Bold, dramatic and invigorating, Tangerine Tango is dancing its way into home decor trends in 2012 with a punch of reddish-orange panache.
Bold, dramatic and invigorating, Tangerine Tango is dancing its way into home decor trends in 2012 with a punch of reddish-orange panache.
The hue is a vivacious alternative to last year’s cheery honeysuckle, and design experts say it’s easy to incorporate into any home.
Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact color can add spice to any room. Or add tangerine appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of color, says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Institute, the research arm of the Carlstadt, N.J.-based Pantone Inc., which sets color standards for the home and fashion industries.
“It’s the perfect color to move us out of the dull and dreary winter months and into spring,” says Sabrina Soto, host of HGTV’s “The High Low Project.”
Paint/wallpaper
One easy and inexpensive way to brighten up your home and stay on top of the trends is to paint an accent wall in this hot hue.
A bit gun-shy of a tangerine living room? Secondary rooms, such as powder rooms and entryways, are perfect places to experiment with bold colors, Soto says.
“Surprise your guests with walls that pop,” she says.
Wallpaper by Pennsylvania-based York Wallcoverings dives head-first into the tangerine trend with a variety of luminescent, metallic gold patterns set against spicy orange backgrounds.
New Jersey-based Thibaut Design offers wallpaper in ornate, intricate, Jacobean paisleys and fanciful plumed birds in this year’s color, as well as less dramatic florals set against a cream background.
Furniture
A lacquered side table or club chair and ottoman are small yet powerful ways to pop this color into a room through furniture.
“Sometimes the most subtle of gestures are the most outstanding,” says Laura Dailey, vice president of merchandising with Atlanta-based Ballard Designs. “Use it on a smaller piece of furniture … it’s like what a tie does to a suit, that stand-alone piece that makes such a grand statement.”
A dark reddish orange, tangerine goes well with neutrals like grays and beiges, as well as with distressed wood finishes, and can be worked into virtually any era, from Arts and Crafts to modern minimalism.
Designer Suzanne Kasler, who partners with Ballard, used a heavy tangerine linen from the European-inspired home furnishings retailer to upholster a pair of tufted slipper chairs that are pictured with nautical accents including a seashell-lined mirror, rattan baskets and large glass lanterns.
A similar tufted chair can be found on Ballard’s site starting at $199 (ballarddesigns.com).
CB2 makes a parlor chair in “atomic orange” (cb2.com ) for $699, as well as a blood orange “knitted pouf” that Soto likes as a small seat or ottoman.
She also recommends West Elm’s cast-aluminum Martini side table that retails for $123 (westelm.com ) and can double as a coffee table when paired in twos or threes.
Accents
Persian rugs, dishtowels, candlesticks and vases are all fun, inexpensive ways to bring tangerine into your home through accent pieces.
“Try some fresh new towels in your bathroom,” Soto says. “This fun color is the perfect contrast to white tile and porcelain.”
She also likes an orange-and-cream stoneware vase from Target at $24.99 (target.com), and orange porcelain mini bowls from Crate and Barrel (crateandbarrel.com) for a pop of color in the kitchen at $1.95 each.
For lighting, Anthropologie offers a stacked glass table lamp ($298) a la 1970s kitsch in citrus shades (anthropologie.com), while a more modern shape can be found in the orange dome pendant by Kartell, for $263 (lumens.com).
Throw pillows in a variety of tangerine-esque shades are everywhere, including traditional stores like Linens ‘N Things, for $69.99 (lnt.com) and more untraditional ones like specialty lighting retailer Lamps Plus, for $78.91 (lampsplus.com).
Soto reminds homeowners not to forget simple touches like a bouquet of fresh orange tiger lilies or gerbera daisies.
“A glossy, lacquered, red-orange serving tray can be the perfect punch of color for your ottoman or coffee table,” she says.