There’s some juicy news about home interior palettes.
A popular color in outdoor entertaining, orange has graduated to stylish furnishings indoors.
The sometimes playful, always warm marriage of primary red and yellow now is living large on walls, furniture, lighting, rugs, window treatments and vivid accessories, such as pillows and vases. Orange is no longer confined to children’s rooms or edgy contemporary design. It has assumed a certain savoir-faire, even chic status.
At October’s home furnishings market in High Point, N.C., editors’ eyes were peeled on an arresting vignette: Ceramist-turned-furniture designer Jonathan Adler spiced up a white lacquer settee with orange cushions piped in white, boldly set off by black-and-white Greek key pillows and rug.
Orange also showed up on leather and velvet upholstery, luxury bedding and throws. It was found in painted and high-gloss finishes, from provincial to sleek modern pieces.
From brash to uplifting
In its pure state, orange is brash. The redder scale of coral and persimmon radiates energy. Kicked down to more mellow apricot, melon or peach, the color becomes soothing without losing vigor. Peach has another benefit: It’s flattering to skin tones.
In case you’ve missed an orange glow in advertising on TV and in magazines, you must certainly be aware of it in cleaning products, many of which sport the scent as well as the color. It almost makes you smell it when you see it, a phenomenon known as synesthesia.
Paint your world
The boldest way to introduce the feel-good color is to employ orange as an envelope for a room. The easiest way to do that is with paint.
Darker tones, like rich terra cotta, tend to enclose a room, making it feel more intimate. Lighter versions tend to be more open, like other neutrals.
Make it stand out
Create a knockout focal point with a single standout piece, such as a secretary, armoire or bureau. Repeat the color in small accessories for effective punctuation.
Or add punch with utilitarian pieces, such as bright orange fabric stools or lacquered nesting tables. These singular sensations may draw attention, but with careful balancing, they won’t overwhelm.
“Used throughout a room, orange can become surprisingly neutral, and yet it can be bright and mood-enhancing,” Adler says.
It’s a perfect match
Surprisingly, there’s almost no color that clashes with orange. But what you choose to partner with orange does affect its style.
White trims (either moldings or edging on upholstery) set it off crisply and tame it.
With chocolate or black, orange can assume elegance. With purple, it can take on an almost regal look. Apple green and chartreuse are hip mixes with orange. Hot pink and bright yellow spark an exotic note. Cobalt blue, blue-green or lighter blues are a brilliant counterpoint.
