Decorating with Orange: Colour Ideas for an Inviting Home
Over the last few months, we've seen orange become really popular in the world of interiors and it's so well deserved! As an interior designer, it's one of my favourite accent colours and adding just small doses of this vibrant hue is a great way of bringing a room to life. It has an optimistic, energetic feel so it's a great choice if you want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. From burnt orange to bright tangerine, there's the perfect shade of orange for every space and there are lots of different ways of adding it to your home decor. In this post, I'm going to be sharing some tips and ideas so that you can introduce the colour orange to your home with confidence.
Add it as a colour block
If painting a whole room in orange feels a bit much, adding it as a lively colour block is a great idea.
Open plan family space painted in Slaked Lime with colour blocks in Canton (Little Greene) & Charlotte’s Locks (Farrow & Ball)
Orange is said to be linked to appetite stimulation so it works really well in a kitchen or dining room. In this open plan family room, we used neutral colours on most of the walls and ceiling and then zoned the dining area in bold colour. Teal and orange are complementary colours on the colour wheel so there's a strong contrast between them but they pair really well together. We painted a vibrant teal colour block on the wall, extending it up on to the ceiling, and then we added an orange block around the artwork to create a focal point.
Colour blocks are also great for adding personality to kids' rooms. Painted in Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee, this neutral tween boy’s room provides the perfect backdrop for splashes of bright colour. I added an orange colour block above the bedside table with a concealed shelf bracket for book storage. The bright pops of orange in the throw, cushion and wall paint add lots of energy and warmth.
Add a splash of orange in your artwork
One of the best ways to add a splash of colour is through wall art. This framed picture already belonged to my client and it works beautifully in the living space where we wrapped a deep blue-green-grey paint colour around the walls.
Opt for an orange sofa
An orange sofa is a great way to make a statement and it works particularly well when paired with mid-century modern decor. Our lounge is south-facing so it gets lots of natural light throughout the day. I chose to make the most of the lovely warm light, sticking to neutral tones with white walls, and adding pops of colour in the accent pieces. I kept the main sofa neutral but the burnt orange sofa really pops and adds lots of personality to this side of the room. It also complements the warm tones of the teak sideboard. Also note how the orange in the artwork picks out the colour of the sofa to help tie everything together.
Choose orange soft furnishings
Blue, green and orange - my favourite colour palette!
Add orange underfoot with a patterned area rug. In the sitting area of our dining room, I used a blue and green colour scheme and then added orange accents for contrast. The orange rug picks out the colour in the artwork and cushion. If you're adding orange as accents, try to include it in three different accessories. This will help to create a cohesive feel and tie everything together.
The deep green on the walls in this little boy’s room creates a cocooning feel and we used mustard and orange accents in the soft furnishings to bring the space to life in a fun way.
Use it on a front door
New-build hallways lack the period features of older homes so they need an injection of personality to bring them to life. For a warm welcome home, why not paint your front door orange?! In this hallway, Farrow and Ball's Charlotte's Locks on the door contrasts beautifully with Little Greene's Marine Blue on the walls. It creates a bold focal point, drawing the eye down to the end of the hallway.
Light it up with orange
Whether it's a little orange desk lamp or a patterned floor lamp shade, incorporating orange hues in your lighting is a great way of introducing it into your room design.
Use orange wallpaper
Image credit: Bobbi Beck Retro Star Wallpaper
Wallpaper is another great way of adding orange to a space and it works particularly well with retro prints. Instead of only wallpapering an accent wall, consider wrapping it around the whole room. Or if it’s a multifunctional space, use it to zone a single area.
Paint all the walls
If you choose the right shade of orange, colour drenching the walls and woodwork can work brilliantly. While a bright orange paint would feel too much, earthy tones like burnt orange, rust orange and terracotta infuse warmth without feeling overpowering.
Image credit: Tikkurila Nude in Nizza
This dining room is painted in a soft, peachy shade of orange which gives it a warm but soothing feel.
So there you go! Whether you go bold with a burnt orange sofa or keep it subtle with a few carefully chosen accents, orange has a unique way of energising a space, making it feel warm and welcoming. Because it pairs so well with everything from rich blues and greens to soft neutrals, it’s such an easy-to-use, versatile colour.
If you’ve been tempted to try it but weren’t quite sure how to make it work, I hope this post has given you lots of ideas for using this uplifting colour in your own home. Even a small touch of orange can really make a room pop!
I’m a West Yorkshire based interior designer and I provide online design services throughout the UK. If you’re starting a project and would like some help, I’d love to hear from you! Take a look at my online interior design packages and get in touch if you’d like to book a free introductory call.
