Ready to add our favorite color to your home? Here are some expert tips on using orange in your kitchen, living room, and elsewhere.

Once you've finished spring cleaning your home (and spent some time patting yourself on the back for the great job you did), why not take the next step and make some updates to your decor, too? Not surprisingly, one of our favorite home updates is adding more orange in wall colors, design accents, and furniture. Here are some great tips on how you can effectively add orange to your home.

Because orange is such a bright, bold color, most people shy away from painting a whole room in orange for fear it could be overwhelming. Studies have shown that the color orange can increase blood pressure, as well as pulse and respiration rates. It is also thought to affect our response to food--specifically, orange can make you more hungry. And traditional color wisdom says orange can make you feel energized and confident.

Given this, it's best not to paint your bedrooms orange, to avoid any problems with getting to sleep. But various shades of orange are often used effectively in dining rooms and kitchens, where eating, entertaining, and socializing are the primary activities. You can also achieve a compelling, unique effect in these rooms just by painting one wall or the ceiling orange, or adding orange trim to offset a muted wall color.

One of the best aspects of orange is that it can be a wonderful complement for a lot of other colors. Contrasting the dark blue cabinets in a kitchen with vibrant orange countertop tiles or orange kitchen accessories can create a bold, contemporary feel. For a more traditional, soft look in a living room, try combining deep orange throw pillows, rugs, and upholstered chairs with several shades of brown, gold, and tan.

If you want to follow the latest trends in oranges, this year is turning out to be a great year for metallic oranges that feature coppery, warm tones. Glowing, vibrant orange tones that are inspired by arts and crafts from Latin America, India, and Morocco are becoming more and more popular in home decor and accessories, especially when combined with yellow and turquoise tones. And here's one great orange decorating idea that will never go out of style: featuring a big bowl of fresh Florida oranges in the center of your dining room!

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