Second in a series of posts on the topic of shopping for art by color:

Photo found on Pinterest

As I mentioned in last week’s post, I find many shops and on-line retailers choose to display their merchandise by color. Whether it’s clothing on a rack or home accessories shown in a catalog, it seems helpful to shop with a specific color in mind.

Traditionally, shopping for art doesn’t happen this way since we’ve long been advised not to ‘match the art to the curtains.’ Therefore, this will be blasphemy to purists – but let’s consider shopping for art by color for just a moment. Think of it like accessorizing an outfit. Often we have a color scheme at home, or we know what color is dominant in a room, so shopping for art in a complimentary or contrasting color creates a strong argument from a design perspective.

Double Mandarins by Bobbi Heath $210

Putting color first also speaks volumes from a color psychology perspective. To continue our conversation, let’s look at the color orange:

Orange relates to ‘gut reaction’ or our gut instincts, as opposed to the physical reaction of red or the mental reaction of yellow.

Abstract Orange by Anyes Galleani $1,595

Orange offers emotional strength in difficult times. It helps us to bounce back from disappointments and despair, assisting in recovery from grief.

Tangerine by Pietro Canali $1,300

The color orange relates to social communication, stimulating two way conversations. A warm and inviting color, it is both physically and mentally stimulating, so it gets people thinking and talking.

Paintings on Paper Number 18 by stephen cimini $622

Orange is also stimulating to the appetite. If you love having people around the kitchen table, orange will keep them talking and eating for a long time. Many restaurants use pastel versions of orange, such as apricot or peach or deeper versions such as terracotta, for their décor as they are more subtle than red, yet still increase the appetite and promote conversation and social interaction, which in turn encourages patrons to have a good time and to eat and drink more.

Shinjuku by Eleanor Harwood

So, what color is your room and will orange art make the right statement? If so, click here for more art with the color orange!