Why are all the program backgrounds plain white, like Outlook?

[Windows Central Question]

In Outlook 2007 for example, there was a nice blue for column headers and dividing lines between columns, as well as the tool bar ribbon. Now, unless I select the gray background, which looks horrible - like a 3rd grade software game background, it is essentially all white and rather hard to read. I have toyed with the color preferences and theme, but this does not flow through to the programs.

 

[Nicholas Ek]

What do you mean?

This is what Outlook 2016 looks like on my computer: