How to Decorate with Orange
Orange is a color that lends itself to all sorts of decorating styles - Mid-Century Modern, French Country, Grandmillenial and Boho (just to name a few). It’s also a color some tend to shy away from because orange can seem scary at first.
Rest assured, orange goes well beyond the jack-o-lanterns of Halloween and shag rugs from the 1960’s. It’s grounding, earthy and cozy. It’s the color of sunsets, desert clay, terra cotta and tree foliage. Orange can be quite bold, but it has a balancing quiet side. Our founder, Marian (aka Miss Mustard Seed), put a lot of work into getting our rusty shade of orange - Outback Petticoat - just right. It’s warm, inviting and a great companion to commonly-used colors in every day home decor.
So let’s give orange a second look and consider how it can be blended into your decor style, shall we?
Pair Orange With Natural Materials
Dusty and burnt shades of orange are in the same color vein as many natural elements you probably already have in your space. Natural wood elements are a great place to begin adding touches of orange here and there!
Eastern White Pine can develop a gorgeous amber/orange patina over time. If you’ve seen an antique piece of pine furniture that has an orange cast to it, you’ve found a gem! The antique chest of drawers below is called “pumpkin pine” because of its orange coloring. This is a natural process that shows off the age and character of the piece.
In the trendy cafe scene below, curtains with the same shade of our Outback Petticoat look right at home in the company of natural wood shelving and paneling on the wall. The patina on the rusty industrial chain link around the light fixture ties back to the rusty orange hue of the curtains too.
Introduce Orange Through Botanical Touches
Flowers, greenery and botanical prints always soften orange and tie it back to nature. You can bring these elements in through live plants, botanical artwork or fabric!
When Miss Mustard Seed created a line of quilting fabric called “Bunnies, Birds and Blooms”, she brought in shades of Outback Petticoat.
Using floral patterned fabrics with pops of orange brings that natural element to curtains and throw pillows.
Balance Pops of Orange with Subdued Colors
Whether it be human personalities, spicy food, or a haute ensemble, boldness is always more palatable when it’s balanced with something on the muted and subdued side. Home decor and colorways are no different.
In this photo, orange is the bold color, popping out on the geometric wall behind the deep blue industrial toolboxes. (Looks a bit like a blend of our Artissimo and Flow Blue, doesn’t it?) The grounding colors are found in the sage and toffee accents on the wall and in the shag rug. These quieter and softer shades ground and balance the bright pop of orange and the deep intensity of the blue toolboxes.
Soften Oranges with Creams and Beiges
A great way to soften the boldness of saturated shades of orange is to surrounded it with warm shades of cream, beige and taupe.
If your wooden furniture or shelving doesn’t have a natural orange cast to it, you can certainly add it manually! This vintage dresser was boring and brown before Miss Mustard Seed gave it an Outback Petticoat finish.
While orange may have seemed like a bold color choice for her piece, Miss Mustard Seed expertly softened it by adding touches of beige and cream in the artwork on the wall. The ironstone platter and pitcher bring a crisp white that tie in with the antique textile upholstered chair. In the grooves of the dresser, there are pops of white.
By surrounding orange with shades of white, cream and beige, you automatically quiet its boldness.
Start Small
If you're truly hesitant to add orange to your space, start small with a few cheerful pops around the room. Throw pillows are an easy avenue to sneak in bold color.
You can also paint picture frames, swap out your lamps for those with a touch of orange or lay down a throw rug that has it sprinkled in here and there.
However you choose to bring orange into your home decor, we hope you’re inspired to give Outback Petticoat a try, and add some whimsy to your space! Click the image below to find a brick-and-mortar or online shop near you. Our retailers are ready and waiting to help you Move Mountains in Your Home™.
