June 29, 2012

you scare me, but i like you

I started working on ideas for my living room a few weeks ago and I'm having some good times with these fabric and paint ideas. (I'll share my board soon) I've realized though, that I have a color phobia. I'm usually down with all colors, and don't have any particular fear of using any of them...except for one.
Orange.
I've tried to use it a few times - in paint, fabric, accessories - and I almost always chicken out. Its sad. I'm thinking I might need therapy. 
This is my sole dip into the orange pool. Chicken.



I really like orange. And I find that I pin it a ton.

Tobi Fairley
Style at Home
Amy Weaver
Tobi Fairley
Martha Stewart
Style at Home
Amie Corley
Peppermint Bliss
Is there a color you are scared to use but always seem drawn to?

Also, before I go, a big THANK YOU to Apartment Therapy for featuring our deck redo this week. Can I get a WAHOO?! (And thanks to Charmaine for sending the link to me)

29 comments:

  1. Know what you mean with the orange! I think combined with turquoise, black, white and few others it looks darn sharp. I just did a painting for a friend who is doing her little man's nursery in oranges, turquoises, grays and black...but I was scarrred at first with the prominent orange: http://anaproposbeginning.blogspot.com/2012/06/chevron-funktified.html

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  2. I like your stack of orange books! Sometimes you just need a little pop of big color.
    I love pink, but my hubby and son would die if I tried a pop of hot pink in the house! I have to keep it in my daughter's room!
    Have a great weekend,
    Elizabeth

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  3. I love orange! I'm drawn to purple but I'm scared to use it!

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  4. I love orange too! This year I have been using it as accents outside. I like it inside as a pop like in your books and the pillows on the bed you feature. Not sure I could ever do the whole stairway and make it work like Martha does (of course she does!)
    ps..Congrats on the Apartment Therapy feature...exciting!!

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  5. I'm the same way about orange. I used to not like it, it's probably still my least favorite color (well, there are some exceptions... like some odd browns and greens). My daughter, however, has said it's one of her favorite colors and now I seem more drawn to it because of her. It's still yet to show up in my house as I'm still trying to tone down the previous homeowner's color scheme before adding in more punches of color.

    As for adding it in however, you should do pillows or picture frames. Something small but grouped together could make a big impact. Like the picture above with all the frames... it wouldn't cost much to do and if you hate it, paint them something else.

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  6. I do love orange, but it can be daunting, especially when it's having a trendy moment. I absolutely love green, especially Kelly green and grassy shades. I'd love to go bold with it in a room, but chicken out and settle for some half-hearted pops.

    Your stack of books are lovely though and a chic take on orange.

    Have a great weekend.

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  7. I think that Tobi Fairly pic is horrendous! Sorry. Ooo it's so fun to use the word horrendous. Anyway, love the orange stack. Bright orange and navy blue seem to love each other.
    I love baby pink but I've never thought about using it in a room.

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  8. I'm with you. I love it but haven't found a way to really incorporate it into my home. I love your vignette there though! Great styling. I think it bodes well for more orange in your home.
    Have a great weekend! xoxo

    The Aestate

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  9. I'm not gonna lie. I am a total colour chicken. Really with any colour. I'm ok to use it in pillows or other textiles, as long as it's relatively inexpensive so I can replace it with grey or beige when it starts to freak me out. That's one of my favourite things about your house - and I've said this before. You seem, to me, to use colour fearlessly. I admire that and hope reading your blog makes it rub off on me just a little.
    So conquer that orange and splash it all over your living room. I know you'll love it because you are a colour kind of girl!
    Can't wait to see the mood board...

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  10. Orange is OK. I have to admit, not a favorite. I am afraid I would tire of it quickly. It could work for a fun "accent" color in a child's room or in a sun room. It's a Trend now, but what about next year?

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  11. Is it just me, but do those mirrors over the sofa in the first Tobi Fairley picture look like two huge eyes with a ton of mascara on them? I know I was suppose to be noticing the orange, and I did, but those mirrors.....mirrors....thank my goodness golly for that dish of floppy tulips that conquered the asymmetry or I was gonna DIE! Those eyes (mirrors) were even reflecting in the table reflection aahhh- save me! Repeat after me, Tobi: "One nice mirror, not two. One nice mirror with three pillows on one corner and one pillow on the other". Oh, I forgot Im suppose to be answeing the question: mine would be red! have a hellava time with red. and ... I know exactly why. stay tuned, I will probably post a post about it someday, hahaha

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    1. I think it is supposed to look that assymetrical

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  12. I'm drawn to hot pink or fuchsia but I haven't figured out how to exactly work it in so I'm using turquoise for now :) great images.

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  13. You've seen my orange! I'm drawn to it myself, but you are right, baby steps is the way to get your feet wet. I'm certain you'll find the right dose with your great style. Love all of the images you included. Fun post!

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  14. For years my living room colors have been light blue/turquoise and orange. I have an old lamp that my mom made in the 70s that is the perfect orange and everything else just happened to work because I love blue.

    I'm trying to add more reds and move the blues to the bedroom and kitchen only, but really my problem is that I love color too much and if I'm not careful things will look like a rainbow vomited all over.

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  15. The orange definitely pops! You have great style. Go with your inspiration. Can't wait to see the progress.

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  16. I'm a little scared of most colors in my own home but I do have subtle hints of orange here and there. I love color but am so afraid of getting tired of it, I can't commit in a major way. I have commitment issues, I admit it...

    Love your orange images!

    -Lane

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  17. I love orange! I would like to add more of it to my house! I can't wait to see your design board!

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  18. Love orange! And WAHOO on the feature. You go girl! Well deserved!!!

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  19. I love orange and have used it quite heavily as an accent colour in my grey/white dining room. I'm adding in a bit of turquoise now because it seems to punch up the colour in there. I haven't however, committed to it in a big way anywhere else (and really, a few picture frames and some inexpensive art is hardly commitment). I think the colour I love but am scared to use is pink... I'd love to feel braver about it and I know it's completely silly but I'm so conscious of my other half thinking I'm going too girly... so I pretty much steer clear... xxx

    PS I'm following you on Pinterest now as well as Twitter! Feel like a bloody stalker lol x

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  20. Do we have the same taste or what? We posted the same pictures on our blogs! :)

    If you ask me 10 years ago, I would say I wouldn't use orange but now I am using it sparingly. Other colors that I wasn't using much are purples and pinks. I am not exactly a girly girl but I find them beautiful. Perhaps it's because of my husband, he doesn't like me using pink or purple in our home.

    Congrats on the feature, you certainly deserved it! :)

    Jessie
    www.mixandchic.com

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  21. Woo hoo!!!! Awesome!!! and I love orange, but don't use it too much, except on game day. Hook 'em!

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  22. fear not orange... we have an orange den ( painted in benjamin moore autumn cover) and the room has a wonderful warm glow and elicits so many comments. we definitely bought a lot of samples and waited before making the commitment but such a bold color makes me happy.

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  23. I feel exactly the same about orange. I can't wait to see how you use it. congrats on the AT post. You are hot! I mean your style, you know.

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  24. I've been meaning to stop by your blog and I finally got a chance to tonight. I see you comment on a lot of the same blogs so I knew I would like your posts. We have a lot of orange incorporated into our home, but I'm ready for a change now. I love color and we have a lot of it throughout the house, but I'm thinking in our next home I might go neutral with accent colors that I love that will pop. We'll see. I think using the orange in the books is the perfect way to bring the color in. You're not alone either - I find a lot of people very very color shy.

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  25. You know, I'm not a huge fan of orange, but shown in those pops of color, dare I say it's growing on me? Very nice!

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  26. I love the pop of orange with the ginger jars.

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  27. I LOVE orange! Its my favorite color EVER- and its so easy to use, really I dont lie. It's like that crazy, fun friend you have- a little bit goes a long way, but you'd be lost without it :)

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