9 Things You Didn't Know About the Color Green
The color wasn't always so easy to make.
According to the New York Times, preindustrial paints and dyes were so unstable that mixing a consistent green hue was tricky. As early as the 16th century, game tables were covered in green fabric (and often still are today) — a nod to the color's chance-y nature.
Verdigris was one of the earliest green paints available.
Unstable as the color was, people still tried to harness it. This shade is derived from the same reaction that produces the hauntingly beautiful green patina on bronze statues.
"Green" 19th century wallpapers were often deadly.
Scheele's Green was a vibrant pigment used for wallpapers, candles, homegoods, clothes, and even confections. It was extremely popular, but contained arsenic and lead to the deaths of children (and possibly Napoleon). Early William Morris designs, like the "Trellis" wallpaper, also contained the lethal substance.
Eventually, it became powerful enough to use on money.
By the 1860s, chemists figured out a way to make a more stable green ink that was resistant to destruction and fading and was difficult to counterfeit. So, the once slippery color quickly became one of our most ubiquitous — appearing on every American bill.
The White House's Green Room is steeped in history.
The themed decor scheme started when Thomas Jefferson added a green floor cloth to the space, then was expanded upon by John Quincy Adams, who added green draperies and upholstered pieces. The room became popular for teas and receptions. However, there is a sad history to the space. After Willie Lincoln died in the White House, they displayed the casket here. Mary Todd Lincoln never entered the room again.
"Seafoam Green" is connected to Eames' iconic chairs.
In fact, it was one of the first colors offered. Fiberglass allowed for Eames' chairs to take on a number of hues. Although initially, the line focused on neutrals (Greige, Elephant Hide Gray, Parchment), Eames labored over more exciting hues and added green, yellow, and red to the collection. Today, Seafoam Green is one of the rarest hues to find in antique Eames chairs (like this one on eBay).
Charleston's dark green shutters started a big trend.
Initially, the shutters were painted a shade of emerald. Time passed, and the vibrant green aged to the almost-black hue. Visitors clamored to replicate the striking color, which complements nearly any exterior. In 1989, the Historic Charleston Foundation officially named the color "Charlestonian Black Green."
It can spark creativity.
Research shows that this friendly color can get our imaginations flowing and make us more inventive, which might partly explain why humans often take inspiration from nature.
The human eye is most sensitive to the color green.
Even people who are colorblind can show sensitivity to subtle green shades, reports the New York Times.
And certain shades can easily fade from our view.
Fun fact: Disney theme parks employ a color called "go away green" to hide features that the parks don't want guests to notice too much (like trash cans and utility boxes).
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What the Color of Your Bedroom Says About You
By Brie Dyas
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