I have to go on the record and admit that I hate gray. I think it’s dull, sad and depressing.
Now I know that interior designers are in love with gray—it’s the “it” color. Apparently, it’s the new neutral. Gray reminds me of the heavy, leaden winter skies in the Northeast where days dragged on and on, and seeing the sun was a treat.
So why would we recreate that bland, depressing environment in our homes? Gray—everywhere I look, people are painting their homes gray. Not just on the outside, but on the inside, too. Living room walls, bathrooms, bedrooms—everywhere there is gray.

I wish I knew who decreed that gray is hip and sophisticated so we could stage an intervention and release the American people from the tyranny of this despondent color.
In the community where I live, a designer decided to paint a large, cavernous restaurant gray, which she then accented with other shades of gray—a yellowish gray, a greenish gray and a darker gray. The effect is dreadful —eating in the restaurant reminds me of being in a cafeteria for depressed people—or an institution. I live in an “active adult” community where older people ride bikes, play baseball, workout in a gym and pursue many interesting activities. But when I go to our restaurant, I feel like I should be wearing a bib, and someone should be feeding me soft foods. The same designer has renovated other buildings in the community—and yes, they are all painted various shades of gray. I long for color—a wall of bright blue, a lovely sunny yellow or a soothing green would appease my despondent eye and soothe my psyche.
I wonder if I am a voice crying out in the depth of the great gray fog that has enveloped the environment. I can’t wait for the next “it” color to come along—and I pray that it is NOT gray, but rather an uplifting soothing color that pleases the eye and creates a happier atmosphere.