What Colors Go With Orange? – Best Orange Color Combinations

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Named after the fruit of the same shade, orange is a bold and energetic color that can add life and warmth to any space. When paired with the right counterpart, it can create a combination that is simply visually striking while remaining harmonious throughout. From earthy browns to cool blues, there are just too many colors that are able to act as a beautiful counterpart to this orange shade. Let us explore the many colors that go with orange, as well as go over some of our favorite accent colors for orange for some of our designers and artists at home!

What Color Is Orange?

As an equal blend of red and yellow, this orange hue is commonly associated with warm and energetic qualities, allowing it to provide any space with a sense of playfulness and levity. As red and yellow are known to be both stimulating and invigorating, adding orange decor into your home has been known to add a touch of cheer and liveliness, with some excitement added in for good measure. This all stands alongside feelings of comfort, making it a versatile color that can be used in a variety of settings and contexts. However, there are still plenty of shades that are held under the umbrella color of orange!

As you may tell, the sheer range of orange shades are far more diverse than the fruit may have you believe. Starting from almost pale and softer hues like tangerine, which can add a touch of delicacy and sweetness to your designs, to much bolder and more exciting hues such as tiger that create a sense of energy and enthusiasm. On the darker end of the spectrum, however, we have shades such as ginger and fire, that can be utilized to create an air of elegance and sophistication, whether it be in the form of orange decor or an orange painting.

To many, orange may seem like a fairly difficult color to work with, but rest assured that with the right combination of colors, you can be sure to impress without much added stress. This is because the various shades of orange can be used in various combinations, along with the use of other colors, to create a unique and jaw-dropping look. Now, with a much deeper understanding of orange, as well as the many shades within its possession, we can move on to looking at other colors that go with orange.

Complementary Color to Orange

For those of us at home who are still in the beginning stages of our artistic journey and are trying to find out what colors go with orange, take noted that colors have more than a single complementary color. While each color would technically have a single complementary color found opposite the color wheel, there are also split complementary colors which are on either side of the complementary color. There are also triadic color schemes, which would place a large emphasis on a single color, with two other colors being spaced out evenly to serve as accent colors.

Orange Complementary Color

To find the complementary color to orange, we need to first look opposite it on the color wheel. Here, we will find a serene and calming color in the form of blue. By bringing a sense of tranquility and peace into any space, this is a color that is most commonly associated with the open skies and endless oceans, which tend to evoke feelings of vastness and depth.

While eye-catching, the combination of blue and orange remains harmonious, where the warmth that emits from orange is balanced from the tranquility that flows from blue. This creates a dynamic aesthetic that is visually striking in a bold yet inviting manner.

In industries such as interior design, blue and orange are used in a number of different ways, from bold statements in the form of orange walls with blue curtains or more subtle uses of orange decor with a blue backdrop. In fashion, however, this combination can be used to create outfits that are both vibrant while still providing a serene flair, adding up to a unique and captivating look that is sure to dominate the runway.

Generally speaking, the combination of orange and blue is versatile and can be used to create a variety of aesthetics and feels. Perfect for those who want to add a touch of vibrancy and peace to their space or designs, orange still manages to keep things feeling serene and balanced. So, if you are ever needing to elevate your project, do not hesitate in choosing orange and blue color schemes going forward.

Orange Split Complementary Colors

If you were to look at the two colors that sit on either side of blue, you will find shades of electric ultramarine on the deeper end of the spectrum, and aqua on the lighter end. Both of these colors, while one is clearly darker than the other, provide a feeling of peace within the observer from different perspectives.

The combination of electric ultramarine and aqua with orange works to create a fairly dynamic aesthetic. As such, these split complementary colors can be used to produce a wide array of looks that each feel fresh. For those looking to create a design that provides the observer with a sense of tranquility while still looking elegant, this striking combination is sure to provide desirable results.

Orange Triadic Colors

Forming a perfect triangle on the color wheel in alignment with orange, neon purple, and spring green both provide the same level of intensity as their primary counterpart in their own approach. Neon purple, in contrast to orange’s warm energy, provides a playful drama that seems to evoke creativity, while still remaining sophisticated in its aesthetic. Spring green, on the other hand, while equally vibrant in its appearance, seems to bring balance to this eccentric color scheme, allowing room to breathe where needed.

By combining these three incredibly different colors, it adds up to create a fascinating blend of emotions and associations that is sure to leave your audience with a lasting impression. With the neon purple’s associations with youth culture, creativity, and freedom, along with spring green’s connections to renewal and growth, with orange as your primary color, which radiates with the heat of our sun, this combination exudes a fiery youthfulness.

In designs where you are looking to create a statement that ignites change, an outfit that feels bold and fresh, or simply a contemporary painting from the perspective of a rebellious teen, this color combination is the way to go.

Orange Monochromatic Colors

Another interesting way to find out what colors go with orange is to turn to the various shades of orange itself. By looking at orange’s monochromatic range of colors, it is difficult to not be captivated by the wide array of warm and inviting shades. Ranging from the deeper strong orange to the more subdued yellow-orange, this spectrum is able to blend together seamlessly to create a composition that remains cohesive throughout.

From the innocent hue of light orange to the passion within the intense shade of dark goldenrod, these colors add together to create a visual tapestry of warm and radiant colors that each excel at mesmerizing in their own way. No matter your craft, this combination can provide a skilled hand with a dynamic range of tones that are evocative of our changing seasons, making it perfect to add some movement and energy to your works.

Orange Analogous Colors

The final traditional method of seeking colors that go with orange would be to take a look at its analogous colors, which are each found sitting directly beside one another on the color wheel. In the instance of orange, we have the deep and vibrant scarlet alongside the inviting shade of chartreuse yellow.

As the perfect analogy to the warm and inviting orange, scarlet and chartreuse yellow are both able to infuse the palette with a sense of intensity and passion in equal measures. When combined, these colors create a visual appeal that is as cohesive as it is striking. In practice, such a color scheme may be best incorporated into designs and interiors that want to achieve a summer-like aesthetic.

What Colors Go With Orange?

If you are looking to utilize accent colors for orange that are not within the traditional range of color schemes, you may find that specific colors such as burgundy or vivid blue provide an interesting contrast to our primary orange. However, more than just the specific options listed above, orange has been known to work well with other varieties of blues, greens, purples, and so on. Although, it should be noted that some shades of orange will not work well with certain shades of the aforementioned colors.

To keep your color scheme consistent and harmonious, you should remember to match paler shades of orange with other pale colors, and vice versa.

Although, more specifically, orange has been known to work fairly well with shades like mimosa. While these two shades may appear quite similar, they both give off different energies that loop back around to complement one another in a wonderful fashion. While our orange embodies a sense of warmth and enthusiasm, mimosa exudes a sense of joy and optimism. Together, they create an uplifting contrast that can be used to create a brighter and much livelier atmosphere.

For a more natural pairing, orange and olive green creates a harmonious blend of warm and earthy tones. With orange’s enthusiasm mixing with olive green’s stability, this pairing creates a combination that is both soothing and dynamic. In interior design, such colors can help any space appear warmer while promoting comfort and relaxation. This is because olive green is able to temper the vibrancy that orange adds with a sense of naturalism and grounding.

If you are looking for a more simplistic and elegant combination, however, then cream may be your best bet. This creamy shade adds a sense of refinement and purity to the relative boldness that orange provides. This creates some much-needed balance while still allowing orange’s enthusiastic shade to run wild. This can be a great aesthetic to decide on when hosting dinner parties or other social gatherings.

For a richer and deeper blend of warmth and depth, the pairing of orange and burgundy simply works wonders. With a flair of elegance, these shades create a striking contrast that balances sophistication against playfulness in a stunning manner. While the orange may seem quite harsh in comparison, burgundy tempers this with a sense of maturity and refinement. For an inviting design with a touch of class, burgundy, and orange may be the only choice.

Despite this shade’s stark coldness being contrasted by orange’s warmth, we must remember that vivid blue is just simply a different shade of orange’s complementary color. With this, it creates a captivating and dynamic blend that somehow remains grounded and balanced. For bold and energetic designs that maintain harmony throughout, vivid blue and orange is a sure-fire way to get heads to turn.

Ultimately, the key to finding a successful pairing with orange is to experiment and find the combination that suits your desired atmosphere best. Whether it is a bold and striking composition or one that is more subtle in its approach, orange is versatile enough to be used to great effect in practically any design.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Matches Orange Walls?

When figuring out what color matches orange walls for your home interior, you may be spoiled for choice. While white can provide a clean and crisp contrast to orange’s warmth, blue may instead provide you with some needed levity and tranquility. Alternatively, there are also earthier tones such as brown, which creates a sense of balance and harmony.

What Emotions Does Orange Evoke Most Commonly?

As a result of this color’s much warmer and more inviting shades, orange has become closely linked to the warmth of the sun and our glowing fires. Because of this, orange is most commonly associated with feelings of happiness and optimism.

Can Orange Be Used in Minimalist Designs?

Despite its somewhat energetic appearance, orange can still be used in minimalist designs in the form of an accent color. This can add some much-needed warmth and visual interest when used in neutral spaces.

acrylgiessen

Behind acrylgiessen.com are Martina (39) and Thomas (38) Faessler, a creative couple from Zurich in Switzerland. Artistically active are both already quite a while: Martina discovered her creative streak as a child and has always been passionate about painting and illustrating. Today she works as a graphic designer and art still plays a big role in her free time. Before painting, Thomas was active for years as a sculptor/art turner and created noble sculptures and hollow vessels from burl wood using a lathe.

The two of them came to Fluid Art by chance when it came to finishing one of Thomas’ sculptures with liquid acrylic paint. Once they tried Acrylic Pouring, both of them couldn’t get away from it and through countless Pourings they gradually acquired a gossamer know-how about the Acrylic Pouring technique.

In addition to the original fluid painting techniques, other topics such as color theory and the creation of drawing tutorials were added as an extension.

More about acrylgiessen can be found on our page “about us“.