Mention yellow and you probably think first of bright, crayon yellow. Think orange and you get,
well, an orange. Because these youthful, high impact colors have such strong emotional appeal,
you might be concerned they lack sophistication or carry too much intensity for home decor. But
this pair, nestled right next to each other on the color wheel, are
actually full of decorating possibilities. Their varied shades and tones blend beautifully with
each other and they're wonderful when paired with their opposites on the color wheel … oranges
with blue hues, yellows with a variety of violets.
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Energetic orange and yellow.
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It might take courage to use pure yellow or orange, but the results are striking when done well. Orange,
enjoying a major comeback, has become highly visible, energizing contemporary furniture and accessories
in home fashion magazines and advertising. At the other end of the decorating spectrum, historical or
traditional rooms in upscale magazines like Architectural Digest often showcase true yellow walls and
elegant woodwork in high-contrast white.
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Sunflower gold warms a country setting.
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There's no question yellow and orange add life to bland or safe color schemes. Just one lemon or tangerine
accent – whether a single painted wall, modern chair or decorator pillow – adds zest to a room. But you
don't have to go to extremes to enjoy the sunny, natural appeal of these two colors. Other yellow-to-orange
hues offer sustenance and richness in softer, subtler palettes. Mustard, butter, custard … gold, apricot,
saffron … peach, salmon, pumpkin ... terra cotta, coral, shrimp. If you aren't drooling by now, you're
definitely reading the wrong page. These are such delicious colors with so many design possibilities, it
would be a pity to exclude them from your home. What follows is a list of possible palettes to jog your
own color creativity.
Southwestern Style: Terra cotta and other clay tones mix beautifully with creamy yellow, sage, teal and
forest green; turquoise or deep blues with a purple cast, and soft purples. Think Grand Canyon, desert
sunsets and adobe walls
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Yellow and orange in a tropical mode.
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Breezy Tropical Tones: These special pastels include banana, cantaloupe, coral and the whole rainbow of
sherbet tones and summery colors like daiquiri and aquamarine. Bring on the umbrella drinks
American and European Country: Mustard and mellow gold recall historical rustic color schemes that
coordinate wonderfully with milk paint tones of blue, green, oxblood and barn red. Beige, brown and black
are great accent colors in this scheme
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Cottage Style rug in yellow, blue and white.
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Summery Cottage Style: Lots of white is the cool and unifying element for color schemes including buttercup
yellow, Delft or pillow ticking blue, and celadon or the simple dark green of old fashioned shutters and lawn
furniture
Gen X Brights: After years of wearing nothing but black, this color-deprived group is all about the
uncompromising colors of commercial products. iMac tangerine; HoJo rooftop orange, Powerpuff Girls pastels
and Highlighter yellow are all part of the fun
Adirondack Autumn: Lodge style's exposed wood beams and river rock fireplaces play beautifully off
harvest colors like cider, pumpkin and russet or fall foliage yellows and oranges. Spruce, hunter green,
soft sage and blue-to-purple grape tones provide the contrast
Arts&Crafts/Mission: From the golden glow of mica lampshades and Tiffany lamps to the copper accents on
simple oak furniture, this look basks in the warmest tones of yellow and orange. Tapestry and celedon greens
are perfect complements to the rich creams, mustards and browns so associated with this popular decorative
era
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A modern art rug in old-world hues.
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Old World Warmth: Mexican, South American and Mediterranean homes glow with colorful, sun-warmed exteriors.
Terra cotta, umber, sienna, persimmon, gold and warm yellows are everywhere, complimented by doors and
shutters in striking shades of blue and green, the chalky patina of age and brilliant flowers everywhere
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Sophisticated petal yellow.
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Sophisticated Pastels: It all depends on your idea of sophistication of course, but the combination of
salmon, gray and taupe comes to mind – as does a floral palette including palest peach, chiffon yellow,
lilac and petal pink
Faux Finishes: If you're a fan of sponged, ragged, marbled or combed surfaces, combine a gold or rich
cream base with a top layer of salmon, terra cotta or other mid-range orange tones for extremely warm and sophisticated wall treatments.
With such a wide range of tones and possibilities it's hard to remain convinced that yellow and orange are
too simple, intense or unflattering for your home. PY
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