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Orange and Black Rooms... All Year Round?

So here's a question we've been pondering: Has Halloween ruined orange and black forever, or is this a color combination that can work beautifully in the right home? Is it possible to design an orange and black room that doesn't feel like it's decked out for a Halloween party?

 
 

As you can see, we did find some lovely examples of orange and black décor. Ordinarily we love the stark contrast of a bright, punchy color with deep, dark black, and these rooms are no exception. A few of them demonstrate bold use of the color combo to define an entire room, while others show how orange and black accents can work together for a subtler effect, sometimes paired with other neutrals like cream, beige, and brown.

But in truth, we're still not totally convinced. What do you think? Is this a color combination you could live with all year round?

If you do like the color combo and want to give it a try in your own home, here are a few more Apartment Therapy posts to inspire you:

Orange, Black, and White From Espacio Chapultepec
Color Combo: Black, White, and...
Color Combo: Orange, Charcoal, Gray, and Cream
Orange in the Home: Two Examples

(Images: Channel4; Houzz; William Waldron, via SoHaute; Decorpad; Espacio Chapultepec; Eric Cohler, via Dwellings & Decor; House Beautiful, via Dwellings & Decor; Sara Story Design)

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inspiration, black, orange, color combination

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Comments (15)

I'd go for a burnt orange and a warm black, or light tangerine and warm black with a putty accent, but not straight "Halloween" orange and black.

posted by BruceS63 on October 22nd 2009 at 9:55pm
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i actually have an nice sunny sherbet orange dinning room with black, grey, and white accents. its the room everyone sees when they walk in the front door and ive had it for three years now and no one has ever told me it looks like halloween.

posted by ninabean15 on October 22nd 2009 at 10:12pm
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I don't like any of these. All I see is Halloween. Sorry.

posted by sally305 on October 22nd 2009 at 10:18pm
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the one with stripes screams Halloween at me. The modern one works, because it's still mostly white and I actually really like the last one.

posted by Aster on October 22nd 2009 at 10:48pm
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I think it's the same thing as trying a red and green room that doesn't say Christmas - it all depends on the amount, the shade of the colors, and probably putting some 3rd color in to offset the holiday idea.

posted by mmepatty on October 22nd 2009 at 11:15pm
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I reeeeeally like black & orange, when they're surrounded by lots of white (like 15%black 15%orange 70%white). Otherwise, I think that it can be done (that sherbert sounds nice ninabean!) as long as you take care & good taste.

I think I'm biased though- because I'm not a huge fan of orange in my own decor regardless. I think it's because I went to Texas A&M- we're bred to dislike burnt orange lol.

posted by CozyLittleCave on October 23rd 2009 at 1:35am
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Of course it can be done! Orange and black are two of my favorite colors, and I think I've mixed them quite well in my living room, along with hearty doses of blues, golds, creamy whites and wood tones to keep things interesting, cozy and not so reminiscent of Halloween (though I do really enjoy the holiday).

I LOVE the second photo in this set and while the striped wall in the third may scream "BOO" to some, it makes me smile.

posted by tmoore on October 23rd 2009 at 7:10am
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I have a orange wall in my living room and black pieces of furniture against it, really love it. It`s a retro orange so it`s really out there and gives a nice flow through the house when the sun comes in.

posted by rood on October 23rd 2009 at 8:39am
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I LOVE orange, it's my favorite color! I dream of a room with orange, charcoal grey (cozy flannel anyone?) and black! But like a tangerine orange, for accents only. I saw this post and fell in love all over again!

posted by Myfrogs on October 23rd 2009 at 9:44am
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I think adding the grey or putty color is the key to making the orange/black combination work.

posted by queenbee1230 on October 23rd 2009 at 10:01am
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I went to Oregon State. Not having grown up in Oregon, and being unfamilar with their colors (Orange and Black), all I can remember thinking during move in was "Isn't a little early for this town to be this excited about halloween?" 4 years got rid of the halloween association with those two colors, but now those rooms would make me think I was back on campus.

posted by lizsh on October 23rd 2009 at 12:53pm
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I love it!!! But my father would probably refuse to come to the house knowing it was in Oklahoma State University colors. haha Go Sooners! lol

posted by lifeinthefortress on October 23rd 2009 at 7:31pm
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yes, i could live with it all year round, and i do, but i do temper it with white - a LOT of white!

posted by rouquinne on October 23rd 2009 at 8:07pm
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love this!

posted by kjansson on October 25th 2009 at 1:28am
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I love dark grey, and orange. Orange and black - not so much.

posted by JulieLeanne on October 26th 2009 at 12:56pm
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