Tango Tangerine: Un Color for All Seasons

Each year, Pantone, the authority on all things color, designates a hue to inspire designers to create everything from lipstick to pencil skirts and more. This year, they chose Tangerine Tango -- a reddish-orange shade -- to recharge the nation. Now you too can add a dash of tang to your home with help from these top design experts.

Add Some Detalles
Small accents and pops of this radiant color are a great way to freshen up your décor. “Incorporate simple naranjada-toned pieces like throw pillows and blankets or lacquer trays and vases in your living room or bedroom,” says Sabrina Soto, host of HGTV’s “The High/Low Project.” “Small appliances in tangerine, such as toasters, teakettles or coffeemakers are fun touches for the kitchen; and adding towels in this shade is a simple solution in the bathroom.”

Mix It In

“To make this trendy color timeless, bring in neutral hues to pair with it,” says Michelle Dunbar, owner of Fashion House Interior Design Co. “Go for a Sedona-inspired palette with deep rust, plus brown, tan or cream along with muted orange. If gray is your neutral, play it up with tangerine and white.”

Make a Permanent Statement
“Custom upholstery is a perfect way to tie Tangerine Tango in for good,” says Soto. Cover a pair of matching chairs or a large ottoman in a solid or patterned fabric for your living room, or order a tufted headboard for your bedroom. “Another great way to add this color is to purchase a few pieces of accent furniture or accessories, such as poufs, side tables, small area rugs and table lamps. “Go bold by painting one wall in your living room this shade,” says Dunbar. “It will really liven up a neutral-toned sofa.”

Skip the Splurge
“An inexpensive way of incorporating orange and tangerine tones in a big way is by using jersey slipcovers on your existing chairs or sofa,” says Dunbar. They cost about $40 and come in a variety of sizes. “Check out vintage and consignment stores, as well as weekend flea markets, for surprising finds,” says Soto.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/yulkapopkova

Clutter No Mas: Organize Your Home With Style

You’ve already rid your home of the things you no longer use. Next is finding smart ways to keep it organized and chic. “The trick to making spaces look polished and finished is allowing the eye to see open horizontal spaces and only keeping visible what looks stylish,” says Helene Segura, an organization and productivity expert with LivingOrder in San Antonio. Try some of these fine-tuning tweaks to make your home show-ready.

La Antesala
Add a classic-style coat rack (with a wood base and metal hooks) on the wall, which gives everyone a place to hang up their belongings when they walk through the door. “If you have a larger entry, consider mudroom pieces that come in styles that range from locker room flashbacks, to country-chic, to gorgeous teak,” says Segura.

La Sala
If your functional furniture lacks a little jazz, opt for a clean, contemporary look. Consider spray-painting pieces in a cream color to add instant glamour. Forget utilitarian storage boxes. Instead, try ones that are made out of posh materials, such as velvet, leather or horn. Add rustic accents with bronze or wooden baskets. “For a uniform look, purchase varying sizes in the same style or buy sets of three in multiple colors within your color palette,” says Segura.

La Cocina
Families spend much of their time here. So keep it spacious. After you’ve cleared counters and used all of the cupboards and the upper reaches of the cabinetry, all that should be visible are neutral-colored earthenware containers to store grains, sugar, flour or any other foods. 

El Dormitorio
If you’re using the area under your bed to store items, add a sham or trimming to hide what’s underneath. Also don’t cram the space. “Use long, rectangular plastic containers sorted by category,” says Segura. They make it easy to find what you need later on.

El Baño
Cabinets with glass-paneled doors create the effect of open space. Eliminate the cluttered look inside by using neutral-colored fine ware jars to stash bathroom supplies. “Tame what’s hidden in the bottom cabinets with a combination of bins with brushed nickel, stainless steel helper shelves or drawer systems,” says Segura.

Casa Romántica

If there is a month to make your home sizzle, it would be February. True, the Christmas ornaments were just put away, but who can resist infusing romance and amor into the décor in time for Valentine’s Day? Make your casita red-hot with these ideas.

1. Aromas Scents for the home can create a hypnotic effect. Add instant warmth to any room by spraying spicy notes such as jasmine, and florals such as gardenia, hyacinth and tuberose. Look for scented candles that will subtly odorize without overpowering. Sprinkle perfume on a lightbulb, which will diffuse sexy olores when turned on.

2. Bowl of caramelos Fill a bowl with your favorite candy, such as Hershey’s Kisses, spicy cinnamon hearts or Sweet’s Sour Lips. And if being healthy is a priority, use apples, pomegranates and blood oranges.

3. From el bedroom to le boudoir Texturize your bedroom with soft fabrics and exuberant colors. Add a cashmere throw to the edge of your bed; fill a vase with velvety flores, such cockscombs, and place it our on your nightstand or windowsill.

4. Boleros Does anything put you in the mood for love like music does? Play an old Cuban mambo, an enchanting tango or a jazzy standard sung by Latina singers, such as Claudia Acuña.

5. Corazon wreath Create a heart-shaped wreath that’s made of felt roses. Start by cutting strips of the fabric in a circular motion. Then go back and scallop the edges, and roll each strip into a circle. Next, use a hot glue gun to hold each flower together. Afterward, glue each rose onto the heart template that you’re using. Finally punch a hole into your wood or foam heart template, and pull a red ribbon through it to hang your mini masterpiece.

6. The Baño spa Create a sensual atmosphere by using water to relax your pretendiente. First, fill a warm bathtub and add a blend of essential oils, such as lavender, jasmine, ylang-ylang and ginger. Then sprinkle the agua with red or pink rose petals. Finally, soften el ambiente with candles set in votives or glass dishes.

Casa Cambiada

No matter your household budget, you can spruce up your space with expert ideas from New York City–based diseñadora Nina Isabella, founder of Nina Interiors & Styling.

Sala Sensual

Think rich texturas. Layer them on thick throughout the room, says Isabella, creating an abundancia of beg-to-be-touched telas. “Pillows, throws, window treatments and rugs -- they’ll all warm the space at relatively little expense,” says Isabella, who shops at IKEA for low-cost cool rugs. Next, change up el arte. “Use a different theme or color palette as a foundation,” says Isabella, adding that she routinely scours Etsy for eye-catching one-of-a-kind artwork at reasonable prices.

Add inspiration-on-demand by stacking splashy revistas and libros on chairs in corners and on floors, keeping an eye on how the binding colors combine. “We have no fewer than six piles of each around our home at any given time,” says Isabella. “Nothing says ‘lazy day’ more than reading material at the ready.” Lastly, infuse the room with intoxicating fragrancia. Make a ritual of lighting a candle or diffuser whenever you enter.

Lights in la Cocina

Never underestimate the power of el efecto visual. “Add tabletop lamps and mirrors to add warmth -- without relying on predictable and harsh overhead lighting.” Display pottery to brighten and add character; check out Cabelas.com for such finds. Finally, add punches of fresh green with a potted jardín de hierba. “I keep a window box of herbs off the kitchen and can easily snip as I cook. In winter, I replant and keep them inside,” says Isabella.

La Recámara Romántica

Keep it simple. “It should feel uncluttered,” says Isabella. “Relaxed and romantic.” Remove any desk or television and reserve the space for relajación. “You should be able to fully detach from work there,” says Isabella. Next, splatter on fresh paint. “I’m into darker hues for bedrooms. People tend to go lighter -- it’s safe, uplifting. But darker shades bring coziness, which is what we want in our bedrooms.” Use bright, energizing colores in cocinas, and reserve darker cafés de cocoa for bedrooms.

Photo Credit: Eric Morales (http://www.ericm-photo.com)

Living Las Navidades

Want to enjoy the holiday season to the fullest? Start with the seven easy steps and get into the holiday spirit.

1. Bake homemade cookies for coworkers. Whether they are shaped into Christmas trees or piñatas, cookies are a time-tested way to spread cheer.

2. Watch holiday flicks. Rent an old Christmas movie -- maybe even a Spanish-language classic your familia loves -- and watch with a loved one. It’s a heartwarming way to ignite a wintry romance.

3. Host a Christmas comadrazo. Invite your closest comadres over for hot Mexican chocolate and other Latin treats. Read one of the 36 options from Noche Buena: Hispanic American Christmas Stories.

4. Volunteer. In the busiest of months, sharing your time with others keeps the true meaning of the season alive. Visit the elderly at a nursing home, chop onions at a shelter or watch your neighbor’s kids while they finish Christmas shopping.

5. Take a time-out. Go for a massage, a spa treatment or a new haircut instead of another round at the stores, and you’ll replenish your sense of winter joy.

6. Decorate your home. Remember visiting Santa’s workshop at the mall’s North Pole? Wrap your living room or dining room chairs in festive ribbons and colorful Latin-American-style ornaments. Blow up old pictures of your family celebrating la Navidad in their native country and use the photos as decorations. For an extra dose of fun, copy your mother’s sequin mini-dress or bouffant hairdo and text her a picture. You’ll both be sure to get a great laugh!

7. Have Old-Fashioned Fun. Go ice-skating with your loved one and hold hands. Or join a group of Christmas carolers. A better idea is to start your own caroling group and to include classic and contemporary holiday tunes in Spanish in the repertoire.

Photo Credit: @iStockphoto.com/kate_sept2004