Using an orange color palette and its various shades

When you use an orange color palette in your designs, you’ll create a warm and vibrant mood.

The color orange isn’t always easy to use in design. Some people may see it as attention-grabbing, warm and engaging while others dislike it and find it overbearing.

Working with different shades of orange can often give nuance to your designs. As a result this article shares the different shades available in the orange color palette.

Shades of orange: exploring the orange color palette

Orange was named after the bright and popular citrus fruit but it is not only associated with fruitiness. The orange color reminds people of fire, beautiful sunsets, flowers, warmth and even foods such as jams or carrots. The orange color is also associated with the pumpkin color of Halloween costumes or lanterns, life jackets, and even traffic cones.

Orange is a vital color which symbolizes warmth and excitement. It has been associated with health and vitality. As a mixture of red and yellow, orange combines the action of red with the warmth of yellow, bringing a feeling of happiness. Pure orange may sometimes feel loud and overpowering and some people may associate it with ‘brassiness’ or a lack of sophistication.

Orange was very popular in the 1970’s but faded away. During the 1990’s Forbes magazine associated orange with value or cheapness. Although orange was associated with value for money, the connotation stuck and some people may believe that orange lacks sophistication. Lately, however the orange color has started to become more popular and is even considered trendy.

Meanings associated with the color orange

Orange colors represent warmth and creativity. Like the fruit, orange represents wellness and good health. On an emotional level orange is symbolic of compassion and care. Not as passionate as red, orange has a sunny passion and vitality. Colors of orange are seen to help people recover from emotional pain, disappointment or loss of pride.

The color orange is a warm color. As a combination of red and yellow and the color of flame, it offers up heat. The summer sun may often appear to be an orange color. Likewise, orange reminds us of autumn leaves, harvest fields and pumpkins.

Images of food are associated with the orange color. Carrot cake or butternut soup comes in shades of orange. It is no wonder that orange stimulates the appetite. Painting a kitchen or dining room in a shade of orange will keep friends and family eating and chatting for a long time.

Restaurants often use shades of orange to attract and keep their clientele. Terracotta, burnt orange, peach and apricot are all popular choices for restaurants and coffee shop interiors. Shades of orange are not as dramatic as reds and yet, like red, they increase the appetite. The orange color is also social which means that people will enjoy interacting or chatting while at a restaurant. This keeps them ordering food and drink while they enjoy an evening together.

If you’re on a diet, avoid using orange in your kitchen or dining room!

Alternate meanings shared by the color orange

When combined with black, orange reminds us of Halloween! Think of pumpkins, spiders and vivid orange costumes.
Orange sunsets are a transition between day and night. Likewise, the color orange is seen in autumn time before the leaves turn brown. As a result, orange is seen to be a color of change.
When combined with blue, orange becomes vibrant and attractive. Blue and orange are complimentary colors and when they combine they form a contrast of warmth and coolness. Imagine hot summer days combined with cool, sparkling sea water, summer holidays and plenty of fun. This is the message behind blue and orange color schemes.
Yellow and orange create a vivid image of flame and fire or oranges and lemons. Mix in a fresh green with this orange color combination and you’ll be able to imagine summer holiday adventures in a tropical paradise.

The effects of using an orange color scheme

Vibrancy: orange is bright, alive and very uninhibited.
Healing: orange shades create energetic balance and harmony.
Stimulation: although not as intense as red, orange color schemes will still stimulate the appetite as well as keep social interactions alive.
Courage: the orange palette adds the passion of red to trembling yellow, helping us to look at our lives, assess them and make the changes we need to move forward.
Vitality: not as passionate as red, the orange color still has a movement and vitality which encourages us to take action.

Global meanings of orange

Orange color shades have similar meanings around the globe.

Bright shades of orange are a reminder of a tangy, juicy citrus fruit.
Orange is associated with health, vitality and much-needed Vitamin C.
Orange reminds us of autumn leaves and seasonal transition.
Using an orange color palette will appeal to children.
Bright orange is highly visible and has been used for life jackets, police vests and road hazard cones.

How the orange color affects vision

The color orange contrasts very brightly with the blue of sea or sky. This is why orange has often been used in safety features such as road hazard cones. Orange will always be able to catch attention. Very bright shades of orange have therefore sometimes been called safety colors.

Shades of orange

There are many different colors of orange. Each color will have a different meaning or send a different message. For those who dislike bright orange, subtle shades of peach or dusty terracotta will add a softer touch. Shades of orange may range from deep colors such as cayenne to lighter shades such as melon. As a mixture of red and yellow, orange also ranges from red shades such as persimmon, to pure, pumpkin shades, through to yellow-orange shades such as mango. Pink shades of orange such as salmon are also very popular.

Peach: is the best orange color for social interactions. As a soft shade of orange, peach is relaxing and gentle. When a room is painted peach, people will feel at ease and will enjoy one another’s company.

Golden orange: A bright, golden orange color which makes people feel warm, vital and in control.

Amber: Amber is a brown orange color which often encourages confidence. If pushed too far, however, self-esteem can turn to arrogance. Use amber in subtle ways.

Burnt orange: this deep orange color has often been associated with assertiveness, pride and aggression. A burnt orange color scheme can sometimes be associated with tension.

Dark orange: dark orange colors have been associated with heavy doses of ambition. This orange color scheme has been associated with driving ambition. Dark orange color schemes have been associated with opportunism and selfishness.

All the shades of orange

The basic orange color

Hex #FC6600
RGB 252 102 0

Royal Orange Color

Hex #F9812A
RGB 249 129 42

Rust Color

Hex #8B4000
RGB 139 64 0

Golden Orange Color

Hex #F9A602
RGB 249 166 2

Tiger Color

Hex #FD6A02
RGB 253 106 2

Dark Amber Color

Hex #883000
RGB 136 48 0

Honey Color

Hex #EB9605
RGB 235 150 5

Spice Color

Hex #793802
RGB 121 56 2

Pumpkin Color

Hex #FF7417
RGB 255 116 23

Burnt Orange Color

Hex #964000
RGB 150 64 0

Carrot Color

Hex #EF7215
RGB 239 114 21

Fire Color

Hex #FDA50F
RGB 253 165 15

Ochre Color

Hex #CC7722
RGB 204 119 34

Bright Amber Color

Hex #FFBF00
RGB 255 191 0

Apricot Color

Hex #EF820D
RGB 239 130 13

Clay Color

Hex #813F0B
RGB 129 63 11

Bronze Color

Hex #B1560F
RGB 177 86 15

Cider Color

Hex #B3672B
RGB 179 103 43

Squash Color

Hex #CB5C0D
RGB 203 92 13

Sandstone Color

Hex #D7722C
RGB 215 114 44

Ginger Color

Hex #BE5504
RGB 190 85 4

Salamander Color

Hex #F05E23
RGB 240 94 35

Melon Color

Hex #F79862
RGB 247 152 98

Ending thoughts on using an orange color palette

Orange has been linked to health, vitality, and happiness, and combines passionate red with sunny yellow. However, orange needs to be used carefully to ensure you send out the message you desire. From safety to budget buys and from socialization to arrogance, orange has multiple meanings.

Combining orange with other colors can enhance designs and create a lively contrast. We hope this article helps you to explore how to use orange to appeal to a wider range of viewers as well as the subtle meanings behind each shade.

If you enjoyed reading this article about using an orange color palette, you should check out these about shades of blue, shades of red, green color palettes, yellow color palettes, and shades of pink.

Author
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Bogdan Sandu

Bogdan Sandu, a seasoned designer with 15 years of diverse experience, has been designing websites since 2008.

Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.

His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.