Whether it’s fashion or new trends in interior design or just everyday objects – the world is turning to color again: “Bright colors are back,” says trend expert Gabriela Kaiser. She sees behind the shift to bright colors a sense of optimism, which had faded due to the constant crises.

Especially after the last few years and the consolidation of monochrome through social networks, Kaiser believes that many people again desire the diversity and expression that can be achieved through color. “Right now, red, in a chair or an armchair, for example, is showing up more and more at trade shows,” says Kaiser. Red symbolizes energy and dynamism. It also clearly says “Here I am, look at me”.

But why does it take courage to paint?

Color psychologist Axel Better advises using color consciously – whether through a small stroke in a bag or a colorful notebook. “You seem more open that way,” he explains. Color can not only lift our mood, but also signal that we are ready to stand out from the crowd and show off our personality. The psychologist even recommends more “courage in the use of color”. According to him, colors express appetite for life, diversity and polyphony.

And why do some people not want to paint at all?

As Better points out, there can never be just one trend – “except perhaps in dictatorships”. And so there are those who prefer to go around… monochrome: “Especially in times of crisis, fear can lead people to want to have as few influences as possible on their surroundings” – perhaps because they believe that by reducing the colors , the world becomes more manageable. According to Better, there are also those who do not use colors out of fear – lest they make the wrong decision.

When… did cars lose their color in Germany?

Clothes and accessories are easy to change – fashions come and go and these are replaced with almost every new trend. Cars, however, are another story. And, at least as far as their color is concerned, their future looks rather… murky and colorless.

This is according to statistics from the Federal Motor Transport Authority. By last July, around 33% of new cars registered this year were silver.

Black cars come second, with a percentage of 20%. The first most “intense” color, blue, comes quite a bit later on the list, with just 8.7% – red 5% and green just 3%. “Cars have lost their color globally since the 2000s,” Better says. “Once upon a time things were different and you can clearly see that in classic cars and old timers.”

What is the favorite color of Germans?

The blue! It’s something that research consistently confirms, says the psychologist, adding that this isn’t just the case since many right-wing parties have adopted various shades of blue. After all, blue usually symbolizes something positive. “But this does not mean that Germans buy everything in blue or that they paint the walls in their houses blue.”

Edited by: Chrysa Vachtsevanu