Leaves are changing and pumpkins are appearing on doorsteps around the country. As vibrant shades of orange fill the outdoors, they’re also becoming increasingly popular inside.

Upholstery fabrics, paint colors, furniture and accessories that range from neon orange to tangerine to terra cotta are getting attention this season.

But orange isn’t for everyone. When interior designers suggest decorating with orange, clients can get nervous. Designer Kyle Schuneman often eases homeowners into using orange by suggesting variations on it.

“The idea of orange can sound juvenile and unsophisticated,” Schuneman says. “But if you go with umbers, burnt bricks or terra cottas, you can sell a client on the idea much easier.”

The key, he says, is using orange creatively and carefully.

Here, Schuneman and designers Brian Patrick Flynn and Betsy Burnham offer tips on decorating with the color orange, and avoiding the pitfalls of using it badly.

• How much to use?

Orange can be overpowering as the main color in a room. But, like red, it works brilliantly as an accent color.

“I don’t suggest painting your walls orange,” Burnham says. “But maybe there’s an orange in the print on your pillows.”

It can be casual (“maybe you bring in a garden stool that’s bright orange”), or chic and sophisticated (“think of Hermes orange, those shopping boxes”), she says.

In a bedroom with muted, gray-blue walls, Burnham opted to add lacquered end tables in a rich shade of orange.

Orange paint can also be a great way to spruce up a dated piece of furniture.

“Think about painting a great old chest of drawers a beautiful shade in a high gloss,” Schuneman says, “and changing out the knobs to really special crystal knobs to make a statement piece in a room.”

• Which shades are best?

All three designers like earthy burnt orange tones that are almost as brown as they are orange.

“With a burnt orange, you’d be surprised what the paint chip looks like,” Burnham says. “It looks more like a brown. But you paint a piece of furniture that color, and it reads orange. It does what it’s supposed to do — it brings some whimsy.”

Flynn also likes using red-orange, “ideal for more youthful or edgy rooms.”

The style of your home may help determine which shades you choose, says Schuneman. “Terra cotta is a beautiful backdrop for a traditional or retro feeling space, while pops of a more neon orange could be really fun for a modern space.”

Whatever tone you choose, Schuneman suggests testing a sample if you’ve decided to take the plunge and paint with orange. “Try three or four different shades,” he says, and view them in various types of daylight and artificial light.

Also, he says, “orange is a lot like red when you’re painting, so you’re going to need three or four coats to get an even finish. But the end product will be a beautiful cozy space.”

Just one word of warning: “Don’t go with a true shade of orange,” Schuneman says. “It will feel like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.”

• Where does it work?

Orange can look good anywhere in your home, but these designers say it’s especially beautiful for bedrooms.