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Orange Deserves a Spot in Your Home—Here's How Designers Use It
Orange, a vibrant hue combining the confidence of red and the playfulness of yellow, can infuse enthusiasm and optimism into any room. Despite some perceiving it as too bright, its diverse shades offer surprising versatility for home decor. New York-based designer Garrow Kedigian notes that orange can both brighten and anchor a room, serving as a prominent color or an accent in artwork and upholstery, asserting that it "exudes great energy" and can create "design drama." Fellow New York decorator Katie Ridder emphasizes orange's effectiveness as a secondary color, pairing well with complementary and contrasting hues, including brown, green, red, and colors opposite on the color wheel. This article explores various color combinations with orange, providing expert insights for decorating.
One striking combination is orange and cobalt blue. Blue, being directly opposite orange on the color wheel, creates a high-energy contrast. Saturated blues like Cosmic Cobalt and marine blue complement cantaloupe and tangelo shades without being overshadowed. An example includes a New York library with lacquered salmon walls harmonizing with deep blue window valances and sofa fabric. Another pairing involves orange and yellow, particularly muted tones like peachy oranges and buttery yellows, which foster a welcoming atmosphere. Ridder advises against overly graphic combinations to avoid a dated '70s aesthetic, instead suggesting sunset hues in fabrics to subtly enhance the room. A Bel Air living room, inspired by an antique Spanish rug, exemplifies this with Lee Jofa’s Hollyhock chintz and apricot silk draperies.
The article further suggests pairing orange with black, noting that careful tone selection is crucial to avoid a 'Halloween' theme. Deep ebony with tangerine or burnt oranges creates a contemporary and striking scheme, especially when grounded by a third neutral shade like cream or muted gold. For a dramatic effect, orange and chartreuse are recommended for smaller spaces, with an example of orange-red drapery against lime lacquered walls. Monochromatic approaches, such as orange and apricot, involve drenching walls in a melon hue and adding furnishings in similar orange shades, with subtle tonal differences preventing boredom. Orange and white offer a crisp, invigorating contrast, making a bold statement in areas like a foyer with custom Gracie wallcovering, balanced by natural brown accents.
For a touch of opulence, orange and gold combine a rich, vibrant orange-red with radiant gold, ideal for dining rooms or bar areas, as seen in a Manhattan apartment with fiery study walls and a golden ceiling. Muted beige-y oatmeal with a soft melon or peach shade creates a balanced look in powder rooms or wellness spaces, exemplified by a tangerine and taupe wallcovering in a Kips Bay Decorator Show House powder room. Unexpected yet whimsical, orange and pale lilac make an impact in living rooms, with a Birmingham den featuring a persimmon breakfast banquette and lilac sofa tied together by fabric accents. Finally, pastel blues with orange create a sweet and feminine ambiance, such as a romantic dining room with a tangelo settee against a backdrop of Gracie wallcovering and blue trim. Chocolate brown, with its formal richness, can temper youthful oranges, as demonstrated in a home bar where fiery orange trim enlivens cabinetry and fretwork, making an electrifying statement in small applications. The article demonstrates orange's versatility through these diverse pairings, emphasizing its potential to energize and transform interiors.
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