If this holiday of spooks, silly costumes and cavity-inducing sweets had an official color, it would probably be orange. While the energetic blend of yellow and red dates back to ancient empires, it can also feel very modern and relevant to how we live today.
“The varying spectrum of orange – whether red/brown or bright and yellow – evokes positivity, excitement and warmth,” shares interior designer and Design Institute of San Diego instructor Jeff Hines, adding, “I have orange in almost every room in my home.” If it’s one of your favorite colors, too, here are some tips on how and where to use it. (And where not to.)
Room choices
“I have found that very intense saturated orange colors can vibrate off the wall, distracting and agitating people,” Hines cautions. That makes painting your bedroom or your baby’s nursery orange less than ideal. On the other hand, it can be great for kitchens and dining areas. “Orange is found in many spices, fruits and vegetables, thus making it an appetizing color,” Hines notes.
Gilbert, Arizona-based real estate agent Stacie Neumann advises, “The best rooms would be a game room, kitchen [or] family room. Worst rooms would be anything that is on the smaller scale, like a bedroom or bathroom.”
Kitchens are great rooms for the color orange
JG Kitchens
Decorative accessories
These are the easiest ways to add a punch of color to an otherwise-neutral space. Pillows, throw rugs, lamps, flowers or pottery are all examples of simple ways to add orange to a room. “When it comes to anything more permanent, it seems to take longer for that listing to sell,” shares Neumann. “Of course, with building your home, you want to do it for your pleasure, but if there is any chance in reselling in the future, best to avoid something bold like an orange countertop!” You could always go with orange countertop appliances instead.
Orange flowers and other decorative accessories add instant pop to a room.
De Agostini via Getty Images
Smaller built-in details
These are the elements that stay with a home when you move, but are easier to change out than cabinetry, countertops or flooring. “People are still gravitating toward white cabinets, so hardware, paint and accents could look appealing with the ability to change easily and cost effectively,” observes Neumann.
“Mid-century modern design is very popular today and you will see many homes painted gray and white with a tangerine shade of orange on its door. It is welcoming and inviting,” Hines comments. In addition to paint and cabinet hardware, you could add orange pendants, orange faucets or orange window coverings.
Window coverings are a great way to add color to a room.
Smith & Noble
Larger built-in details
Going a bit bigger in scale, you could tile a backsplash or add orange kitchen appliances. These involve larger investments to purchase, install and replace, but are still doable without remodeling the entire room. Alternatively, you could buy an orange washer and dryer set, which could certainly make laundry day more festive, and take the pair with you when you move.
Tiling a backsplash or accent wall orange is a way to add drama with less permanence than covering … [+]
Harmony/Tile of Spain Member Company
Parting thoughts
When asked about the most outrageous orange use she’d ever seen, Neumann recalled an entire home exterior painted that color. That’s probably a scary image for any listing agent, but the realtor notes that she has also seen excellent use of the dramatic hue on just architectural details. That is almost certainly a better way to go than being the year-round Halloween house on your block.
Orange doors are warm and welcoming.
The Washington Post/Getty Images