Step aside, millennial pink. A new darling color may have just arrived. And it may not be the hue you’ve been expecting.
Here Comes Burnt Orange
People may be getting sick of pink in large part because we see it everywhere already. There’s too much pink, says Lauren Chiu to Homes & Gardens. Chiu is the head of Color & Materials for Stylus, a trend forecasting agency.
If pink is on its way out, what’s in the running to be the new “it” color? Burnt orange it seems. “There’s a growing fondness for rich earthen pigments like deep browns and reddish clay tones that are cocooning and intimate, providing cozy hideaways,” adds Chiu.
In the fast-paced and often tumultuous time we live in, burnt orange offers a refuge. “As an earth tone, it has a natural grounding effect that instantly makes people feel comfortable and warm,” says Madison Adam, interior design services manager at Article, to Better Homes & Gardens. Burnt orange almost feels like a warm hug from a long-time friend.
Burnt Orange as an Earth Tone
Earth tones like burnt orange have been rising in popularity as people look more and more to nature for comfort and reprieve. “Using a range of earth tones, from the cool shades of stone to the warmth of autumn leaves, provides a sense of balance and peacefulness,” says designer Lisa Tharp. “They remind us of the healing abundance of our natural surroundings.”
It’s all part of biophilic design which centers on creating living spaces as extensions of nature. We see an increasing preference for furniture made of natural materials, having lots of natural light as a big plus in a home, and indoor plants as an essential—even if it’s faux.
Burnt orange reminds us of dusk, terracotta clay, and desert sand.
Burnt Orange at Home
“Orange is one of the only colors that can be sophisticated and unpretentious at the same time,” says designer Mona Ross Berman in the book House Beautiful: Colors for Your Home. Because of this, it has the ability to add a subtle chic charm to the space.
You can use it as an accent color such as having a burnt orange rug, throw pillows, lamp, or décor. But, don’t be afraid to use it as your main color for the room too, like as a wall paint color. The trick is to make sure you’ve chosen a deeper orange shade close to the color of rust, and not a vibrant one as in the color of mandarin oranges.
Here’s another tip from designer Lindsey Putzier: “If you use burnt orange as a primary color, be sure to repeat the color in smaller quantities elsewhere in the space. For example, a bold orange ottoman can be paired with a painting with burnt orange tones. Repeating the color ensures burnt orange looks intentional in the space.”
Burnt orange works particularly well when paired with neutrals like warm beige, off-white, charcoal, and black, adds Putzier.
Want burnt orange for your home? Get the paint colors featured in this blog post by heading to a Boysen Mix and Match station near you (list of locations here). Just make sure to see a swatch of your chosen hue in person as well. Colors can appear differently when viewed through a device.
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