You only need to look at your phone or laptop, which are undoubtedly in shades of black or slate grey, to realise how colourless everyday objects have become. It’s a fact that the UK-based Science Museum Group observed in a study that examined photographs of objects in its collection in a bid to kickstart a conversation around our progression to pallid pigments. More than 7,000 photographs from recent decades, of objects such as printers, computers and telephones, were reviewed. Among the conclusions? There has been a resounding increase in charcoal.While this shift has been partially attributed to the use of more plastic as opposed to wood, it does make one wonder whether we are in fact moving towards a more monochrome world. And, if so, are we leaving a sense of individualism and self-expression behind?It’s something that a crop of creatives in Denmark – a nation whose recent design history is defined by muted, minimalist design – have tapped into, acknowledging that the country’s pared-back aesthetic is both a crown jewel and, perhaps, a ball and chain. “Many designers play it safe,” says Copenhagen-based artist Helle Mardahl, who creates glassware in mint greens and cherry reds. “People tend to invest in safe and timeless design instead of something bold that stands out.”The use of colour in a place, or lack thereof, can be attributed to a number of things: people following a uniform trend, trying to fit in or gain a sense of false control. What needs to shift is understanding when and how to use colour. According to Copenhagen-based colour specialist Josephine Akvama Hoffmeyer, it’s something that’s best appreciated first-hand. The founder and creative director of surface-design brand File Under Pop frequently travels to her father’s home country of Ghana, which has unlocked a vividness that is hard for her to unsee. “Even the soil is a reddish-iron colour,” she says. “The colours are so bright, strong and easy to perceive.” The more designers in countries such as Denmark experience the bright hues of nations beyond the western colour canon, the more likely they are to break the monochromatic mould. It’s a colourful excuse to get out in the world – and one that we hope more designers take up.Mary Holland is Monocle’s New York correspondent. For more on the use of colour and other design-minded stories, pick up a copy of Monocle’s Salone del Mobile Special.