How and where to use the color orange in your home interior design. Plus a guide to orange lampshades, orange table lamps, and all things orange lighting.
How do you feel about the color orange? Not a trick question, by any means…orange is another of those colors that people tend to either love or loathe. But while we often think of orange as a bold, vibrant, unmissable color, it also has softer, subtler aspects. It sits between yellow and red on the visible light spectrum, and it can take you from warm honeyed tones, via tangy citrus notes, to blood and burnt orange.
Orange décor has a fascinating history, stretching back to ancient civilizations and it has popped up regularly from the Renaissance period to the present day. As well as compiling a potted history, we have put together some suggestions for different and effective ways to welcome orange into your home, including some appropriate Pooky lighting.
Accenting orange; sitting room by Anouska Lancaste, an ikat-print lampshade. Photo: Chris Fletcher
Orange in interior design: a brief history
Ancient Egyptian painting from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Image: creative commons.
For first appearances, we have to visit the ancient civilizations of Egypt and India. A mineral pigment called realgar was used for Egyptian tomb paintings, and the Indus Civilization (3300-1300BC) used orange carnelians for decoration. The yellow-red mineral, orpiment, was traded across the Roman Empire, despite containing arsenic, which made it highly toxic.
For most of history this distinctive color was known simply as 'yellow-red'. It was the arrival of orange trees in Europe in the late 15th century that changed the nomenclature for good. Yes, the color orange is named after the fruit (whose name derives, via Arabic naranj, from the Sanskrit nāraṅga), not the other way about: by the 17th century the fruit and its color was sufficiently familiar that the term ‘orange-colored’ morphed into the English adjective ‘orange’.
The use of orange in art took off during the Italian Renaissance, when artists such as Titian and Tintoretto used the color in their paintings. Orange began to be associated with richness and warmth, associations that continued well into the 18th and 19th centuries, with orange frequently adding a sense of opulence to textiles, furniture and wallpaper.
'Midsummer' by Albert Joseph Moore, 1887; Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Bournemouth. Public domain.
During the first half of the 20th century, it was the boldness, confidence and vibrancy of orange that resonated; it found favor in the Jazz Age and was popular with Art Deco designers.
These were also the qualities that made orange feature so prominently in Mid-Century Modern design, from chairs to fridges. Orange, despite its long history became the color of youthfulness and rebellion, offering a sense of looking towards the future rather than back at the past.
Mid-century orange shell chair designed by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Sons, Denmark, 1963. Design museum, Copenhagen. Image: creative commons
Today’s interior designers tend to use orange to create a sense of warmth and brightness in a focused way, with orange accent pieces, accessories, or statement walls, set against neutral colors for balance, or against complementary colors for a sense of drama.
No shying away from orange in this bedroom, styled around an orange-toned glass chandelier.
Using orange in your interior design
If you want to introduce orange into your interior design plans, it’s important to pay attention to the color’s various levels of intensity. There are, in fact, dozens of different shades of orange, so it’s worth taking some time to pore over those shade cards and tester pots. If you want to energize a space, go for strong, bright, citrus hues; the softer, more muted tones, such as terracotta, are ideal for creating a sense of calm.
Here are six tried-and-tested ways to bring orange into your décor…
Kitchen with orange accent wall by Anouska Lancaster. Photo: Chris Fletcher
1) Accent walls – add warmth and create a focal point by painting a single wall orange, without the danger of overwhelming a room.
2) Accessories – create a sense of energy by adding artwork, curtains, cushions, rugs or throws that feature orange. Carefully placed accessories can add points of interest, without diminishing your predominant color scheme.
3) Complementary and contrasting colors – if you want people to sit up and take notice, try pairing orange with either a complementary color, such a blue, or contrasting colors such as purple or teal. Perfect combinations if you want to create a hint (or even a strong sense) of drama.
A solid orange wall and orange table provide a dramatic backdrop for a turquoise table lamp.
4) Furniture – some of the 20th century’s best-known furniture designers recognized the value of single pieces of orange furniture, which could make a strong statement in a room. They were right, of course, and it’s a look that remains popular, not least in a neutral color setting.
5) Lighting – warm orange-toned lighting and warm-hued light bulbs create a sense of ease and welcome. (See lots more orange lighting ideas below!)
6) Natural elements – this is where the earthier orange tones come into play; think terracotta tiles or orange-toned woods to bring warmth into a room. Ideal in a northern climate, with long, wet and chilly winters!
Terracotta floor tiles, timeless and universal. Photo: Bino Le, creative commons
Orange lighting
Orange is RuPaul’s favorite color, apparently; he never travels without an orange scarf, not just to wear but also to throw over hotel room lamps for “a lovely warm ambience.” While we don’t wish to rain on anyone’s parade, we know that scarves on lamps are, to say the least, a tad risky, so probably best avoided. After all, who needs scarves when you can have well designed orange lighting to do the job safely? Here are our Pooky picks.
Orange table lamps 
Let’s start with the biggest and boldest of statement table lamps: think a big ball of ceramic bumptiousness. It’s real presence, so it’s definitely a lamp that is worth placing center stage.
Also for the bold and brave, lacquered wood table lamps: statuesque and curvy and with plenty of chutzpah. An ideal color ‘pop’ in a neutral room, or to complement a really vibrant scheme.
plenty of chutzpah. An ideal colour ‘pop’ in a neutral room, or to complement a really vibrant scheme.
See more orange table lamps here.
Orange pendant and ceiling lights
Look for a beautiful orange ceramic pendant shade, with a stone interior, and with knobs on... Delicate little bobbles, in fact, that run round the edge of the shade, under a lightly crackled glaze to add texture and a subtle reflective quality. Fabulous over a kitchen island or within a Scandinavian influenced interior.
See more Pooky ceiling lights in orange, terracotta and tangerine here.
Orange floor lamps
Pooky has striking amber polished resin floor lamps which would fit the orange accent bill. Some are styled simply, like a slender bamboo stem, while others are more ornate, with fluted features that add something of a ceremonial elegance. Very grown up and boldly decorative.
Browse our full range of orange and amber floor lamps here.
Orange lampshades
Needless to say, we have dozens of gorgeous orange lampshades in different styles, materials and finishes, and from solid blocks of color, to subtle hints of orange.
How about the understated elegance of a straight empire shade? Depending on the exact shade, it might read as a rich, orangey ochre from one angle, a milder yellow from another.
Here’s an empire shade again but in orange dotty:
It’s a soft cotton shade, hand block-printed, and made by skilled Jaipur craftspeople. We love the details: it’s pleated and lined and features little spots of orange.
This hand-made marbled paper shade shows just how versatile orange can be, even in a simple, straight empire shape.
Each one is a proudly individual work of art and craft. It’s a great example of how effective orange can be against a neutral background; grey and orange bring out the best in each other.
Browse all Pooky’s orange lampshades here.
And, finally, don’t forget the warm-hued light bulbs we mentioned earlier, or take look at our guide for pink lighting tips.
Pooky make beautiful lights for beautiful interiors - find inspiration on our blog and shop our huge range of lights and shades.
FAQs about Orange Lighting
What does orange lighting mean?
Orange lighting is generally associated with warmth, comfort and energy, it sits between red's intensity and yellow's brightness, so it reads as inviting rather than overwhelming. Historically it's been linked to boldness and confidence too, from Art Deco glamour to Mid-Century optimism, which is why it still feels both cosy and a little daring in a home.
What's the difference between orange and amber lighting?
Amber usually refers to the warm, honeyed tone of the light itself, often from a bulb's colour temperature or coating, while orange more often describes the colour of the fixture, shade or accessory. In practice the two overlap a lot, an amber-coated bulb can sit inside an orange lampshade, but amber leans toward the glow, orange toward the object.
How does orange lighting affect mood?
Warm colours like orange are often linked to appetite and sociability, which is part of why you'll see orange lighting so often in kitchens and dining spaces. It also tends to energise a room rather than calm it, so it's worth balancing with softer tones elsewhere if you want some contrast.
Is orange lighting good for a bedroom?
It can be, in moderation. A single warm orange accent, like a table lamp or a soft-glow pendant, adds cosiness without being overstimulating, but avoid flooding a bedroom with bright, saturated orange light if you want the room to feel restful.
What light bulbs give a warm orange glow?
Look for bulbs with a low colour temperature, anything rated 2700K or lower will cast a warm, orange-toned glow, even in a plain white fixture. Warm-hued or amber-coated bulbs take this even further for a more pronounced orange cast.