BLACK AND ORANGE

WHEN HALLOWEEN ISN'T HALLOWEEN

We've had a love affair with orange that's been going of for a quite a long time; for Rick it's been years, for me it's been more of a flirtation. Although my relationship has been sweet and tangy I'm still a little insecure as to its longevity. What adds some spice to my affair is the pairing of juicy orange with the velvety smoothness of black. Halloween be damned. I can live with the combination of black and orange 365 days a year.

Who wouldn't want to sip a Bloody Mary while sitting at these chopping block dining tables or cut into a steak cooked rare and dripping in luscious animal blood. The China Grill located in the Hilton Marina in Ft. Lauderdale overlooking the intercostals waterway is a beautiful setting for any vampire. Robert Pattinson should take note.

A bit more airy and far less scary this home by Mao Lopez is stunning in it use of black and orange. Its mid-century aesthetic plays perfectly with this color combination throughout the entire home adding sophistication without crossing the line into kitsch.

A more contemporary take on orange and black sizzles in this apartment dining area. The chevron wooden floor grounds the plywood and glass table while the orange chairs add the right touch of warmth and the black and white photograph adds a window to the world and a touch of whimsy.

Crossing back to the dark side, this lounge is more inviting than foreboding. The rich flannel fabrics and the low lighting are more romantic and comfortable than bewitching and intimidating. If these walls could talk I have a feeling this room could wreck a few marriages.

Transitional spaces can sometimes seem a bit predictable but this bedroom avoids the ho-hum with its use of orange and black. The bold orange wallpaper and the black linen give this room attitude and swagger beyond the beiges nine out of ten traditionalists might have used.

I have to concede that this art is tending more toward the macabre than these previous interior design projects in black and orange but there's such a touch of humor in Mark McGinnis' series of "Religious Icons" I couldn't resist adding them to the post.

Orange bubble lights suspended over a reclaimed wooden cocktail table in front of a chalkboard black wall makes for an art director's dream. The styling of this interior is perfection right down to the perfectly placed black handbag. Spaces like this are all in the details.

Even we've gotten into the act from out business cards to our atelier displays.

Here we've paired an orange serving tray from Global Views with a black rubber bowl made in Africa from recycled tires, we added a touch of mystery with a crystal ball by Barbara Berry and set it on our Emmy chocolate walnut center hall table. The world's a stage and we sometimes pretend to be its directors.

As a final touch the porch on Peter Pennoyer's winter Adirondack retreat is an amazing leap of design risk taking. Not many homeowners let alone architects would have the nerve or the imagination to paint their home charcoal and then highlight the trim with splashes of orange. The risk here is well worth the end result. There's a certain amount of wickedness involved but there's also a huge amount of charm.



THE GALLERY

Polina, Russia
Joyce Tenneson, Photographer
From her book, Light Warriors