Fear Not a Pop of Orange: How We Use Vibrant Color to Add Personality to a Home
The color orange is not for the faint of heart. When a room is curtains to walls to rugs orange, to some it says, “LOOK AT ME! I’M HERE TO ENERGIZE YOU! THERE WILL BE NO RELAXATION IN THIS ROOM.” Right? However, orange used judiciously can lend warmth, charm and personality to a living room, kitchen, bedroom or study. It’s joyous. It’s enthusiastic. It’s vibrant. And it’s a bit flamboyant without being aggressive.
Here are four examples of how we’ve used orange to lend personality to staged homes.
These saddle-orange chairs are an anchor in a large and open living area. The orange against the stone fireplace helps warm up the room. Imagine blue chairs – the room would feel much cooler with the blue pillows and a blue desk. FYI: Orange and blue go well together because they are complementary colors – directly across from each other on the color wheel. This home in Canaan, NY is listed by Jennifer Capala, William Pitt Sothebys International Realty
Art: A simple orange painting – no frame (by our friend Kari Kroll) – lends happy energy to white walls in this country-chic renovated farmhouse. The raspberry-patterned chairs are an analogous color (on the same side of the color wheel), so the overall feeling is comfortable. Bottom line? These colors play well together. (Want to learn a bit more about color theory? Click here.)
Dark wood and tan tile are energized by orange accessories in this city apartment. The orange also works with the blue sink. See how we tied it all together with that make-up brushes cup above the sink? It’s the little things! Photo: Ellen Silverman.
Mixed-pattern orange pillows lend energy to this Lenox, MA condo’s neutral pallet. We love to combine patterns when we can. It brings a sense of joy to a staged room.
We love orange – but it’s only one color – we use all the other ones too! Click here to see more of our recently staged county homes - and click here to see some recent city homes.