Is the world draining of colour?

Last month a viral post on Twitter by The Cultural Tutor culturaltutor argued how the world has become less colourful over the last two centuries The observations were based on a study funded by UKbased Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre PEC Data scientists studied 7000 photographs of objects in 21 categories largely everyday and familiar objects such as home appliances telephones etc The objects were part of the collection belonging to the Science Museum Group The study observed that greyscale colour shades of grey now make up three quarters of cars produced globally compared to less than 50 per cent in the past and that neutral colours are by far the most popular in clothing or when painting homes and buying a carpetldquoNudes and greys are very much coloursrdquo insists Amit Syngle MD and CEO of Asian Paints ldquoIn fact they are a nuanced set of shades the complexity in undertones makes them interesting and likeable The range of colours isnrsquot limited to bright reds and vibrant yellows Colours with calm characteristics have their own charm and can stimulate differentlyrdquoThe paint manufacturing company has been studying colour and its influence for several years Commenting on the behavioural shift seen in the last two decades Syngle says ldquoIn the first decade of the 2000s it was the rage to have a statement wall in a bright colour Colour choices in the 1990s were in clusters People were inspired by their neighbourrsquos home and entire colonies would be painted a signature colour Today customisation and selfexpression drive decisions Greens and teals dominated home deacutecor in 2021 and this year pinks and lavenders are popular choicesrdquoHospitality designer Shweta Kaushik who is the aesthete behind restaurants and dining spaces such as Bayroute Hitchki and Woodside Inn has her own personal space wrapped up in green ldquoI am usually bombarded by visual imagery of pattern and colour all day thanks to my work At home I want an environment of serenity and green is that colour for me Itrsquos calming and rejuvenatingrdquo she says PICSAMEER MARKANDEThere is so much visual chaos today especially on social media that people want less of it inside their residential spaces says interior designer Kumpal Vaid who is also the founder of the design studio Purple Backyard in Bandra West ldquoPeople prefer to come home to a calmer viberdquo she explains ldquoA decade ago in the nascent stage of my career primary colours and bold designs marked residential and recreation spaces Somewhere along the way we moved towards minimalism However in the Indian context we are never purely minimalistic because we love our nooks and corners to feel a little homely and livedinrdquoVaid feels the palette is more harmonious now ldquoI definitely see a bit of colour coming back every now and then but it is more rhythmic For instance many tones a term that refers to the degree of lightness or darkness of a shade of one colour or many shades of cool colours come together instead of mix and match or contrast People prefer tranquillityrdquoWoodside Inn which is modelled after an English pub has plenty of wooden elements Kaushik say she added splashes of deep bottle green but in a neutral tone so as to not be in your face and paired it with a greyish tone of blue for contrastShweta Kaushik hospitality designer and founder of Mumbaibased design studio SKID agrees ldquoAbout 20 years ago Zenstyle minimalist movement entered our lives Grey became a very important neutral in that trend Japandi a blend of Scandinavian and Japanese design became increasingly popular in home decor but because of Japanrsquos stoicism it became spartan and died down Then came kitsch which is all about eclectic colours and patterns The move to cleaner lines and neutral earthy tones came after kitsch and it offered a respite from the presiding opulent design of the timerdquo Kaushik says this seeded an acceptance of minimalism and soon beige spoke of luxury and sophistication ldquoEven today if you search for luxury homes on Pinterest yoursquoll see a monochromatic harmonious structure with beige marbles and fabricsrdquoVellorebased artist Osheen Siva who creates futuristic artwork through murals sculptures digital art and fine art works with an overarching palette featuring complementary bright and bold coloursKaushik accepts that even colour comes with a neutral tonality Hotels tend to have a palette of browns beiges and greys to endure longer without frequent redecorating so that guests donrsquot get bored ldquoWe are never barred from using colours in restaurantsrdquo she says ldquoIn fact we are encouraged to use them to create a space where one blows off some steam after a tiring day It is like giving an opportunity to escape visually I have used maroon deep blue rust a nice shade of green to highlight and evoke certain emotionsmdashyou donrsquot want a calming vibe at a bar you need energy At fine dining restaurants you want to create serenity and calmness but with some eyepopping elements to make the place singrdquoKaushik is the aesthete behind restaurants and dining spaces such as Bayroute Hitchki Olive Bar amp Kitchen and Woodside Inn ldquoThe latter is modelled after an English pub so it has more wood elementsrdquo she explains ldquoWe added splashes of deep bottle green but in a neutral tone so as to not be in your face and paired it with a greyish tone of blue for contrast We have to create a certain element of drama in restaurantsrdquoFashion designer Kunal Rawal says that there been a shift in menswear as well While earlier pastels for men were also bold and bright but now there is variety within themmdashwhitewashed pastels warmer pastels pastels with a particular undertone Rawal also says that when he designs a collection he keeps a bunch of colours in mind to meet everyonersquos demandsFor residential spaces Kaushik strives to stave off visual fatigue ldquoColours are associated with moodsrdquo She says ldquoOver time a sense of fatigue sets in and it gets tiring and overwhelming So for a home where we spend more time we draw from nature to incorporate earthy tones such as terracotta or greens such as pistachio sage and olive but not emerald The current trend is browns and red but in neutral tonalityrdquoHer own personal space is wrapped up in green ldquoI am usually bombarded by visual imagery of pattern and colour all day thanks to my work At home I want an environment of serenity and green is that colour for me Itrsquos calming and rejuvenatingrdquoGreens and teals dominated home deacutecor in 2021 says Amit Syngle MD and CEO of Asian Paints adding that the range of colours is no longer limited to bright reds and vibrant yellowsThere has been a shift in menswear as well says Kunal Rawal whose eponymous label offering luxury menswear has just celebrated 15 years in the industry ldquoColours that werenrsquot accepted earlier are now being embracedrdquo is his opinion ldquoFor instance I always wanted to promote brown but there was a misconception that it wonrsquot work for Indian skin If you ask me itrsquos about the tone of the brown Earlier pastels for men were also bold and bright but now there is variety within themmdashwhitewashed pastels warmer pastels pastels with a particular undertone There are more unique options within those colours Men have also become more selfassured and open to experimenting in ethnic wear Colours they like are chosen over trending ones When I design a collection I keep a bunch of colours in mindrdquo says Rawal However for weddings Rawal urges clients to opt for classic neutral tones of ivory champagne and beige ldquoIn evening wear we love shades of burgundy and winerdquoVellorebased artist Osheen Siva doesnrsquot agree with the study ldquoI have always found everything around me to be colourful bold and brightrdquo says the artist who works with an overarching palette featuring complementary bright and bold colours ldquoA lot of colours are inspired by the neighbourhood I grew up in so therersquos a lot of nostalgia Sometimes I use pastels and neons inspired by the hand painted typography architecture and clothing It helps explain the thought process behind my work Different colours emote differently Red is passionate and fiery greens are calming This helps portray and explain my concept betterrdquo says Siva