Orange Can Mean Coziness, Motivation and Health

We thought since it's Autumn and Thanksgiving is only ten days away, it was only appropriate to feature the color orange.  After all we love it for it's boldness and yet it can also evoke a warmth in our hearts and it has had a resurgence in popularity in the past year or so.  It wasn't always love...I mean I've always liked the color orange but the new oranges that range from coral to russet, well they just had me at O.
  
October is out of here (can you believe it?)and November is half over. We have spent time putting out the Fall decor , changing out throws, pillows and cozying up the joint (see Fall Wreaths here) because we're wired that when the calendar says its September or so, we need to start getting ready for 'ol man Winter and orange is not just for pumpkins. It symbolizes coziness, motivation, security and so much more.  So before it's time for mistletoe and holly let's see how orange can show us a few tricks and help turn our rooms into treats shall we!

The color orange occurs on the color wheel between yellow and red.  You can see from the chart above that it can have different meanings; it is a power color.  It can stimulate appetite, enthusiasm and creativity.  Think about Home Depot, where DIY and creativity are king and you don't have to think too hard about what their signature color is...ahem...it's orange and lots of it.

·         American Indians associate the color orange with kinship. 

Orange is the Netherlands' national color, dating back to the Dutch War of Independence and the rebel Prince of Orange.

·         In Ireland, the use of orange dates from the reign of William of Orange, the Protestant English king and a Dutch stadholder.

·         In China and Japan, orange is used to symbolize happiness and love. 

Colors that compliment orange range from blues, grays, purple and chocolate browns.

Orange is a power color and is also a healing color.  It is known to be the color of Lady Luck, something you might want to remember when you're packing for your next trip to Vegas. 

Like red, it can stimulate appetite so a few well placed pops of orange would be great for a dining area.

This beautiful table setting by Carolyn Roehme in House Beautiful shows how to pair natural elements with a complementary blue and a few pops of orange.  Not sure about the antlers but you could always use them as coat hooks...just kidding.

Pinterest

 Here's another way to add some orange to your table...so easy to spray paint these candlesticks and add complementary candle colors.

If the thought of an orange wall freaks you out...how about putting some color on the floor.  This is a great way to introduce a bright color.

Love this chair from Anthropologie

Want to add a little excitement in the bedroom...I'm talking with color of course.

 Johnathan Berger

Ken Faulk

Love, love, love orange and turquoise together.  Notice the two tone walls and carrying the blue on the ceiling.  The room sits back and lets the comforter do the talking...what a bright, happy room to wake up to!

Now for a completely opposite look.  This room is drenched with warmth of gold, apricot and terracotta.  The sheers on the window allow light to flood the room and keep it from being too heavy.  Wouldn't this be cozy on a cold Fall night?  The trunk completely marries the colors and the wood furniture...beautiful.

 Pinterest

This room with all white walls, lets the artwork and furniture provide the color.  The mantel is not overdone but the color of the vases says this person is not afraid to let their color flag fly.

Tom Samet, Designer

Love the pops of orange provided by the lampshades and reflected in the mirror.  Now this is a room that looks like people actually live here.  Wouldn't you like to join us for a glass of wine and hang out here?

So whether you're into traditional, boldly contemporary, or like most of us, somewhere in between, orange can provide a little spice and warmth to wood tones or a pop to white walls and woodwork.  Take your cue from natures earthy brown tones, soft apricots or that Jack o'Lantern from a few weeks ago and play with adding this versatile color to your space. 

Elementally,

Linda and Michele

Not Just For Brides...How to Decorate With White

It’s June and when we think of June, we often think of weddings and white.  So how about some white for your interiors.  Many people have white walls because they’re terrified to pick a color (you know who you are!) but what if you actually picked it on purpose.  Now we love color, but there is something very calming about a white room and if done right, it doesn't have to be cold or clinical.  Many of us associate white with doctors, nurses and hospitals but white is also the color of angels and white hats on cowboys are seen as being “the good guys”.

Benjamin Moore has over 200 choices of white paint colors alone.  The trick is to determine the underlying color in the white.  Does it have a yellow, blue or pink undertone?  Put several white paint chip samples together and see what we mean.  Using white and cream together creates a balanced and warmer feeling especially when combined with different textures.

Rachel Ashwell, founder of Shabby Chic is the queen of white washed everything.  She has written books, developed furniture lines and has a collection sold at Target stores based on combining white in a beautiful and ethereal way.  

According to Rachel, “white makes a flexible and forgiving first step.  It gives you a blank canvas for anything.”

What keeps this room from feeling cold are the touches of wood in the floor, vintage furniture and staircase. 



Pictures above from ShabbyChic.com



This room combines white with soft colors but it’s warmth comes from the different textures ie; the silk curtain panels, the mirrored side table and the padded headboard that looks oh so comfy.



A cozy den with creative use of books in the fireplace.



Suzanne Kasler's Bedroom in her Florida Home

One of my favorite designers is Suzanne Kasler who loves color but also does white mixed with a Coastal vibe.  As Suzanne says, “You can freshen up a white room just by swapping out throw pillows:  blues ones for summer, orange ones for winter, and so on.  A rug or work of art is another little way to make a big difference.”

Painting accessories all one color, in this case white, ties them together into a cohesive design element.

Below, see how adding pops of color creates a clean look but is certainly not boring!

The creamy white walls and the beige sofa are mixed perfectly 

In the practice of feng-shui, white is the color of purity and innocence.  Its energy is crisp, clear, clean and fresh and is excellent to use in a meditation space or bathrooms.

See above how cozy white can be...

Use your collectibles, in this case the pitchers as a pop of color.  The white is also broken up by the stainless appliances and stone floor.

Images from House Beautiful magazine

The white slipcovered furniture plays a secondary role to the stone fireplace and the stunning ocean views!

So you can embrace that builder white or maybe you're ready for a soothing break in just one room, consider white as an option to update and refresh your home.

To your Elements of Chic,

Michele and Linda