Fresh squeezed orange is the way to go for fall

Orange is the new color.
Orange is where it's at for fall decorating.

Orange is where it’s at for fall decorating.

The  color orange punches up a room like no other color.  Orange’s bright hues and sunny disposition adds zest and surprise to any style interior.   Wake up any room in your home with bold splashes of orange accents.  Use it sparingly or get drenched in it.

Orange glows with warmth and positive energy.  Without a doubt, orange is the happiest color in the spectrum.  Its uplifting and invigorating qualities makes using orange in a room up to date, exciting, and very stylish.

Introduce orange into a room in a variety of ways from paint to fabric, to an infinite number of decorating details such as window treatments, furniture, art, and collections.  Orange makes a room feel more energetic.  This great, unexpected color also adds a sense of warmth and fun while bringing a room to life.  Using just a touch of bold, outgoing orange on a fabric, or a furniture piece for example, is all it takes to perk up and add a radiant surprise to a space.

Choosing orange as the overall coloration can be dramatic in small rooms.   Some contrasting accent pieces such as lamps, pillows, throws, etc. gain greater impact in small spaces that may not otherwise gave great architectural interest.

You also can layer this citrusy color by choosing a similar intensity in fabrics and textures.  Mixing and matching patterns, stripes, and solids adds to the fun in accenting a room.

Today, you can use a bright orange along with hot pink and a bold yellow for example, and it’s not considered garish anymore!  It is important though to keep this modernized combination to no more than three colors, and use lots of white with them.  The key is to ensure that all the elements work well together in a pleasing way while using this fresh color scheme.

Orange can go anywhere.

Orange can go anywhere.

Why is orange considered the warmest color hue? The answer is because it incorporates two different hot colors, red and yellow.  Add a little yellow to red and you get a wonderful shade of pumpkin.  This sumptuous shade is deliciously great on walls.

Dress the windows in the same shade of pumpkin, especially in voluminous rooms.  This enhances the space to become more intimate, and shows off neutral furnishings.  Black or beige solid pieces are striking in a room enveloped in a pumpkin color backdrop.

If you’re ready to paint on the orange, but not daring enough for the bright version, try toning it down to an amber or tangerine shade.

I just finished a dining room for a client.  The natural lighting in the space was fantastic, with great windows that offered wonderful views.  I opted to paint the walls in a beautiful shade of orange, a kind of mango color. I then used white on the moldings, trim, and windows.  It may have seen daring for my client, but she said that it couldn’t have been more beautiful.

Orange kitchen

Orange kitchen

In a kitchen, orange stimulates the appetite while imitating the glow of a fire.  Brighten kitchen areas with orange accents, artwork and natural floral and fruitful arrangements.

Orange can be classic and timeless in a traditional room.  An orange toile patterned fabric is fabulous in any room of a home.  A powder room with upholstered walls in an orange document toile fabric is always perfect.

Orange provides a bright, modern element when used in a contemporary space.  For a fresh point of view, balance this space with a subdued neutral or off-white palette to create a wonderful contrast.  In a contemporary bedroom, for instance, use neutral linens, walls, and flooring.  Add a pair of orange chenille chairs, some modern art pieces, and a pair of modern architectural lamps with orange crystal bases and platinum brushed details to bedazzle, add zest, and lift the spirits of anyone who enters.

I think a few cheerful doses of orange pillows in a living or family room, and a fresh, harvest theme centerpiece on a dining room could really do it.

In conclusion, every well-decorated room should begin with an inspiration.  Mine is the changing colors of autumn, highlighted in shades of orange.  As fall approaches, consider adding a burst or two of vibrant, exciting orange.