Notes On Colour: Orange
The weather is definitely starting to feel more autumnal and I always associate this time of year with orange tones of rust and terracotta inspired by the changing leaf colour and pumpkins! So the next blog post in the colour series had to be orange.
Psychology of Orange
Orange is a lively and energetic colour made from a mix of red and yellow (these will soon be featured on the blog). It combines cheerfulness and optimism with excitement and energy. The colour orange is warm and friendly; think of a roaring log fire, it also expresses energy and fun; brings memories of stamping through crunchy orange leaves! It has a playfulness and stimulates social interaction.
Too much orange or the wrong tone of orange can have a negative psychological impact; it can feel unrefined, childish, frivolous and cheap.
The Colour Orange
Depending on the tone of orange, very different atmospheres can be created. A bright vivid orange such as an opal fruit wrapper will give a very different feeling to a gentle peach/plaster tone. As always, when choosing a colour for your home first think about how you want the space to feel. The gentle plaster tone will have some pink pigments making it feel calm and romantic, a rusty burnt orange will have more red pigment giving more strength and energy. When used as an accent colour in a scheme it can really lift a flat and uninspiring space. Consider bringing it into a scheme through accessories and artwork.
Feautured Orange
When we moved into our new house my young daughter decided she wanted a bright orange bedroom; great for the daytime when the room functions as a fun play space but not so great for when the bedroom needs to function as a calm space for settling down at bedtime. We compromised and I painted the back of her bedroom door as featured in the photograph in Charlotte's Locks by Farrow & Ball and also included the colour throughout the accessories. It’s a beautiful iconic colour but needs some thought when working into a design.
Another favourite orange I love to in a more muted, softer shade is Baked by Coat Paints
For further reading on colour, please take a look at a previous blog posts featuring the colours Green, Brown, Pink and Blue