Six Old Houses Remodeled With the Help of Orange Accents

In the last post, you saw examples of the interior decorating world’s newfound love for orange accents, which are both transformative and surprisingly versatile. Sometimes modern, and sometimes transitional, orange’s power is not limited to contemporary decorative styles. The right shade and styling of an orange accent can highlight a historic home’s original architectural features while simultaneously updating it.

It’s not necessary to spend a fortune styling an old house, especially because those who are lucky enough to own one have likely already spent a lot of time and money on renovations. Read on to find styling tips and affordable product picks inspired by these six jaw-dropping old home makeovers that harness the power of orange.

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An Old New England Farmhouse Styled With an Orange Accent Rug

An old farmhouse living room with a fireplace has a red-orange and blue persian rug centered below traditional farmhouse furniture and decor, which includes an old wagon wheel hung on the wall above the fireplace, as well as some antlers. The brick surrounding the fireplace is painted white.

Sources: Article by Country Living, Photo by Tara Donne

It’s never easy to paint over an original feature, but the homeowners of this 200 year old New Hampshire farmhouse knew that it was necessary to paint the ‘drab and completely uninviting’ brick a creamy white. This left them wanting a colorful accent.

The pattern in the persian rug gives this living room a contemporary eclectic flair, while both its color and texture align with the rest of the room’s traditional farmhouse decor. The orange tone is inspired by the color of brick, but it’s not dreary. The worn texture coordinates with textures seen throughout the room, with the most important one, of course, being the brick.

A Grand Greek/Classical Revival Styled With Orange Interior Paint

Source: G.P. Schafer Architecture & Design

This 1843 Charleston, South Carolina Greek/Classical revival was made for a wealthy merchant with a reputation for showmanship. Like most Greek revivals, every nook and cranny of this house exudes grandeur. Architect and designer G.P. Schafer carefully restored this home in a style that’s both contemporary and true to form.

A bold wall color can be quite tricky in any home, but it’s especially tricky in a historic home, which is why finding the perfect shade is crucial. In the hallway, apricot orange walls expose the orange tones in the original hardwood floors and woodwork. Apricot is the perfect wall color for this room because it’s contemporary and bold but also muted and earthy enough to blend into this space.

A Moody Victorian Styled With a Brilliant Orange Armchair

A beautiful old fireplace in a Victorian living room is flanked by a vivid, bright blood orange modern armchair, as well as an ottoman in the same color on the otherside. The armchair has silver curved legs. The walls are black.

Source: The Interiors Edit

Owned and styled by a creative couple, Jo and Graham Atkins-Hughes, this old Victorian flat now serves its purpose as a location house. It’s a fitting job for a Victorian, a style of home that was usually adorned with with elaborate and ornate details and styled with dark, rich colors seen within complementary color schemes.

To update the living room’s color scheme while maintaining its authenticity, Jo and Graham contrast dramatic black walls with an armchair upholstered in a shocking and contemporary shade of orange. The modern curves of this chair play off of the curves of the architectural feature of this room: an original fireplace that’s as dramatic in its form as the rest of the room is in its color palette.

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A Luxurious California Craftsman Styled With a Burnt Orange Sofa

Sources: Designed by IDF Studio, Photography by Christopher Stark (Instagram: @christopherstark)

American Craftsman homes grew out of England’s Arts and Crafts Movement, which was a rebuke of Victorian style. California Craftsmans were subsets within a subset. Many early California Craftsmans, built in the early 1900’s, were designed for the affluent. With an emphasis on high-end yet cozy decor, they were largely influenced by Swiss chalets.

With a personality that’s equal parts earthy, forward thinking, and glamorous, burnt orange is a fitting color choice for an accent piece in this style of California Craftsman. In this renovation, IDF Studio styled this living area with a modern yet luxurious burnt orange sofa, which matches the undertones in the room’s wall-to-wall the original wood paneling, as well as the ottoman and rug.

An Elegant Tudor Revival Styled With a Russet Orange Window Treatment

Russet orange drapes hang on either side of large arched windows in a Tudor revival living room. There's grey stonework with elaborate details framing the windows.

Source: CASA/WAY Interiors via Houzz

It’s not easy to incorporate bold, contemporary colors into homes that were built to replicate a style of architecture that originated in the medieval era, but it can be spectacular if it’s done right. Take for example the use of russet orange curtains in the living room of the historic 1928 Tudor Revival ‘Greystone Mansion’, styled by CASA/WAY Interiors.

Orange drapes immediately draw the eye to the original windows. The custom drapes were made in a shade of orange that compliment the room’s focal point; the earthy undertones pair well with the grey stonework framing the windows, as well as the grounds they show off. Because heavy drapes are a Tudor Revival style staple and orange is a youthful color, this window treatment creates a transition between the historic and the contemporary.

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Russet Orange | Pantone Fashion Color | Fall : Winter 2018 | New York and London | Solid Color | Blackout Curtain

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A Bold Dutch Colonial Revival Styled With Orange Upholstery

In a traditional Dutch Colonial revival hallway, we can see bright orange upholstered vintage chairs in a dining room with an elaborate chandelier hanging over a modern dining dining table. The hallway has blue wallpaper with a curved pattern that mimics the curves of the chandelier. There's white wainscoting on the lower portion of the wallpaper wall.

Sources: Designed by Lee Kleinhelter and T.S. Adams Studio, Article by Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

Homeowners of early 20th century Colonial Revivals had romantic visions of an elegant Colonial America, and they utilized dramatic decorative accents to bring their visions to life. With the remodel of this circa 1935 Dutch Colonial revival, Interior Designer Lee Kleinhelter uses bold colors and a patterned wallpaper to honor both the grand chandelier and the glamorous antique chairs the homeowners inherited with the house.

In order to do so without making the home feel dated, Lee reupholstered the antique chairs in a theatrical yet modern shade of orange. The complementary blue wallpaper replicates the curves of the chandelier in a playful, contemporary manner, while the bright white wainscoting below provides a traditional yet neutral effect.

For more on orange decor, read the companion post on decorating with orange accents here. Or, explore how to decorate with a variety of accent colors.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying Society6 purchases mentioned in this post.

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