The color of brown is all around us in nature especially in late autumn. Fallen leaves turn shades of brown and trees reveal their dark branches and beautiful structures.
Earth tones were the color trend for home interiors during the Great Depression of the 1930s, and brown was the popular color for clothing. In the 1970s, brown became popular again. Kitchen appliances came in matching colors of rust brown, harvest gold or avocado green. Currently brown is in fashion along with the popular use of natural materials for interiors. Sometimes brown can be found paired with pink or spring green for a new twist.
In higher education, the academic costumes for graduation ceremonies are standardized by a committee for the American Council on Education. American universities first set standards in the late 19th century. Brown is the symbolic color for the college of Fine Arts and Architecture.
“Chairo” is the Japanese word for brown; it literally means “tea color”. The Japanese emperor has two sacred colors- orange and a yellowish-brown. The current dyeing methods for creating the emperor’s ceremonial robes date back to their origins in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Where do you see brown?
• The Color of Japan by Sadao Hibi © 2001 Kodansha International.
• American Council on Education: www.acenet.edu
• Antique Homes: www.antiquehome.org
Thank you to Yoboy and AiresOFwar at Google Help Forum for your technical help.
