Beige is the Winner

We always knew that right? In fact, some may say that life revolves around the push-pull against and for beige. We want the calm and the known or the different and the ever-changing. So it was in the late 60s and so it is today, apparently, and surprisingly.

Consider these two very separate sitings posted on the web today. For your inspection, item one: In response to an article in the New York times about buyer's remorse, a gentleman writes about his experiences selling wall coverings in the late 60s and how they would add "curb appeal items with strong or dynamic colorings to attract attention, realizing that most consumers would end up buying 'beige'”.

Item two: A more detailed and studied offering from TrendWatching - the trend Blandtastic. Similarly to the reaction of the 60s, this is a reaction to the designed and to the styled. It's a return to beige again! From TrendWatching, "Every imaginable luxury item and service has trickled down to the great unwashed, making good design, beauty and style ridiculously affordable and ubiquitous, and thus utterly undesirable to those in the know. Says Brian Pillsbury, manager of the Howard Johnson LaGuardia: 'It took us a couple of months to figure out why we were suddenly seeing occupancy rates of 85%, and why our lobby was crowded with well-heeled European visitors.'"

My first thought: what are they thinking? Soon after: is good design really a quaint idea? Or are those who were into luxury for the sake of L U X U R Y, just moving on to the next trend? Or, is it really the economy which is dictating what things (certain) people can spend money on?

Surprise Witness: Spotted last week, "I believe the evidence is powerful that, as incredible as it may seem, U.S. consumers are going to start living within their means again. Brace yourself," says Fortune Senior Editor-at-Large Geoff Colvin, declaring the 'buying binge' over, October 16, 2007, as read from Iconoculture.

The housing market may have helped these trends along in the U.S., but it may have already been a trend, for whatever reason, in many places around the world.

Personally, I'm happy to have design and art available for the masses, but then again, I'm a studied librarian who is for information for all. Information is basically anything - food for the body or art for the mind. The more it is everywhere, the more it is good. Also, I work at a design company, ergo, I like design. Just because design is everywhere doesn't make me want to go to beige just because doing so is different. Who does that?