination, what we will see in the future is more polarisation. This is what Wadden believes, viewing the advent of new tech as likely to herald a parting of the ways.
“You have to pick a lane, either super-natural, sustainable and crafts based, or super tech. It’s a tricky colour space to navigate at the moment.”
However Lacy remains unconvinced that the impact of the Metaverse will be profound:
“The idea that we are all going to fly towards bright colours; I don’t see that happening in the near future. Possibly for creative professionals there is room for inspiration drawn from the Metaverse, or arts and crafts as a rebuff against the prevailing pared down aesthetic, but that group is at best niche.”
Maybe the wane in Western dominance of aesthetics could trigger changes in grey’s trajectory? As regions like India, China and Latin America grow in confidence, so colours that resonate culturally will inevitably inform global palettes. The natural hues that started gathering pace during the Covid-19 pandemic are potentially another colour group to watch, specifically greens and deep browns.
Gris Paints | © Gris Paints
Sleeman’s dataset ended in 2020, tantalisingly just before the pandemic hit. Despite the headwinds of global uncertainty, a long-term decline in colour seems unlikely to continue. Instead, a relative polarisation of the market seems a surer bet. Luckily, The Science Museum will carry on conducting colour analysis and, as Sleeman points out,
“It is important to remember that the results shown above will continue to change as the collection evolves, and as more objects within the collection are photographed.” With colour, nothing is ever set in stone."
MIX Magazine is a quarterly print and digital publication by our creative agency, Colour Hive and is available as part of Colour Hive membership.
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