When I was a kid, I used to covet a pair of old wingback chairs in my dad’s office, both upholstered in lovely tangerine wool. When I moved to Seattle, he let me take one, and even though we have to work the room around it -- orange doesn’t fade into the background -- I’m always surprised by how well the chair blends in. (I especially love it with gray and white; too much black and it starts to feel like Halloween.)
Nearly every contemporary furniture line, from the highest-end to Ikea, has orange pieces in its inventory at any given time. It’s also a mainstay of midcentury, and even graces the occasional antique, though it takes a bold soul to wrap orange around anything really old.
Since it’s Furniture Month here at Apartment Therapy, we rounded up a few noteworthy pieces, a mix of newcomers and classics and one jaw-dropping reupholstery job.
And as always, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Orange seems like one of those love-it-or-hate-it hues – which is it for you?
• Patricia Urquiola’s Bloomy armchairs evoke open flowers, while the zippers lend a touch of edginess.
• The splurge-worthy Wegner Wishbone chair is especially eye-catching in orange.
• This West Elm side table in persimmon is powder-coated for indoor/outdoor use.
• From Room and Board, a slim cocktail table that’s a match made in heaven for a gray streamlined sofa.
• Would you be able to get any sleep in this Big Double Bed Squaring Penisola by Bonaldo?
• Orange seems like the perfect color for the playful and iconic Orange Slice Chair, designed by Pierre Paulin in 1960.
• Glossy orange fiberglass doesn’t need beer goggles to fall hard for wood, as proven by John Knott with his Drunk Egyptian Chair.
• Can’t deal with all-out orange? This contemporary Omega desk and chair by Atomare keeps it contained to a stripe along the seams.
• A classic wingback in orange, similar to mine but in a lot better shape. Colin chair in persimmon velvet by Jayson Home & Garden.
• Morgan from the Brick House did an amazing job reupholstering this sofa in vibrant orange. It should be too much, but somehow it’s not.
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Sheex Bedding
lovelovelove orange! so far all i've managed are smaller pieces of accessory/accent pieces. have to do it in steps, i'm afraid. it's SO lively and makes me happy. not sure i could do wall color with it but furniture is next! just have to be sure not to overdo it.
I like orange, but I'm staying away from it for now, since I really want purple to be the prominent color (or at least the pop... and if I need something to balance it, it will be chartreuse and not orange, so....)
Combining orange with green and yellow can give the happy feeling of a garden.
I'd love some paint suggestions ...
I love orange! It goes surprising well with SO much - think aqua blues and pinks...
@lepidoptery: my wedding colors were purple and orange! It can work very well! If the purples are on the warmer side, it's perfect!
The color orange and I have been in a wonderful loving relationship since I was a child. No other color speaks more loudly or is more exciting and makes the perfect accent color against a white or gray background in a modern or contemporary setting. For those who like aqua and lime green, orange is the perfect compliment.
@electrickatie
Must have been a neat departure from the usual white. :O But I do prefer my purples on the cooler side. Very tricky....
I am in possession of an orange lamp. I need to resolve it somehow, if I'm not spraypainting. :\