Orange Crush

I have recently developed a new appreciation for the color orange. It wasn't that I didn't like it, but it was rarely, if ever, a color I tried to use. But then I saw a spread in one of the many decorating magazines I picked up after we moved into the house with a room based primarily in grays and creams, with punches of orange to warm things up.

So I started with this:

The new futon cover was the perfect shade of gray. I love anything with a repeating geometric pattern, so the octagons are perfect. We already had the blanket- a wedding present, hand knit just for us (Thanks, Janet!) So I had some color. Yes it was neutral color, but being my mother's daughter I can appreciate the beauty within various shades of beige.

Then while the big guy and I were out shopping at Pier 1, clearly a store I chose, he actually found the print pillow and then we pulled the solid orange pillows to go with it. He wasn't so sure about pairing the various prints and textures on the futon, but he's going along with me.

So now we knew that orange was going to be the accent in the loft. It would be a nice contrast to the beige on the floor and walls, and be able to pull in some warmth next to the black of the file cabinets and the desk.

But the pillows, just weren't enough. In a different magazine, and then several more since then, I saw the idea of using a bright color on the back of a bookshelf. It's a nice way to bring in more visual interest, and really the books hide a lot of it, so you can go pretty bold.

I took our two smaller bookshelves, both pressboard, with a veneer back piece, and decided to give it a shot.

I chose to do the shelves on this one as well as just the back. They got a few dings on them during the move, and this helped cover them up. Although looking at it now, I should have just used the books on the shelves to cover them. It's just a bit too much orange for me.

As you can see in the picture below, I've started grouping our books by color. Not sure if they'll stay that way, or for how long, but for now I'm enjoying the randomness it's bringing to our little library.

I know, I never thought I'd say something like that either. Usually randomness scares me.
This bookshelf is tucked into the corner on the angled wall, so it was able to handle some of our brighter books without being too bold. It's also nice because it's just the right height to be a bedside table if someone stays the night and sleeps on the futon.

Here's the other bookshelf. We added this one for two reasons. First, we totally needed more space for the books. I buy books the way I buy shoes. Second, it really helped to warm up the loft and make it feel more like an actual room as opposed to a place you pass through on your way to an actual room.

Since this is where the office is, the big guy spends most of his time at home during the day here. It needed to be something a little more welcoming and inviting. Hey, paper work won't do itself, and it helps to get it done when you enjoy the space you're in.

Here's how it turned out. I'm definitely happier with the orange just on the back of this one. Especially up against our neutral books. See, I'm using neutrals again. My mother would be so proud.

There are still some more pieces to bring in to the space, and some items to hang on the walls, but we're making progress! It's hard to imagine how empty it all was when we first moved in. We're getting there!