The color orange is a vibrant and active color. One could describe it as loud; it elicits strong reactions as a result. Some would even say that it is a “controversial” color as a result (Cherry, 2024). While some associate it with enthusiasm, happiness, and energy, others might see danger, arrogance, or impatience (Mclean, 2023). Because of this, it is up to designers (whether web or not) to use orange in the best way they see fit to get the type of reaction needed for the message they want to send! Following on that, like most colors, there are many different hues that can be used to send different messages and elicit different feelings in people that can be taken advantage of.
Road work ahead? I sure hope it does!
Since it is so attention grabbing, orange is often used in construction for safety purposes. It stands as a warning for people to look out and slow down. In fact, orange was also originally used in the U.S. Navy for life jackets during WWII. You can find life jackets to this day use the color orange. For web design, one may want to use orange in this way to point out a certain important message or factor to make sure the user doesn't miss it.
Again, because orange is a very bright and lively color, it is often associated with energy, enthusiasm, and youth. Because of this, some sports teams will incorporate it into their logos and uniforms. In fact, my favorite sports team, the Syracuse college basketball team’s name is in fact, “The Orange,” so I had to include an image of one of their current players. In terms of design, you can use orange to wake up your users and elicit feelings of happiness. If you want to have an energetic website or an energetic concept, orange could definitely do you a lot of good.
Sometimes, and in especially in other cultures outside of the U.S., orange is more of a calming color, symbolizing spirituality and compassion. In particular, Buddhist monks wear robes of orange, a color between red and orange which symbolizes balance. Orange is also associated with meditation and warmth. We often think of orange associated with fall, and for many those hues give off feelings of warmth and comfort. It also, like many colors, depends on the hue you use. A burnt orange gives off warmth, while a pale orange gives off a lighter, more relaxed feeling. If you were designing a website that sold products for newborns, cribs perhaps, you might want to use pale oranges, rather than that in your face orange associated with energy and caution.
Finally, I would assume with many colors, orange is often associated with food. From citrus fruits, to cheeses, to pumpkins, to carrots, to artificial foods like Cheetos, many advertisers and designers will use orange to elicit feelings of hunger. This can be important if you run a restaurant or any website associated with eating or cooking. In fact, some studies have shown that more yellow oranges stimulate the mind and are used in kitchens (Mclean, 2023). This can be taken advantage of for designers of not only food-related sites, but vacation and travel sites as well (orange often is associated with tropical locales, and of course certain foods like oranges make you think of warm travel destinations).
Finally, as mentioned before, hues are important when it comes to orange. As a designer, I would keep in mind what hue of orange I would want to use to elicit a certain feeling or not. Above are a number of examples. If I want to design a website about meditation, I'm not going to use a bright and loud orange. I would use more of a burnt orange, which as I discussed earlier has a lot to do with warmth and meditation. Because orange can be controversial, it's important to think how your audience will react to it, and how you can utilize its various hues to get the reaction you desire!
Inspiration in the Color Orange
Author: N/A, Adobe
Published: N/A
Accessed: 02/26/25
Psychology of the Color Orange
Author: Kendra Cherry
Published: 12/10/24
Accessed: 02/26/25
The Color Orange: Essential Color Theory, Symbolism and Design Application
Author: Sara Mclean
Published: 08/21/23
Accessed: 02/26/25