Arguably the “biggest” time of year to discuss color is fall. It’s when all the fashion trend reports hit, when paint companies and the like start releasing their Color of the Year, and generally when everyone starts talking about what might be waiting for us when the calendar crosses over. Of course, trends don’t just reset come January 1 (or September 1), but the air is always buzzing with the electricity of newness after Labor Day.
One of the most powerful color trends of the past year was red (whether it was expected or unexpected to you and your home), but there’s something else on the horizon, and I wasn’t totally sold on it…until now.
It’s no secret that fashion influences what makes it into our homes, so when I saw a handful of reports coming out (including this one from The Everygirl) stating orange as the color to watch, I had my doubts. Orange is notoriously a tricky color to work with (or wear), unless of course you slide it around the color wheel to have a bit more brown in it (terra cotta) or a bit more red in it (rust or ginger).
But then, as I was working on the stained glass article from last week, I found this hallway from Reath Design that I couldn’t get out of my head. It’s drenched in a rich orange paint, balanced by a creamy, peachy tone on the ceiling, and brought to life with the kaleidoscope of tones on the door’s panels.
Had this room been red, for instance, it might have still been beautiful but it would have been INTENSE depending on the specific shade. But in this earthy orange, it’s welcoming, warm, and vibey. It played nice with the seven other colors showcased in the compact area. It was part of the chorus line, not the protagonist. And I loved it.
Do I…love…orange now? Huh? Was my brain just trying to jump on the early bandwagon before it became too big so I could say “I knew it would be a thing”? Was I just ready for fall, where all things oranges always reign supreme? Was I just reacting to this specific room? I had to dig deeper.
So I did what I always do: Go back through my archive of saved images to see what I can find, and then see what related posts I could get from it. I immediately found this kids’ room I bookmarked weeks ago by designer Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay that appeared in one of my favorites, House & Garden. I loved how the orange wasn’t the “star” but rather the anchor to the turquoise bed and the citrine rug. It feels “built” into the wall as the color is carried onto the window casing and the window seat on the bottom right-hand corner of the image. If I do a little manual peek-a-boo and cover the orange with my hand, it’s certainly a cute room but it lacks depth. The room *needs* the orange.
I know that bedroom image might be a bit scary for some of the neutral lovers out there, so my eye also caught this catalog shot from Joybird that an old colleague of mine Kyle Schuneman styled. It features a punchy orange velvet sofa in an otherwise neutral living room. In theory, this space would work with *any* bold color as the standalone key color moment, but the orange works so well to pick up the warmth in the stone wall to the right and the other wood elements throughout (like the piano!).
And because my University of Florida DNA runs deep, a little orange and blue (our school colors) always feels like a winning combo to me. Summer Thornton went with more of a pumpkin shade than a tangerine, and then mixed in plenty of blue at varying intensities to keep it balanced (the buttery wheat of the fabric in the foreground and the mustard drapery trim round out the palette).
The more I started crushing on orange, the more I realized why: orange works anywhere that red or yellow would, because well…it’s both red and yellow, obviously. In its warmer iteration, it can also visually fill in the need for wood tones in a room, too, which acts as the warm soul of a space. It can be subdued or sassy, used in small amounts as the guest star or take full control of a room as the main color.
I think somewhere in my head and heart, I always knew this. It’s just kind of common sense. But outwardly, I always held out my palm like a Heisman Trophy winner to keep it at bay from my rooms or my design interiors.
BUT ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (and red, and yellow, and pink). Elle Woods may have stated that whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed, but I object, Ms. Woods, on the grounds of…you’re wrong.
To prove my point, I’m going to share some absolutely gorgeous rooms where orange is a key component of the color palette. I did my thing and pulled out all the hues that I thought made up the color palette. I hope it’s useful in the case that you want to riff off of these for your own home, or just to confirm to you seven times over that orange works in ways we don’t give it much credit for.
Let’s go:
My jaw is only just recovering from the beautiful color palette Sam Villiers Design put together for this room. It’s so warm yet playful, grounded but bold. True blue and orange are across each other on the color wheel, so by textbook, they work, though a bit too on the nose if you ask me. But shifting things to be more analogous with a teal and a clay feels more modern, unexpected, but natural. I love the addition of the mustard yellow via the pillow as a bit of acid to break through the richness.
All hail Dabito, the king of color. This is not the first time I’ve shared this photo, and it probably won’t be the last. I’m drawn to it so much because it’s proof that we can veer away from just using safer blues, greens, and beiges to great success. Here, his orange velvet sofa gets a color-blocking treatment with a pinky peach on the wall and rug that’s broken up with citrine-y yellows, denim and navy blues, and varying shades of green. (I really should have added a soft green to the below color palette but I ran out of room!). The black table in the foreground keeps things from feeling overly saccharin.
Goodness, do I love this photo (and this staircase) from Architecture Digest Germany. I’ve found that pairing orange in nearly any variation with a soft, mossy green is going to be a big “Hell Yes” from me. To keep the palette simple and pared back, it’s made complete with some mushrooms, taupes, and creams, as well as beautiful warm and heavily grained wood tones that directly complement the orange in the artwork.
Okay, now I’m SCREAMING I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. This is exactly the kind of photo I need to look at every day to give me the courage to paint a dresser or built-in cabinet a daring shade of clementine. Katie LeClercq gets an endless round of applause from me here. She made the genius choice to pair it with a House of Hackney wallpaper that introduces a smattering of fun colors to visually play with. And the rattan Panton-esque chair with the white oak floors really does a great job of neutralizing the corner a bit.
Is this not just a smile translated into a physical space? The orange, pink, blue, and olive are SO HAPPY (but all Lizzie Green’s rooms are, tbh). The orange here is used sparingly in the stripe on the bench cushion, but the wood tones on the dining chairs echo the color, as well.
If mid-century design taught us anything, it’s that orange and a plethora of walnut wood tones always work. You kind of can’t go wrong, frankly. Instead of bringing in too many other colors as is often the case with this era of design and architecture, the rest of the furniture and soft goods are fairly neutral, only introducing something to break through that palette via the art on the walls. The touch of chrome through the floor lamp feels just right. (Oh, and please go look through the rest of the photos of this home, owned by landscape designer Richard Unsworth in Sydney, Australia. It’s so gorgeous).
If you have a flair for the well-worn and perfectly heavy-handed, you have to go follow Cabana magazine. It’s everything I love about old-world European design. Just look at the tile in this space above. I’m literally drooling (though that’s probably the fault of the cinnamon graham cracker I just dipped into my afternoon coffee). The orange color mixed with the cornflower blue (and then the olive green in the background) feels both like something that could have been there for centuries, or like…two years. It’s warm, soft, and pleasant to the eye while still being fully saturated, which is frankly something not many colors can pull off.
So, I have to know…what do you think? Is orange on your radar now like it’s on mine? Has it always been? Could you just…never? Either way, I hope you had fun on this journey with me, and maybe get some ideas to play around with palette-wise in your home. Remember, don’t take yourself or your rooms too seriously. Have some fun, okay?
I leave you with some great orange products for your home, whether you just want to sprinkle in a little bit in a sconce or bowl, or are sold and want to wear the orange badge of honor with a rug or sofa.
Until next time, friends…
1. Color Icon 2 Sconce in Orange | 2. Brace Sofa Luca Russet | 3. Deana Handmade Ceramic Pot Planter | 4. Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware Dinnerware | 5. Kres Flatweave Rug | 6. TON 811 Caned Chair in Persimmon | 7. Jones Clocks Studio Wall Clock | 8. Safavieh Pyrra Pillow | 9. Handmade Orange Ceramic Table Lamp | 10. Perkins 5 Hook Rail in Persimmon | 11. Coco Round Smoked Amber Glass Hurricane Candle Holder Large | 12. Bebo Knit Blanket
Opening Image Credits: Design & Styling by Jess Bunge | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Makeover Takeover: Jess’ Long Awaited (Small Space) Living Room Reveal
Fantastic post. Love all of the examples and especially the little round colors with each example. I have Robin’s egg blue walls with orange art and pillows in my kitchen. People are always a bit surprised but then they exclaim with delight. We also have an orange Subaru. Orange is NOT my fav color but in these unexpected applications it just brings playfulness and fun.
Arlyn, your posts always sing!! I love how you consistently bring a creative writing style, design research, and cohesion to your portion of the blog.
Thank you so much!
Arlyn!
This is YOUR colour!!
I well remember the agonisong decision process you went through in your last home.
You’re ahead of the trends. Hehehe😋xx
Oh yes! That peach paint decision was long and drawn out…and then I ended up with a not-so-peach pink kind of by accident but I still loved it nonetheless.
If article made their Sven sofa in a rust velvet, I would have gotten it in a heartbeat when I needed to replace my couch. Instead, inspired by a piece of art I have in my house, I went with a dusky lavender velvet couch with mulberry (pillows), peachy-pink (rug and pillows), apricot (vintage velvet chair), and pale coral (curtains) accents. So, lavender and orange-ish? I feel like the colors work well together, but maybe I am deluded? Very tempted to paint the walls a peachy color.
Hi! Please share a photo. Your space sounds magical.
Aww…thanks. Here’s a link to a photo on instagram – not pictured is the vintage apricot chair: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3I1hUKuGVs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==. That chair is here in an earlier incarnation of the room: https://www.instagram.com/p/CiGdezluyz7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Lavender and creamsicle or rusty orange is one of my favorite less-common color combinations! I use it in my garden.
Not deluded! Lilac and orange-ish are beautiful.
Love the orange trend as a pop of color to a room, but would never paint a room orange. I learned from Design Star that it is the quickest way to get sent home (even if I am home) and it’s stuck with me ever since. 🙂
HAHAHA. This is probably true. It’s HARD to get right in such a large presence like wall paint, but easy enough to build in through smaller elements (or even a more “natural” orange shade like terra cotta tiles on the floor).
Orange is not my favorite bc it does feel like a sports team color to me most of the time, unless it’s pushed far from pumpkin/basketball/burnt orange. I do like the far edges of the color, though. I wouldn’t say it’s new to the scene as cognac sofas and orange wood have been around warming up the black and white trend in mainstream decorating for a few years now! It’s branching out to textiles and accessories, I’ll give you that 🙂
Love an Arlyn color post.
Thanks! 🙂
Love orange and have for years. I pair it with blues, greens and teals and throw in some hot pink in the art work!
Not for me, but love how you have shown off this trend! In April the Color Marketing Group called out a high chroma, vibrant orange as a main key color for 2024+.
What a great post and pics! Here are two more beautiful orange examples that come to mind: Ina Garten’s pumpkin velvet curtains and Hermes’ signature color combo, orange and brown.
And Louis Vuitton and Aperol Spritzes!
Love this post! And those sofas are spectacular!!
Oh yay! I love when the rest of the world clmes
back around to realizing orange is wonderful. If you don’t like orange, you just haven’t found your shade yet. 🧡 The small wall that connects to my
kitchen peninsula is orange, and it’s a happy pop to match summer moods or brighten dreary wonder days.
Love the Sam Villiers Design room! Fun post on a fun color. I’m digging this wavelength and had recently created an “Orange Inspiration” Pinterest board.
I came around to orange hues with my interest in mid-century design. I realized how oranges bring energy and fun & liven up a room. I like a lot of these combos with teals, olives, light blues, pinks etc. A key for me is balancing the overall palette with lighter and less intense colors so everything is harmonious.
I think orange has been around and popular for a few years now-it’s very BoHo (even though we’re done with that trend) and it will always go with blue. Just last week we had our Craftsman house in San Jose painted SW6228 REFUGE and SW6349 PENNYWISE and SW7005 PURE WHITE
Ooh, we have a Craftsman house in need of repainting and I’d been thinking I’d like a mid-toned blue with cream trim and brownish orange mouldings/door. Thanks for the specific colors that you used and looked good! Would you be willing to post a picture if you have one?
i know I’m a day late and this post is now SO yesterday but have to add how pleased I was to see this post. I also love orange. I find it so cheerful and warm but soft at the same time. I can take a lot of it but two of my favourite images which happen to use it more subtly are this Ham Interiors bathroom and this reading lamp!
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Sorry, three more, very different from each other. Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy’s house. This room
by Jean Stoffer and this very different room from somewhere on the internet. Love them all!! Orange works everywhere!!
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I love seeing more orange! It’s been my favorite for a playful & unexpected pop of color for years. My wedding colors were actually orange (like citrus orange) , greens (eucalyptus and deep evergreen), and white. I know a few relatives, including my own mother, thought I was a nut for it but then it all came together so beautifully across tables, clothing, flowers, and homemade bunting.
Now I have been working on incorporating those colors in my home as we slowly renovate/update it.
What pops for me is your wonderful gift for words. So joyful, kinda …orange!?
Orange! Orange! Orange! My heart sings for orange, trend or no trend. I’ve been using it (in four homes) since 2004 because it is sunshine, it is energy, it is happiness. Wanna know the wildest thing? My favorite partner for orange is red-violet. Don’t judge it ’til you’ve seen it! Orange, mango, nectarine, apricot: it’s as juicy and delicious as all those words imply. Thanks ever so for inviting the audience to consider this delightful hue.
Thanks! I have a room (my office) with all hues of red, from furniture to abstract paintings and nature art. It’s very cozy.