What is the appeal of white, cold, stark contemporary environments? My neighbor just renovated her house. Its character has now been replaced with blinding white everywhere with all white Ikea appointments, hard chairs, almost nothing decorative, and no window treatments. I notice that some of the most sought after, expensive properties are ultra modern, devoid of charm, frosty bright, overly yang spaces. My local library was just redone in mostly white with bright florescent lighting, modern desks, and space aged lighting fixtures. Feels like a polar Star Trek set. As in my neighbor' s case, I much prefer the way it was before- softer lighting from more traditional fixtures, warm wood tones, some cozy colors, and soft furniture. I just don't get why so many people seem to gravitate toward cold, bright minimalistic spaces with uncomfortable furnishings that seem well suited to robots while inhospitable to flesh and blood humans. What am I missing? Can you offer some insights or otherwise fill me in?