Photo Christina Dnyprowsky
Like pumpkin spice, it’s everywhere this time of year. Orange. Warm and vibrant, the color that symbolizes energy and joy also brings to mind the foliage and pumpkins (sans spice) the brighten the harvest season. Just seeing the hue can evoke images and the genuine feeling of a roaring fire with dancing hot flames. It warms us.
Orange is also an inspiration, a vibrant addition to the home for seasonal decorations and accessories and adds liveliness to the space, notes Christina Dnyprowsky, an interior designer and owner of Mount Sinai–based My Two Girls Home.
“If there is any color for fall, it’s orange. That’s undeniable.” “Fall décor and the color orange isn’t just about pumpkins. You can use a tray, a throw blanket, oranges with cloves or mulled wine, and it brings your head space into cooler weather. That’s why seasonal décor works on the spot.”
An easy way to add some pumpkin (and yes, some spice) into your life is by adding a bit of orange to every room in your home. There are many variations of the color, each with its own distinctive traits, and the mere act of allowing it to spark some autumnal change may result in even more than you planned for.
“I love seasonal décor because it fosters some happy accidents,” Dnyprowsky says.
“When you bring in seasonal décor you might be compelled to move a vase that had a dedicated spot on an end table,” she continues. “Now you are moving that vase to a different location to place a pumpkin in that spot, and you might find that you’re bringing in a color that does something for the room and was unexpected. And maybe you placed the vase in a spot that you thought was temporary, and then you realize you love where it is.”
Using orange with different textures and fabrics, such as a small area rug, is another way to integrate the color in your home. Dnyprowsky admits to having pillow covers stashed all over her house to use for every holiday and season.
Place an orange throw blanket on the couch to bring in the fall color and keep your toes warm as the weather gets colder—double duty at its finest. Photo Christina Dnyprowsky
“You are not committing to pillows when you are swapping out the covers for different seasons. I just took out my orange pillow covers. I also brought out my Emile Henry platters—I have one in almost every room. They are pretty to look at and they just make for easy entertaining.”
Another way Dnyprowsky uses seasonal décor and colors, orange specifically, is by placing orange tea lights throughout the house.
At this time of year, Dnyprowsky loves to use orange tea lights and pepper them throughout the house. You can light them when guests come over to give a more festive party feel. When not in use, they add a pop of color.Photo Christina Dnyprowsky
“Tea lights give life to a room and draw people’s attention to places they wouldn’t normally look,” she says. “I like to put them all over the house and then dim the lights. It creates a great vibe.”
And, she notes, it’s creating a décor trend. “The ‘gray train’ has left the station, and color is in,” Dnyprowsky states. “Orange is the new gray.”
