Lighten Up — or Brighten Up — With Yellow

Yellow can be soft or shocking, add energy or a mellow vibe, and exude country charm or edgy, modern appeal. In other words, it’s a versatile color that can work in any room. However, while many people love the sunny shade, they tend to steer clear of it when decorating, fearing it may overpower their home.

The key to doing it right is having a carefully considered plan. Think about whether you want the color to be the room’s main attraction or take a supporting role. Also think about what shade best suits your personality and whether it’s the best fit for the room. It’s important to consider balance — think about how you can use different colors and design elements to either enhance or temper the specific shade and amount of yellow you’ve chosen for your design. The following inspiring spaces offer ideas on how to decorate your home with bright or mellow shades of yellow with great success.

Make a memorable first impression. Who could quickly forget this charming cottage? A painted picket fence in sunshine yellow and a yellow and white striped awning (note how the stripes are thick, so the pattern doesn’t look too busy) brighten up this home’s traditional facade and ensure it stands out from the other dwellings on the street.

To re-create this look, all you’ll need is a paintbrush and a can of yellow paint and you’re good to go. If this is a little too bright for your taste, just paint your front door in a coat or two of your favorite shade instead.


Add eye-popping accents. Provide warmth and character to cool, muted color schemes by adding splashes of look-at-me yellow around a room. Rather than making any permanent or costly changes, decorate your space with small accessories you can easily replace. That way once your love affair with the tone is over, or you simply wish to swap the accents for decor in lighter or darker shades as the seasons change, you can mix things up without any fuss.


Keep it in the family. The color family, that is. Layer your space with contrasting shades of yellow for a dramatic look that offers loads of warmth and visual interest.

This eclectic living room shows how it’s done; dark yellow-green grass cloth wallpaper anchors the room and infuses it with a touch of sophistication, while a tangerine and lemon artwork lightens the palette and adds a dash of cheerfulness. A strip of high-impact neon yellow runs across the rug, breaking up the abundant use of turquoise and helping tie the colorful, contemporary look together.

Wall covering: Split Pea Juicy Jute Grasscloth, Phillip Jeffries


Use it as a neutral. Want a base color that’s creamier than beige and warmer than gray, and that has more character than crisp white? Then pale yellow is the perfect nonneutral neutral for you. I love these soft, buttery-yellow walls — the tone makes the room look oh so calm and inviting.

See more ways to use soft yellow


Brighten up a moody palette. Need to breathe life into a room that’s dressed in a dark color palette? Look no further than your new color partner in crime: yellow. Intense shades that pop, add zing and immediately cut through moody tones are the perfect choice if you want to make a space look edgy and ultramodern, as with this contemporary-meets-rustic bedroom. Lighter hues, on the other hand, will soften heavy palettes without shocking the senses.


Add a bunch of bright blooms. There’s no easier way to brighten up a room (and your mood) than with a bunch of fresh, fragrant flowers in happy yellows. I think this white, green and golden arrangement looks pretty spectacular, but if you want a posy that’s more vibrant, choose a bouquet of sun-kissed-yellow tulips, lilies, roses or daffodils instead.

Browse more yellow flowers


Combine contrasting elements. Take a page out of this colorful and eclectic living room’s style playbook and introduce splashes of bold yellow in unexpected designs and spaces. Here a zesty citrus hue perks up the darker tones, while the modern, eye-catching colored fireplace and furniture contrast with the exotic, old-world look of the tribal decor, resulting in a room that oozes personality and packs a visual punch.

Platner Lounge Chair: Knoll


Go natural. If you want the warmth of yellow but desire a design that’s more organic in style, introduce natural materials with yellow undertones — such as this straw-toned raffia wallpaper. Blonde wood, honey-toned bamboo and light-colored natural fibers are great options, too.

Wallpaper: Carolina Raffia, Thibaut


Consider colored cabinetry. Sick of your crisp white cabinets? Update your bathroom or kitchen with cheery yellow cabinetry that sings. Temper the tone with sophisticated grays, black, white and rustic or industrial accents, which will offset the vibrancy of the happy hue.


Try a darker shade. If you’re not a fan of pastel yellow or brighter tints, decorate your home with deeper shades, such as mustard, gold or yellow-tinged olive. These colors will infuse your home with warmth, drama and chic appeal without being too cheerful or overwhelming.

Wallpaper: Giant Rhodedendron, Orla Kiely


Create a fun, colorful room kids will love. Bright yellow is a great choice for a youngster’s bedroom, as it’s fresh, playful and full of personality, and it is universally appealing. However, be mindful to use the color sparingly, or at the very least balance large blocks of yellow with slicks of white and other contrasting hues to ensure your little one’s room exudes a calm, soothing vibe, rather than being too energetic and stimulating.

FL/Y Suspension Lamp: Kartell


Go for gold. Do you want a space that’s warm and welcoming and oozes grown-up glamour? Decorate your room with shimmering golden tones. Here metallic penny tiles transform this otherwise traditional sink area into a showstopping space that dazzles.


Team yellow and blue. Cool blue and warm yellow are a match made in color heaven. You can use this eye-catching and extremely versatile combo in homes of all different styles, from contemporary dwellings to classic-meets-coastal abodes, such as the one shown here. Notice how soft, powdery shades have been used to create a soothing and serene atmosphere.

Paint: Mushroom Cap, Benjamin Moore


The chic combo also makes an appearance in this eclectic home office, but this time in bolder, saturated tones. The pairing of navy and canary yellow infuses the room with an edgy yet quirky modern vibe.

Standard Chair: Vitra


Accessorize your kitchen with colored appliances. Yellow-toned appliances, to be exact. Invest in large colored appliances, such as an oven or a fridge, if you wish to make a bold design move, or stick with countertop appliances in sunny hues for a look that’s safer and requires less commitment.

Professional Series 6-Burner Gas Oven: Bertazzoni


Pair it with other brights. Want your space to really make a statement? Team loud yellow with other stop-and-stare shades, such as hot pink, emerald, eye-popping purple or turquoise. Balance the look with white, black, gray, neutrals and natural elements, which will ensure that the competing yet complementary tones will remain in the spotlight and the overall scheme will look carefully styled and chic, rather than chaotic.


Modernize a classic design. Does your country-style home look a tad tired? Ditch the buttery creams and light lemony tones (which are often used in traditional country designs) and freshen up your space with brighter, livelier shades of yellow. The vibrant yellow paint works wonders in this farmhouse kitchen and brings it into the now. While the colored cabinetry is the focal point, the same paint color is used on the range hood, as well as on the door and ceiling trim, to tie the look together.

Paint: Babouche, Farrow & Ball


Add an accent wall. A yellow accent wall is sure to stop visitors in their tracks. Paint a single wall in your favorite shade or, if you wish to add another layer of visual intrigue, try patterned wallpaper or tile art, like this striking yellow-orange mosaic tile motif.


Don’t say no to neon. People tend to overlook neon tones, such as highlighter-bright yellow, when choosing colors for their home, but don’t dismiss these high-impact hues too quickly. The secret to successfully incorporating them into your design is to use them sparingly and balance them with muted colors, which will result in a room that’s fresh, sophisticated, on trend and fun. I love this cool white, gray and zesty chartreuse setting — it’s hard to imagine the space without the touch of neon yellow-green, isn’t it?

Womb Chair and Ottoman: Knoll


Create a beachy theme. There’s a reason yellow, in its many different shades, is often found in beach-style abodes. It is, after all, fresh, happy and welcoming — characteristics that every coastal retreat should have.

To re-create this look at home, decorate your space with splashes of yellow, layered with hints of crisp white, vivid red, cool blue and turquoise. Complete the look with natural materials and textures (think rope, raw wood, wicker, jute, bamboo and linen), along with nautical or beach-inspired patterns to enhance the room’s relaxed, coastal feel.


Tackle a DIY project. Have some spare time, a paintbrush and a can of yellow paint? Give old furniture that’s destined for the trash a facelift by covering them in a fresh, sunny hue. Vintage or traditional-style chairs, tables, drawers, hutches and cabinets look particularly fabulous when given a modern makeover with a coat of eye-popping yellow paint.

Tutorial: How to repaint dining chairs


Play with yellow-tinged prints. Not a fan of block brights? Decorate your home with patterned decor that’s peppered with pops of yellow. If you’re a clashing-prints novice, style your space with one statement print. For those who are mix masters, try teaming contrasting motifs together, as was done here.

Wallpaper: New Contemporary Two Mimosa, Cole & Son

More:
Decorating 101: How to Choose Your Colors


Browse more inspiring color palettes

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