Psychological Effects of Colours – Orange

The Colour Orange!

Colours invoke feelings and by using the knowledge about which feelings the colour summons we can make the interior space work in harmony with the user rather than fight it.

The colour I’m focusing on this week is orange and how to use it best in your home.

Radiates warm and happiness

The colour orange radiates warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow.

It focuses our minds on issues of physical comfort. The colour psychology of orange is optimistic and uplifting, rejuvenating our spirit.

Positive words associated with orange are: warmth, security, sensuality, passion, abundance, fun, social, welcoming, liveliness, active, happiness, joyfulness, cheerful, assertive, dynamic, extroverted, exuberance.

How to use colour orange on interiors

We often overlook using orange as we find it bright and too bold to use in our homes but if used wisely orange can look very active and interesting with many other different colours.

Orange goes well with black, white, grey, cream, brown beige and other neutrals. Orange can be used effectively with yellows and reds to create an interesting fiery colour scheme adding depth to it with patterns, decorations and different textures.

Using contrasting colours like blue, purple and green as accents in decorations, accessories and small furniture items one can create many unique colours schemes.

Pairing intense and pale orange hues like apricot and  peach colours can create a nice contrast in the decor.

Add a contrasting accent colour like turquoise and some neutrals and you can create a good balanced colour scheme. Use colour samples to see if intense and pale orange hues as well as the neutrals go well together.

Then try a contrasting colour in various shades and see what works best.

If you don’t want to paint the walls orange, neutral can be used as the main colour in the colour scheme while orange makes a bold accent colour.

Throw around some bright orange throws and cushions to brighten up a dull colour scheme or just add some orange flowers to a vase to enliven the room. Using colour in small amounts is a good way to introduce strong hues into your home.

Orange is a fantastic colour to use as a feature wall to create a focal point

Add a contrasting colour like a purple vase on the table and you have a striking feature.

Orange can be used on the wall in a pale shade as well as intense shades. Orange is also great colour to use where there will be large congregations of people as it decreases irritability and hostility, improving social behaviour.

Now you’ve got some useful information on the colour orange go ahead and test out the best way to use orange in your home!

You can’t go wrong choosing it as a fun, happy colour for summer!