It is finally October and when thoughts of Autumn drift through your mind, what is the first color you think of? Is it bright red? No. Is it lime green? Uh, no. A vast majority of the population would say orange.
Orange is one of those colors that can’t be used just anywhere. Some serious thought must be put into the location of application and its surroundings. I remember years ago my ex-husband and I were building a house and one of the colors we chose was Emotional SW6621. Emotional is a deep, red orange. Apparently, the painting crew crazy hated it. I went to the house to check on the painting progress and saw that the painters had painted the words “I hate this f*&%ing color!”, on the walls in the office with the peppy orange paint. I had to laugh. Those dudes did not mince words, they truly hated that color.
Knowing what I know now about paint application and color, I realize that the lovely deep orange I chose was a hard one to paint. Reds/Oranges in general, don’t cover well and many coats had to be applied to achieve its true swatch shade. Would I still choose the same color? You betcha! I had a citrus palette going on and that orange needed to be present. It was, however, the first color to go when changes were made a few years later, and yes, it was a female dog to paint over, but I digress.
My last few blog entries (Unique Painting KC’s Favorite Turquoises, Unique Painting KC’s Favorite Blues…) were created to help you narrow your color search. We see these colors every day and definitely have our favorites. There are so many varieties of each color and choosing just one can become overwhelming. In continuing with our “Favorites” trend, I present, our Top 6 Favorite Oranges:
Determined Orange SW6635:
One of my favorite things to paint the color orange these days are front doors. Orange can be so earthy and sophisticated on one hand and fun and silly on the other. Determined Orange is one of those oranges that can go either direction. It’s determined to fit whatever mold you’re trying to stick it in. I like how it is such a perfect fall orange, but it doesn’t appear to be straight out of the pumpkin patch. I love, love how Determined Orange funs up this mid-century modern renovation pictured. They couldn’t have chosen a better front door color to compliment the changes or set off that wicked awesome porch light fixture.
Brick Paver SW7599:
This deep, hot red orange is such a beauty. I’d love to see this color on a front door with a house that has a green body color. The name for this one says it all. It truly does look like a brick paver.
Adventure Orange SW6655:
This is a tough one. How do I describe Adventure Orange? It is not the secondary color you think of when you hear the word orange. It is mid-range in depth of color, not too light, not too dark. I’m a big fan of Adventure Orange on a front door and I think it looks particularly fantastic with a mid to light greige as the body color.
Soft Marigold 160:
This warm, mellow orange-gold reminds me a tad bit of the 90’s. I think I like it for today because I wouldn’t be pairing it with the colors of the 90’s. I’d instead use a crisp white and navy blue to bring Soft Marigold into the current decade.
Autumn Orange 2156-10:
If this color isn’t the color of Fall I don’t know what is. Autumn Orange is a warm, golden orange that makes your brain think of bonfires and pumpkin patches. I would love to see this beautiful color on a front door or in an office. However, if my office were Autumn Orange, my thoughts would probably be all about caramel apples and mums and I probably wouldn’t get much work done.
Hearty Orange SW6622:
This is probably my most recommended orange. When folks are looking for an orange to paint their front door this one is usually the first one that comes to mind, depending on the body color of the house, of course. To me, it’s the perfect orange.
There are so many oranges colors to choose from, but these are our favorites. They all have different undertones and just as you choose any color for the interior of your home, choosing the right orange depends on your furnishings and items you do not plan to change (flooring, tile, interior trim color, countertops, etc.), how the sunlight works in the room being painted, and how you want the room to feel (warm, cool, dark, bright).
For exterior, choosing the right orange is also about making sure the color you choose jives with your roof, landscaping, windows, any stone or brick you may have on your house, the area in which you live, and even paying attention to the color of your neighbor’s homes. Orange can be such a fun color yet if you’re not careful, choosing the wrong orange or using too much can date your home and make it appear less than cute.
Whether you’re choosing interior or exterior oranges, taking the time to grab a sample is not a terrible idea, I would recommend it if you’re struggling and even if you’re not. Seeing the color in its element will give you some peace of mind.
And if you’re still having a hard time choosing the right orange, I’m just a phone call away (816-500-7759).
