Decorate With Orange Like A Designer
Orange is called Nature’s antidepressant because it fosters feelings of optimism, creativity, energy and enthusiasm. We naturally gravitate towards the color orange because it radiates warmth and happiness.
Orange is a friendly, playful color that can make rooms come alive with excitement. But orange can also dominate a space and feel overwhelming if not used appropriately.
We’re going to dive into all things orange and see how this dynamic color physically and psychologically affects us, where and where not to use it in the home, and how best to optimize the color orange in our interior spaces.
How the Color Orange Affects Us
When we think about the color orange, visions of beautiful sunsets and tantalizing summer citrus fruits immediately come to mind. But orange has a surprising effect on us not only in the world, but also in our homes.
Orange combines the bold intensity of red, with the happy go lucky feelings of yellow. This combination is perceived as playful, cheerful, assertive and extroverted.
Orange is an attention-grabbing color that stimulates us visually. We use it in traffic and warning signs because we instinctively recognize it as something to pay attention to.
The color orange is so stimulating that a 2018 study from the Frontiers of Psychology found that this exciting color increases our energy levels and can ”negatively affect the performance in difficult tasks, as studying.” They further explained that “This effect could be explained considering that long-wave colors can cause higher arousal than short-wave colors…”
Where and Where Not To Use The Color Orange In Interior Design
So how do we use orange appropriately in the home? Orange packs a lot of visual punch. This powerful color needs to be used strategically in our homes so we can get the benefits of this color rather than have it work against us.
Bold and bright orange is best used in small doses. Think of places that are high energy environments. A home gym would be an excellent place to go big with orange as an exciting visual signal to keep you motivated during a workout.
But that same bright orange would not work in a bedroom. Intense reds and oranges are known sleep disruptors. Orange is too stimulating to our systems and will excite us rather than relax us. You’ll be lying in bed thinking about your to-do lists rather than falling peacefully asleep.
Instead, opt for the softer sides of orange in the bedroom. Gentle peaches and muted corals still have the cozy, happy feel of orange, but are more soothing to our senses.
Orange is a communal color. Its warmth adds a friendly, inviting feel to social spaces like kitchens and living rooms. Orange has been shown to decrease irritability and improve social behavior.
How To Use The Color Orange In Interior Design
Orange is an amazing accent color that can enliven dull spaces and compliment cooler colors. Fold in orange as an accent color in living rooms, game rooms, and media rooms.
Earthy oranges like terracotta give us a grounded feeling and pair well with wood tones. Terracotta walls in a dining room make your guests feel safe and welcome, while helping to encourage enthusiastic conversations. Terracotta works wonders as an accent in tile or textiles when paired with light, warm neutral colors for a chic, modern style.
Blue and orange are complementary colors, meaning they sit opposite each other on the color wheel. These two colors make an exciting pair. Use coral orange in decor and pillows in blue rooms for a naturally engaging design.
Soft orange tones like peaches, apricots, and corals can make beautiful bedroom colors, while more saturated oranges work great in playrooms.
Conclusion
There are many ways to utilize the color orange in your home for a vibrant, exciting effect. This powerful color can range from intense tangerine to subtle warm neutral tones. Knowing where to use this versatile color will help create interesting spaces for conversations, playtime, and relaxing.
About the Author
Nicole Cullum is an interior designer and fine artist. Her passion for color, pattern, and balance are expressed through her hand-painted line of wallpapers and textiles available at ColorCaravan.com.
Contact Nicole at hello@ColorCaravan.com for help with your next design project, e-design services, or a custom wallpaper or textile design.
