Our third lesson in colour is about the final primary colour; yellow. This sunny colour evokes good feelings and provides a cheerful decor. Yellow has a warming affect so you’ll feel warmer in a yellow room.
My husband and I have a lovely shade of yellow in the living room, dining room and kitchen of our condo. When the sun is shining into the space it brings about strong feelings of wellness and cheer. We love our yellow walls. Even on a gloomy day this wall colour brightens the spirits and the decor. To infuse vibrancy in your decor add a little sunny yellow.
Yellow is the brightest colour in the wavelength and is topping the trend charts. This colour represents sunshine, lemons, bananas and flowers. From runways to home accessories to paint, this hue is popping up everywhere. Benjamin Moore’s Banana Yellow 2022-40 is a bright, sunny shade and part of the Colour Trends 2016 palette. When applied as an accent wall in an all white kitchen or painted in high-gloss on a shapely piece of furniture, it makes an impressive style statement.
If you love yellow but are hoping for something a bit more subdued, consider a softer, paler yellow such as Lemonade 2024-60. These paler yellows are soft and subtle and can work well in the bedroom, nursery or home office.
Medium-toned yellow/gold hues that have a red undertone are earthy and work well when paired with white trim and mouldings. Think of butternut squash or the green-yellow of pistachio or honeydew melon. All of these more earthy tones work well in main living areas, such as the living room, dining room or den. Throw in a few black accessories, like black framed photos, shelving or a small furniture item, to make the wall colour really pop.
Accessories
When using yellow accents in a room, stay with the same shade of yellow to provide a cohesive space. Toss cushions, furniture throws and other accessories are all fair game. Yellows with a hint of blue are cooler and work well as accents to provide pops of fresh colour. Use very bright yellow as accents in the decor. A bowl of Golden Delicious apples will brighten up a kitchen table. Yellow flowers will make any room more cheerful.
Yellow in a drapery design or upholstery can be quite lovely and will cheer up your space. I’m envisioning a soft yellow-and-white trellis-styled fabric on draperies or something small like an ottoman. An accent chair in a yellow and white check could be quite scrumptious as well.
If you’re not afraid of colour, you might paint a wooden accent chair, wicker plant stand or some other unique piece of furniture in a bright yellow shade to add a bit of zing to a room. Add in a few yellow accents sprinkled around the room for a cohesive look. Dining chairs recovered with a yellow patterned fabric can brighten up a heavy wooden dining set. Place a bowl of lemons on the table for added pizzazz. Bright primary colours can be fun in a child’s room in furniture and fabrics, but stay away from bright yellow on the walls, as it can be unsettling. Use bright yellow in the accessories to add some fun. What child wouldn’t love a room that included fuzzy ducklings or Big Bird? Use pale yellow on the walls to provide a calming space.
Accent colours
You can pair yellow with just about any colour. I opted for turquoise, brown and yellow in the main living area of our condo. I just happened to have found some lovely wallpaper that incorporates all of those colours that I used on a focal wall. Wallpaper or fabric might be your inspiration for a yellow colour scheme. Keep your eyes open for inspiration.
You can combine yellow with green, certain greys, blue, purple and brown; of course, white and black should be part of the equation. Be careful with very bright or citrus or canary yellows, as they can be overpowering and unsettling when used in large doses. If you like these livelier colours, then use them on an accent wall or in accessories. Opt for calming yellows like butter that will endure for years to come.
Yellow can be a great addition to the decor, whether it’s with bright accessories or soft yellow walls. Yellow is often overlooked as a decor colour and needs to be given consideration for its room-brightening and cheerfulness factors.
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