The cryptic message in jade is called a rebus, a riddle composed of words with syllables depicted by symbols or pictures that suggest the sound of the words or syllables they represent.  For example, a common rebus for blessings is the foshou or Buddha’s hand citron, a fruit which resembles Buddha’s fingers.  When the Buddha’s hand citron is combined with the peach and pomegranate, it forms the motif of “the three plenties”–a wish for abundance of blessings, longevity and offspring.

In China, xi  or happiness, was often represented by the magpie whose name (xi) is a pun for happiness.  A magpie perched on the top of prunus branch (mei), which stands for eyebrows, represents a rebus for “happiness up to one’s eyebrows.” Two magpies become a symbol for double happiness.

The flower that symbolizes marriage is the lotus (hehua or lianhua).  He  is a pun for harmony while lian  is a pun for continuous, therefore, a wish for continuous harmony.  The lotus is one of the few flowers whose seedpod is already present when the flower begins to bloom.  To the Chinese, this excellent omen prophesied the early arrival of sons.  Other symbols of marriage include the double fish, a symbol of fertility and conjugal bliss; fish and water (a rebus for “may you agree like fish and water”), and a pair of mandarin ducks, symbols of fidelity and a happy marriage.  The crab (a pun for xie)  holding a stalk of grain is yet another rebus for harmony.

The dragon and phoenix were originally reserved as royal symbols of marriage, but they soon came into common use.  Another symbol of connubial bliss is represented by two badgers, a rebus for “double happiness.”  Symbols for children include gourds and vines, or melons with butterflies.

In ancient China rank was closely associated with wealth, for once a man became an official he was set for life.  Therefore it was the ardent wish of parents that their sons become scholars to pass the civil service exams with flying colors.  The flower that symbolizes this wish is the tree peony–the most popular Chinese botanical motif.  Because of this association the peony became known as “the flower of wealth and rank.”  Peonies are often combined with magnolia and crab apple blossoms to form the auspicious phrase yutang fugui  or “wealth and rank in the jade hall or wealthy establishment.”  (Jade Hall was also an elegant name for the Hanlin Academy, an official bureau in China made up of the highest literary degrees.)

The wish for an abundance of riches is evident among numerous rebuses connected with wealth.  Cash (coins with a square hole in the middle)  or gold and silver ingots were the symbols of wealth in China.  The interlocking coin motif was a popular one.  A goldfish wrapped in a lotus leaf signifies hebao jinyiu  or “an abundance of gold in one’s purse.”  A school of goldfish swimming in a pond (tang)  is a pun implying a wish for one’s household to be filled with gold and jade.  Abundance leads to prosperity.  Three rams (sanyang)  meant prosperity in the springtime, a complicated rebus which was a very auspicious symbol of the new year.  There were a number of gods of wealth in China including a seated official holding a gold ingot; a child dancing on an ingot or carrying one; or Liu Hai who teases his toad with a string of cash.

Shouying, the God of Longevity, is a benevolent old gentleman with a prominent cranium holding a staff and the peach of immortality.  The peach is of paramount importance in Chinese culture and one of the most popular motifs.  Cats and butterflies are also symbols of longevity.  Cranes, traditionally associated with pine trees, are both motifs for longevity.  When shown together they imply a wish for the bride and groom to live to a ripe old age.

The Chinese believed in combating poison with poison and created the motif of wudu  or the “five poisons” represented by the viper, the spider, the toad, the centipede and the scorpion.  The amount of poison generated by these creatures was thought to counteract any pernicious influence.  A tiger was also thought of as a charm against evil influences.

Animals played an important role in Chinese symbolism.  The water buffalo was the most important animal in Chinese agriculture.  The pig represented the main source of meat in the Chinese diet, and bears were a favorite animal to use as supports to show the ability to carry great weight.  With the introduction of Buddhism into China came the use of different animals native to India, where Buddhism originated.  Lions (sometimes called foo dogs) guarded temples and tombs, the elephant symbolized Buddhist teachers and was often carved in jade, as were the attributes of the Eight Immortals, symbolized by the fan, the double gourd, the iron crutch, bamboo fish drum, the lotus, flower basket, sword and fly whisk, castanets and the flute. The ancient tomb jades, which were buried with the deceased to prevent decomposition of the corpsez, included the cicada or locust, dragons, hydras, kylin and fish images.  The cicada was particularly symbolic because the larva of this insect spends the first four years of its life underground and emerges as a complete insect, symbolizing immortality and resurrection. Even abstract patterns were used to depict clouds, rice grains, silkworms and bamboo, all important features of Chinese culture.

Time and space restrictions prevent a more detailed account of the symbolism found in jade carvings which can become very complex in their intent, but the next time you encounter an old jade carving take a moment to consider the secret message it contains.
Copyrighted Cherie Fehrman, 2010. All rights reserved.

Studying the history of pillows is not easy, since it embraces the vast history of tapestry, needlework and other textiles. As utilitarian objects, pillows have been made for centuries. Wherever people have been civilized enough to desire more comfort than that of the floor or bare furniture, the pillow has a strong historical presence. In England, medieval references to pillows are sometimes found in illuminated manuscripts where they are shown arranged on benches and settles. Early inventories also mention them as early as the 15th century, and it was during the Tudor and Stuart periods that pillows were most fashionable. Given the starkness of the furniture–there were few chairs and most people sat on benches–pillows must have been a great comfort and a source of color within a dark space. Even in fairly small houses, several pillows would be found. These comprised long pillows for bed, settles, window seats or benches, and square or round pillows for stools or chairs. There were also pillows for special purposes–for resting a bible on, for example. These were presumably made out of reverence both for the book itself and for the beautiful needlework cover it might have. In the 16th century, it was also customary to carry a pillow to church to kneel and sit on.

Pillows offered inviting opportunities for the enthusiastic needleworkers of the Elizabethan period to demonstrate their skills. It seems that much of this work was done by both men and women at home whose skill merits something better than the term “amateur.” In addition, there were professional embroiderers, often  men, who were commissioned to produce sets of hangings and furnishings for grand households. pillows were less daunting for the domestic needleworker to tackle than hangings, so many of those which survive are said to be the work of highly skilled amateurs. In Tudor times, pillows made popular gifts in courtly circles. Queen Elizabeth is recorded as giving and receiving several from the ladies of the court. While the Queen herself seems to have been adept at needlework, her half sister, Mary Queen of Scots, preferred to employ someone to sew pillows for her as gifts. The amount of money she is recorded to have spent on these pillows suggests that these were prestigious presents.

The pillows that survive from the Elizabethan period provide impressive examples of the embroiderer’s art. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has several Elizabeth pillows in the English primary Galleries which are well worth studying. Particularly popular at this time were the long pillows about 20 to 22 inches wide. (this was the size of the loom on which their linen base was woven) and about 40 to 44 inches long. They were placed on benches, window seats and other pieces of furniture. The designs with which these and the other pillows of the time were embroidered often come from newly published herbals, bestiaries and natural history books. They would be drawn either by a professional draftsman, or by some able craftsman attached to the household. These designs would then be stitched in tent stitch (petit point) using the newly imported silks, and for finer pillows, couched silver and silver gilt thread. Sometimes such embroidered designs or “slips” would be cut out and applied to a velvet ground. Otherwise the whole pillow cover might be made up on tent stitch, as often as fine as 400 stitches to the square inch.

During the 17th century, needlework pillows in a variety of sizes were popular. Pictorial slips with fruit, flowers and insects were worked in tent stitch and applied to pillow covers. The 17th century fashion for embroidery in high relief, called “raised work” or “stump work,” also found expression in pillows, although in lower relief than in stump work pictures. Another vogue was for “turkey work” wool knotted in imitation or Oriental carpets. This technique was applied to pillows. Another technique that was applied to pillow covers was tapestry. The correct meaning of tapestry has nothing to do with the modern “needlepoint tapestry” which is distinct from needlework since it is woven on a loom. The colored weft threads cover the strong warp threads, forming the pattern and building up a firm, ribbed texture. In the 16th and 17th centuries vast tapestries were made in Europe to furnish the halls of grand houses and castles. These depicted all manner of scenes and were either copied from paintings of the day, or had designs (cartoons) created especially for them. Overshadowed by these great tapestries and often overlooked, are the small examples. These were probably woven as pillow covers and bear a wide variety of designs–classical, biblical and armorial. Sets of such tapestries were made, showing scenes from a story, or related allegorical subjects. The armorial examples may have been presentation pieces, made as gifts for those of high office. Sometimes these tapestries bear the mark of their maker, a date or a motto. Tapestries were made in many European countries including Holland, Flanders and some German principalities.

In the 18th century French tapestries became dominant, with examples of pillow covers made at Beauvais and Aubusson. The designs reflect the lighter, more frivolous spirit of French art at that time and contrast to the bold, strongly colored Baroque designs of the previous century. Major artists such as Boucher and Oudry involved themselves with the French tapestry factories of the 18th century resulting in tapestry designs of the highest quality. Small tapestries were designed and used as sets of pillow covers.

The advent of upholstered furniture at the end of the 17th century made pillows less important as a part of furnishings for a time. Attention was instead focused on chair coverings which showed some of the finest needlework in the 18th century. Demand did continue for pillows in the early 18th century though and even Chippendale mentioned the importance of scattering pillows on a sofa.

Tent stitch and cross stitch embroidery in floral designs remained popular in the early 18th century, with appliqué (or applied work) coming into fashion later in the century. Crewelwork covers and hangings were ordered from India and these influenced designs early in the century. French tapestry furnishings were imported to this country during the 18th century.

The 19th century saw a continuation of interest in needlework. Much woolwork was executed on meshed canvases. Some examples were worked to a high standard comparing favorably with the work of earlier centuries. Pillows made without needlework or tapestry were also popular. Damask and brocade, cut velvets and mohair were used. Arguably, the star of textile design in the 19th century was Mario Fortuny. His creations were sumptuous and lasting. Today, pillows made from Fortuny fabrics are highly coveted and they wear better than many other textile forms, making them highly collectible.

Collecting Pillows

Most people who are interested in collecting pillows do so  to furnish their homes. Condition is always an important consideration. Antique fibers, particularly silks, are subject to ultraviolet deterioration and it is important that these fabric are stabilized using conservation methods. All of the textiles offered through the Fehrman Collection are preserved in this way. In addition to condition, other factors affecting the price of an antique pillow are the design and the coloring. Pastel coloring typical of 18th century French tapestry is currently popular, although rich original color is also popular. A recognizable design showing well defined subject matter is preferable to a blurred example. Fine embroidery is highly collectible as is tapestry. Embroideries and tapestries can be complemented by fine period brocades and damasks which are usually less costly but add a richness and sheen that can only be found in a gently aged silk.

A pillow without trim is like a painting without a frame; it looks unfinished. Proper selection of fringes and trims add to the overall cost of an antique pillow but they are the finishing touch that displays the antique textile in the way it was intended to be seen. Proper application of trim also helps to protect the edges of antique textiles.

Care and Maintenance of Antique Textile Pillows

Antique textile pillows which have been properly conserved prior to purchase are very durable and can last a long time with reasonable care. The two biggest enemies of antique textiles are dust and sunlight. Dust can eventually saw through fibers an ultraviolet light can cause sun rot. Regular gentle vacuuming with the hose nozzle held just above the textile will keep them free of dust. Keeping antique textiles out of direct sunlight is also desirable. Damage can be done to an antique pillow by picking it up by the corners. Antique textile pillows should always be picked up with both hands as though carrying a box.  It goes without saying that an antique textile should never come in contact with mothballs, spray-on “fabric protectors” or stain repellents since these will damage the fibers. These textiles are sturdy enough to have survived the centuries and with reasonable care they will be enjoyed by future generations.

Copyrighted Cherie Fehrman, 2007. All rights reserved.

To purchase Fortuny and other collector pillows, visit the Fehrman Collection

Jade carvings are hoarded by some shrewd investors and continue to be avidly sought. Jades worth investing in are gem quality Burmese jadeite or the archaic jades from the Han through Sung Dynasties (206 BC. to 1297 AD.) or the more recently produced Ming (1368-1644) and Ching (1644-1912) Dynasty pieces. White it’s true that some jade carvings can set you back thousands of dollars, fine, authentic pieces can still be bought for a few hundred dollars or less.

Any potential collector must first acquire at least a working knowledge of the mysteries and myths surrounding jade. It was thought to protect the dead from decomposition, so many jades were buried with the deceased. When excavated, these are sometimes called “tomb jades.” Chinese authors have called jade “tears of the Imperial Dragon,” “a window to reality,” “the stone of heaven,” “the stone of immortality,” and “the living stone.” Such references allude to nephrite, one of the two stones which are grouped under the general term jade. The other is jadeite.

When most people think of jade, the color green comes to mind, although jade comes in every color of the spectrum. Pure jade (both nephrite and jadeite) is white. Color comes from impurities of other minerals in the stone. Iron gives the largest variety of colors from pale green to browns, yellows, grays, near black and, on very rare occasions, blue. Manganese is responsible for shades of gray and black and, very rarely, pink. Chromium makes possible the vivid emerald green of the valued Imperial green jadeite color.

While manly cultures, including native Americans and ancient tribes from the South Seas to New Zealand have collected and prized jade, it is the oriental jades which excite most collectors. West Coast fanatics are especially fortunate because so many fine jades are available in the area.

So, jade is really a broad category which includes two separate stones. Nephrite is a silicate of magnesium. It is the old, original jade of which all archaic pieces are made. A relative newcomer is jadeite, which comes from Burma and was not known in China until 1784. It was pure white nephrite which the Emperor of China used as an instrument for communicating with heaven. It was nephrite which was used for ceremonial implements and on which the history of Chinese art and symbolism is hinged. Nephrite is the toughest stone on earth: it takes fifty tones of weight to crush one cubic inch of nephrite. Because of its toughness it wears extremely well, and even ancient pieces often appear in flawless condition. Jadeite, however, has a crystalline structure and breaks relatively easily.

Nephrite jade was highly prized by the scholaars and moneyed classes of ancient China. When the nephrite deposits eventually began to run low, jadeite was introduced from Burma. At first the jade carvers scorned it, saying it was not true jade. Since it was considered inferior, it was used only as ornaments on clothing or on relatively insignificant personal items. These are a source of interest to today’s collectors and can be found as earrings, bracelets, comb backs, mirror handles, buttons, belt buckles and brooches. Gradually, necessity and a scarcity of nephrite caused jadeite to gain acceptance.

Webster’s Dictionary defines jadeite as “true jade” but, in fact, the original true jade was nephrite. Chinese legends represent nephrite as a living stone “highly charged with creative force,” and there are more than a few jade connoisseurs who would agree that wearing nephrite rings, bracelets, or pendants on a regular basis forms an intimate rapport between the stone and the wearer. Nephrite reacts with the skin and body chemistry, often changing color and growing more lustrous with use.

The Colors of Jade

Certain colors of jadeite, the newer jade, are highly valued as gem material. The emerald colored “Imperial green,” along with lavender, rare blue, yellow and red are the most sought after colors of jadeite. It is an interesting quirk of the jade market to note that the most highly prized nephrite is pure white, while white is the least valued form of jadeite.

Color is as important as the quality of carving when grading jade. There are said to be over one hundred distinct classifications of green, with such fanciful names as “moss entangled in snow” or “spring onion green.” The Chinese respect for nature was the basis for most of the jade color categories. “Sky after the rain” and “sky reflected in clear water” refer to two of the rarer shades. From the animal kingdom come antelope, chicken bone, egg, kingfisher, mutton fat (a highly desirable lardy white color of nephrite), nightingale and shrimp. From the vegetable kingdom: apple, bamboo, betel nut, chestnut, date, melon, moss, olive, young onion, peach, pine flower, rice, rose, sunflower and spinach. Other equally descriptive but less charming names include “purple of the veins” and “mucous of the nose gray.”

Today’s jade collectors usually fall into one of two categories: those who seek out the old nephrite pieces, and those who prefer the more showy jadeite carvings and jewelry. The soft, waxy luster and subdued colors of nephrite attract collectors whose tastes run to the antique and archaic pieces while the bright, glossy finish and sharp, clear colors of jadeite are preferred by those who like a brighter, more contemporary approach. Many of the old jade pieces are very plain with little or no surface decoration. Animal carvings or symbols are often highly stylized. The more recently produced carvings or symbols are often elaborately decorated with floral or animal forms.

Determining the authenticity of jade can be extremely tricky. There are well over a dozen substitutes that can fool both the eye and the touch of the unwary, including serpentine, bowenite, soapstone, chrysoprase and even glass. While the only way to be absolutely sure if a piece is jade is to have it tested by a qualified gemologist, there are several things the consumer can do to protect a potential investment.

The most obvious form of insurance is to buy from reputable dealers who will stand by their merchandise. But what about the collector who loves the hunt (and what true collector doesn’t?), the collector who haunts the flea markets and garage sales in the hope of finding a treasure among the plastic fruit and broken china? This collector has to have some ammunition for protection, and the following suggestions may help.

Tips for the Novice Collector

1. Jade is a relatively hard substance. Nephrite is 6.5 on the Mohs scale and jadeite is a 7. (The Mohs scale is used by gemologists who measure the hardness of a stone with the following designations: 1 talc, 2 gypsum, 3 calcite, 4 fluorite, 5 apatite, 6 feldspar, 7 quartz, 8 topaz, 9 corundum (sapphire & ruby), 9 diamond.) Because of its hardness, most jade cannot be scratched with a steel blade. With the consent of the seller, try pulling a steel knife blade across an inconspicuous spot on the jade. If a white mark appears it is not jade because the knife has scratched into it leaving a white, powdery substance. If a silvery or gray mark appears, it indicates that the stone is hard enough to have worn off some of the steel and it might be jade, but not necessarily. This is not a foolproof test, but it will help you to eliminate the softer jade impostors.

2. The surface appearance of jadeite and nephrite are quire different, which is helpful when trying to tell them apart. Nephrite is more fibrous and much tougher than jadeite. It takes a waxy, greasy looking polish where jadeite can be polished to a high gloss resembling glass. Being able to differentiate between the two types can be an aid in dating a piece. For example, if a piece of jade is being offered as archaic or “tomb jade” but it is made of jadeite, you will know it is being represented incorrectly since all of the archaic jade pieces were made of nephrite.

3. Another way to distinguish between jade and its substitutes is to look at it under a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe. You can usually see air bubbles in glass, and the holes at the end of glass beads will be sharp and often chipped, where jade will be polished. When you look through a loop at old jades the surface looks rather like orange peel, rather than smooth from today’s diamond or laser cutting and polishing methods.

4. Jade feels cold to the touch, but so do some of its imitators. The novice collector must learn by study and experience to distinguish jade by eye and by touch. Some of the best professional jade buyers rely on the touch method and recommend carrying a small piece each of nephrite and jadeite as guide stones whenever you go to buy jade.

5. A sad but true fact is that jade jewelry is often dyed. This is particularly true of jadeite. Because jadeite has a microcrystalline structure it is a relatively simple matter to dye inexpensive white jadeite with exotic lavender and bright green dyes to imitate the rare and expensive jade colors. There simply isn’t enough natural lavender jadeite to account for all the lavender jewelry and carvings in today’s market. If you develop an eye, it is usually easy to spot dyed jade because of its harsh, synthetic tone. During the last 1950s alone over 25,000 pieces of dyed jade were known to be imported into the U.S. and these pieces are still out there waiting to fool the unwary.

6. Fortunately, ancient jades are seldom faked because the process of creating the exquisite workmanship is too time consuming and therefore not profitable enough.

7. In today’s jade market both jadeite and nephrite are considered jade, but the novice collector has to be cautious about jade terminology because the less than savvy can be easily fooled if depending on names alone. Chinese dealers often refer to nephrite as “old jade” and to jadeite as “new jade” or “Hong Kong jade.” If a stone is offered as “Taiwan jade” it is serpentine. “Colored jade” is dyed jade. “Pink jade” is colored quartz. “Mexican jade” is usually dyed onyx and “India jade” is aventurine.

8. Always look at jade in natural light. Artificial light alters colors sufficiently so that you can’t really see what you’re buying. Always ask the seller if you can take the piece into the natural daylight before making your decision. If they understandably balk at letting you walk out on the street with an expensive piece, ask if you can buy the piece with a 24 hour return policy. This will give you time to see it in natural daylight.

9. Finally, size is no guarantee of financial appreciation. A carving four feet high of inferior quality or workmanship is worth less than a palm sized piece of excellent quality.

Before you buy:
Always ask yourself three questions before you buy jade: (1) Is the piece of good quality? (2) Is the workmanship good? (3) Do I really love it? (Don’t ignore the last point. Fine collections are built on a combination of knowledge and love.)

To be a true connoisseur of jade you must begin a love affair with it. Fondle it. Get to know all of its moods and nuances. You may choose to overlook some of its flaws, but you will know instantly when a piece is right for you. When that moment comes, buy it, treasure it, and enjoy. An ancient legend says that jade, the living stone, must be loved and appreciated in order to show its true beauty.

Copyrighted 2006, Cherie Fehrman. All rights reserved.

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Environmental Construction Outfitters, www.environproducts.com, 800/238-5008
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NEEDS, www.needs.com, 800/634-1380
New Century Paints, www.fargbygge.se, 413/528-4319
Nirvana Safe Heaven, www.nontoxic.com, 800/968-9355
Planetary Solutions, www.planetearth.com, 303/442-6228

As early as 1974, Dr. Richard Wurtman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology began to identify negative health effects associated with fluorescent lighting including migraines, disrupted sexual development, and obesity, because the distorted spectrum of fluorescent light acts to suppress melatonin and disrupt circadian rhythms of the human body.

Fluorescent vs Daylight

Novel lighting sources with far different spectral distributions than natural daylight should only be adopted after careful study of their effects.

Compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs:

You may have these “curly” light bulbs in your home, or you may at least have heard about them. You will be hearing a whole lot more. Today’s new generation of CFLs look very similar to standard incandescent light bulbs, but they perform very differently and they have a completely different spectral distribution from natural daylight or incandescent light. So what? – you might be saying. Well, that difference may spell big trouble for your health. Soon, incandescent lighting may be outlawed in the U.S., and other countries such as Australia have already banned them in favor of fluorescent light. But, before we embrace fluorescent technology as our savior, we need to take a closer look at CFLs and fluorescent light in general.

With so many studies showing negative health effects of fluorescent light and a real need to conserve energy, is there an alternative? Yes. There are a number of different light systems that can save energy without the negative effects of fluorescent light. The one we prefer and have chosen for our own home is Solux. We are not affiliated with Solux in any way; we just think it is a superior product that we want to share with you. Solux is an environmentally friendly patented light source which does not contain hazardous materials and saves energy while giving an almost perfect daylight substitute (unlike most so-called daylight or full spectrum bulbs). Solux is also used to treat SAD syndrome. Graphs at the Solux website show the different spectral distributions of incandescent, fluorescent and Solux lighting in relation to natural daylight. If you take a moment to look at them you will see clearly how radically fluorescent lighting differs from daylight. Charts may be viewed at Solux and you can learn more and purchase products by visiting their site at www.solux.net.

Psychographics is the study of of color’s ability to influence choices in the marketplace, i.e. printing, packaging, etc.
Weasel words is the term which refers to the way language is used to drain the meaning from a product claim, such as: helps, improved, up to, as much as, the look of – for example, “Our face serum helps give you the look of youth with a reduction of up to 75% of fine lines and wrinkles, and improved appearance of the skin.” When you break down this language it means the face serum doesn’t do a whole lot.

Similarly, weasel colors act subliminally on your subconscious to influence your choices when purchasing products, For example:

•Favorite food colors of red, yellow, orange and brown exert a measurable effect on the autonomic nervous system and stimulate appetite. By using these colors you can produce a virtually flavorless food and trick the mind
into believing it has flavor – simply by the viewer looking at the color.

Because consumers aren’t aware of the way color works subliminally they are not defensive and are more easily manipulated.
•Good colors for restaurants which stimulate appetite are: orange, pale yellow, vermilion, pale green and pale brown.
•Thirst corresponds to a tension between a feeling of dryness and a desire for liquid – in color this translates to a combination of yellowish-brown or reddish-yellow (dry) and greenish blue or blue (liquid). In the proper combination, these colors will trigger thirst. The next time you drink bottled water be aware of the colors on the label.
•Advertising uses red to symbolize eroticism.
•Prestige is symbolized by violet, wine red, or golden yellow.

•Colors that influence smell:

Orange: peppery, spicy
Green: slightly spicy – particularly pine scent
Violet: Perfumed

Colors that Influence taste:
Yellowish-green: acid
Orange-yellow: sweet
pink – slightly sweet
Navy blue, brown, olive green violet – bitter
Gray with pale green or gray with pale blue – salty

Food Color Facts:

Butter must be colored yellow – it will not sell in its natural creamy color.
Bread will not sell well in green or blue wrappers – but if yellow is added it sells well.
Candy in one flavor sells better in mixed colors than in one color i.e. M&Ms.
Color of packaging can make or break a product.
Meat on simple white trays sells less well than meat displayed with green decoration.

There is a huge amount of misinformation circulating in fashion and decorating magazines and books about the effects of color. Why? Because some writers do not do their homework thoroughly enough. They repeat the same old myths without ever finding out if the information they are repeating was accurate to begin with. After spending years as color researchers, we grew increasingly frustrated at seeing so much incorrect information being published about color that we decided to set the record straight in a book in the hope of replacing myths with facts (Color: The Secret Influence, Prentice Hall 2000 & 2004).

We did our own research, and reviewed thousands of research papers checking for accuracy and making sure the studies were run with proper controls and on a large enough group to be meaningful. During this process we learned some disturbing things about the color pink.

You may have heard that pink is calming and relaxing. Wrong – or let’s be generous and say that is a seriously flawed statement. Original studies done on prisoners showed that when a holding cell was painted pink the prisoners seemed calmer for about 15 minutes and were easier to process. They were observed to be “in a humorous and restful mood.” Stories immediately found their way into national newspapers – but what was reported was only half the story; the full results of the study were not published. When prisoners were left in the holding cells for 30 minutes or longer everything changed. They became hostile and violent. After being left for four hours in a pink cell, one inmate went completely berserk, tore the cell apart and became so violent he had to be subdued. This part of the study was in complete agreement with other studies done on animals which showed that pink light adversely affected their behavior, even causing some to become cannibalistic. Further investigation disclosed that the relaxing effects of pink last for less than 30 minutes. If a person is exposed for longer than 30 minutes, a reversal usually occurs causing hostility and increased strength. It appears that the calming effects of pink are only temporary. But what is significant is that these effects do occur. Further studies need to be done to determine the exact cause, but it is thought that the color pink acts directly on the endocrine system causing a change in the body’s chemical balance. So what does this mean to you? It means that in your real, everyday life pink has a very bad effect on your body.

Within 2.7 seconds of exposure to pink, it is already at work playing havoc with your endocrine system, depressing your immune system and sapping your strength by causing muscle weakness and fatigue. It is at this point that the “relaxation” occurs, but at what cost? Your emotions also suffer since irritability sets in within about 30 minutes, with hostility and aggression following right behind. In children’s rooms pink can be the cause of temper tantrums, tears, and may even be associated with long-term behavior problems.

Some people are skeptical about how this can possibly be true. Perhaps a brief background on what color actually is can help clear up the picture. The simple answer is: color is energy. Color and light are inseparable; you can’t have one without the other. Color/light are part of the vast electromagnetic spectrum that contains brain waves, radio and TV signals, X-rays, infrared and ultraviolet, microwaves and so on. So, when looked at from that perspective it is perhaps easier to understand how the wavelength energy in color can have an effect on our bodies. Color/light enters our bodies not just through the eyes. The body’s largest color/light receptor is the skin. If you have any doubts about that, just remember your last sunburn.

When we do color seminars for design professionals or in university courses, we begin with a dramatic demonstration on the effects of pink and blue which shows within three seconds how pink weakens while blue is restorative. Think about the impact of pink on generations of little girls growing up in pink bedrooms while little boys are traditionally treated to the strengthening effects of blue. In our interior design practice, we simply refuse to do pink rooms for children – or anyone else. Using coral or peach instead can provide a similar feel without the negative aspects of pink. Thinking pink? Just say “No!”

Copyrighted Cherie Fehrman and Kenneth Fehrman, 2007. All rights reserved.
http://www.fehrmanbooks.com

Excerpted from Interior Design Innovators 1910-1960
by Cherie Fehrman and Dr. Kenneth R. Fehrman

Organic Design

Much of what we consider to be contemporary design today actually originated in the mid-20th century. During the period right after World War II, the Organic Design Movement came into being and set the stage for designs that have continued well into the 21st century. Organic Design was an attempt at harmony on a grand scale, a humanistic approach that considered people as its focal point and endeavored  to combine all the elements of design into  one unified whole derived from the concepts et down by nature.

The postwar period of design is arguably one of the most exciting in design history, not only because it  is responsible for the introduction of completely new furniture forms and materials, but because of its dedication to achieving perfection. The designers of the postwar period took the technology of war and turned it into something positive. They proved that the wheels of progress need not run over us but can be made to carry us to new destinations. They achieved this with their minds and spirits and with hours of endless trial and error in the search for that perfect combination of structure, material, and purpose that would culminate in a successful organic design.

While Pierre Paulin’s Groovy chair was designed in 1972, its roots are in the Organic Design Movement.

The Organic Design Movement set the standards for contemporary furniture and interior design. Follow this blog to keep up with the latest information on this fascinating period of design.