Hands down, fall is my favorite season. I love the crunchy leaves underfoot, the toasty smells and cozy sweaters. But most of all, I love the rich, harvest colors of autumn. Russet brown, crimson maple, golden maize and pumpkin: these colors evoke warmth, comfort and good things to eat. So that’s why when I recently had our family room re-painted, I chose a deep shade of pumpkin orange. Even though I’m fairly experienced and confident in paint color selection, I know that orange can be tricky, so I was a teensy bit anxious about how the color would turn out. But I went with my instincts on this one, and I’m so glad I did: I absolutely LOVE it.
The pumpkin orange ended up working well in the space for a few reasons. For one, this particular shade of orange has red undertones, which complements the existing surfaces and furnishings. It stands out nicely against the creamy white trim of the French doors, while partnering well with the warm tone of the main floor tile. The brown sofa and ottoman and black accent chairs also stand up well to this darker shade of orange. Second, the abundance of natural light from the windows, doors and skylights gives the color richness and depth in the daytime, while at night multiple layers of artificial light create a warm and cozy ambiance. While I don’t have a before picture to share here, the previous color was kind of in the creamsicle family – a lighter, peachy color. It wasn’t a bad color, it just didn’t have the richness and drama that I like about this one.
I tested several samples before deciding on this hue. It’s SW6354 Armagnac from Sherwin Williams.
You might think a color like pumpkin orange would be fairly limiting in terms of decorating choices. Au contraire! I love to change out decor seasonally, and after the room was painted I had some fun playing around with accessories. Rather than running out to buy new things, first I ransacked my stock of pillow covers and other collections to see what I could do. Turns out there are lots of possible palettes that work with pumpkin orange! A few examples:
(1) Pumpkin Orange + Pear Green
This citrusy palette of orange with bright yellow-green is fresh and vibrant. Perfect for spring and early summer!
Here’s a close up shot of the pumpkin-pear palette.
(2) Pumpkin Orange + Cobalt Blue
The complementary color scheme of cobalt blue with pumpkin orange creates high-energy contrast. It reminds me of our travels in Mexico, and works well with some of the ceramic bowls and platters we’ve brought back from our trips.
And, a close-up view. I would love this palette for summer into early fall.
(3) Pumpkin Orange with Ice Blue and Bronze
Here’s a more sophisticated version of the complementary orange + blue scheme. Instead of bright cobalt I used shades of navy and pale ice-blue, with bronze accents. The effect is more soothing – it makes me want to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book.
I kept re-arranging the accessories in this vignette. This color scheme would be especially nice in the winter months.
Of course, you don’t have to paint an entire room with the color to enjoy pumpkin orange. A few well-chosen accents can go a long way, and this is the perfect time of year to find them, with many local stores featuring items in autumnal hues. A few lovelies I found in my recent travels:
How about this fabulous painted chest, or these fun chevron pillows? As seen at at Cotswold Marketplace, in Charlotte.
Two more orange pillows – these are from Slate Interiors. Both the honeycomb pillow on the left and the solid orange pillow on the right have chocolate brown accents – a perfect combination!
Potted orange mums are my favorite choice for the front porch. These are from Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte.
Do you love the colors of autumn as much as I do? Which autumn colors would you like to see in your home?