A key concept in Chinese philosophy, symbolising the harmony that comes from two opposing principles (masculine and feminine, hot and cold, etc.), believed to underly the fabric of existence and the interaction between cosmic and human spheres.
The comfortable and seamless interlocking of opposites is a very important concept in interior furnishings, as without this controlled tension, schemes are bland quickly become boring.
One of the simplest ways to bring this to bear is just to gather up stripes into a frill or ruff, a strong environment or a strong fabric is immediately softened, ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine ‘ in harmony.
See contrast and complementary