All your life you have been told things about color � how much is true and how much is false?
Design by Fehrman & Fehrman
•Is red really exciting? No. Controlled experiments have shown that red does not cause anymore excitement or arousal than any other color.
•Is red a "warm" color? No. We have been taught to believe red is warm because of its psychological associations with fire and heat .
•Red is a significant color in every culture on earth. True •Did you know it was once thought the fat of a dead red-haired person (presumed to be of fiery temper) would make a good poison? Strange, but true.
�Yellow is considered a cheery, sunny color by Western cultures.
�Yellow is associated with death in some Asian cultures.
�Yellow is the first color to be noticed which is why it is now becoming a popular choice for fire trucks in some areas.
�The first flowers to bloom in spring are often yellow: the daffodil, crocus, primrose and forsythia.
�During the 10th century the Chinese adopted yellow as the Imperial color. It was reserved for only the emperor and those he selected by imperial order.
�In 16th century Spain yellow became known as a color of heresy and treason. The punishment for wearing yellow was burning alive.
�In nature yellow means "warning." Poisonous creatures are often colored yellow.
�The combination of yellow and black warns of special caution (consider bees and wasps) - it was selected for the nuclear radiation warning symbol because of the natural associations with caution and danger.
Antique Chinese textile pillows designed by Cherie Fehrman
Interior design by Fehrman & Fehrman
�Black is not a color. Black is a neutral.
�Black represents the unknown, maximum darkness, the negation of color.
�Does black make you look slimmer? No�not unless you're standing against a black wall. If you are wearing black and the background is a light color you will look larger. An object is judged in relationship to its similarity or contrast with its background.
�Black carries negative language connotations such as blackmail, black list, blackball, black market, black sheep.
�Black is often the garb of the revolutionary, from beatniks to punks.
�A black room like the one on the right may be considered sophisticated, strange or downright evil depending on our personal biases and perceptions.
