Happy Orange Friday, color lovers! There’s so much black out there today with all those black Friday deals, I thought I’d share a celebration of all things orange as an antidote :)
If you’ve been following me on Instagram for any time at all, you may have noticed that orange has a tendency to crop up in my work pretty regularly. Historically, it’s not a color that I would have really considered using and yet here I am with a bright orange island in the middle of my kitchen. Despite the hesitations my younger self had towards the color, it’s quickly become a go-to color to consider when building palettes for murals and I often suggest it in some iteration or other when working with Color Sessions friends too.
I can’t quite tell you why I wouldn’t have considered it in days gone by. I think I just had it in a box that belonged to Koningsdag and Hare Krishna and that’s where Orange lived. But I’m ok to admit that was short sighted of me because Orange is happy, energizing, optimistic, and we all need a dose of that in our homes somewhere.
So I’m here to make a case for it!
I’m still amazed by how completely customizable pigments are. Science is so cool. You can play with hue intensity, undertones and saturation levels to truly tailor it to fit into your home and style. If you have a personal color palette that you refer to as a guide when choosing furnishings (we talked about this here), it will be a great place to start when looking to discover which type of orange is right for the room you are tackling.
If you need a little extra nudging to consider playing with it in your home, just look to industry color experts, Pantone. Their 2019 color of the year was Living Coral, an orange with golden undertones which “[creates a] warm, comforting and nurturing feeling in the home”. Read more here. Benjamin Moore have also selected an orangey-red hue for their 2023 color of the year, Raspberry Blush.
For those who want a quick refresher on color theory, orange is a secondary color on the color wheel. It’s the color born from any combo of red and yellow (both of which are primary, pure colors, that can’t be made from any other pigments).
So, depending on the amount of red and the amount of yellow put into the mix, you’ll find yourself with a plethora of shades to choose from. Throw in a dash of blue or green or white or black and the possibilities are endless! Ever noticed that sticker on top of the paint can when you get your paint mixed? Well, that’s exactly what that is. A dash of magenta, a spot of blue, a little of this, a bit of that, and huzzah! A whole new shade.
Fun fact; before Orange had a name, it was quite simply referred to as yellow-red. We can thank the Portuguese, apparently, for naming it after the *actual* oranges they found in Asia way back when.
There are a million and one fabulous ways to use orange in your home. The key is to find the right shade of orange and to use it in a way that makes sense for the space. If you really just want a hint of it, look for accessories or single furniture pieces to add a pop. If you’re ready to commit to the color and want to go all in, then go find that perfect burnt orange or terracotta sofa! They’re increasingly easy to find, but I linked a fun one below. Remember, colors can also act as a neutral in a space (more on that another time!).
Of course, taking orange onto the walls is always an option, too. Here are a few colors I find myself coming back to.
And rooms to inspire you:
The sky really is the limit when it comes to finding the right shade for your home.
And check out the orange bathroom that Lisa Dawson did in her airbnb - Rich and elevated, yet really playful too.
Iffffff…
you’d like to dig deeper on this, or tackle any other color-related questions, then stay tuned because very soon I’ll be offering Color Chats; individual calls with me where we can talk through questions around color that are specific to your home. You’ll be able to book a time with me directly, here on the website and we can chat through all the things! More coming very soon!
Or!
You can book a full service color consultation with me, right here with my Color Sessions service. Not sure what’s a Color Session entails or whether it’s right for you? No problem, just send me a note! I’d love to chat more about how I can help you.