Birds of a Feather

"Another part of their appeal is the animal's rare duality-white and black, dark and light, good and evil. Black swans were once associated with rarity and, ultimately, deception. In Swan Lake, the ballet this time, the plot furthers this narrative of seduction and manipulation when the black swan Odile dooms Odette, the white swan, to death by heartbreak. That contrast sets up an interesting dichotomy when it comes to decorating."

"Darker versions of the swan can imbue a place with a certain moodiness, while the white swan can convey a sense of levity. Stephanie Nass, the founder of tableware accessories brand Chefanie, had a swan-themed bridal shower that featured a collection of black swan name cards that served as dramatic counterparts to black, feather-like place settings. "People want to be surrounded by beautiful things, and these creatures hold such an irresistible elegance," she says."

The swan's black-and-white duality embodies contrasting symbolic meanings of darkness and light, rarity and familiarity, and moral tension. Black swans historically signified rarity and deception, illustrated by the Swan Lake narrative in which the black swan Odile brings about the white swan Odette's death through seduction and manipulation. Darker swan imagery can create moodiness in interior decorating, while white swans convey levity and lightness. Event and tableware design frequently use swan motifs for dramatic effect, pairing black swan elements with feather-like settings. Swans retain associations with lifelong love, grace, nobility, and an ethereal, aspirational elegance.

Read at Architectural Digest