Hello yellow
The hot colour in home decor
Take a trip to your favourite fast fashion outlet and you’ll see big, bold trends on offer. On a recent whip around the interior departments of those shops, it was hard to ignore that a full beaming, sunshine yellow and its counterpart motifs were everywhere.
For those of us who remember a time when yellow was considered a neutral, when every room from the kitchen to the bathroom had a daffodil undertone, it was something of a shock.
They say fashion is cyclical, but has it really been so long that sunflowers and their hue have come back around?
Trend alert
Vic Bibby, interior designer at Bibby and Brady, has also seen the signs out on the shop floors.
‘‘I have noticed yellow coming through in fashion,’’ she said, ‘‘and there is often a strong connection between what’s happening in fashion and interiors. We’ve definitely seen warmer colours coming through in fabrics, but more so tones of mustard and dusty gold.’’
Meanwhile interior stylist Janine King thinks it’s about time we caught up.
‘‘Interiors follow fashion trends and I always say that our surroundings are an extension of what we wear or want to wear,’’ said King.
‘‘I have been using accents of yellow/gold and chartreuse in my stagings and stylings for the past couple of years and am inspired by the European trends.
‘‘New Zealand is a tad slow in catching up, but following Milan’s latest colour directions, yes, it is making a comeback but with a difference. More of an earthy yellow is emerging rather than the sunflower gold.’’
Perhaps what we’re looking at is not a 90s trend, but a 2019 does 90s does 70s trend. Wrap your head around that one.
Sunflowers are ‘‘the 70s statement’’, said King.
‘‘We are following a 70s revival, so yes it’s making a comeback.’’
Full colour or feature tone?
Sarah Gregory, Resene colour consultant, said yellow was definitely present as a trend, though it’s perhaps not so fresh when it comes to paint.
‘‘It’s definitely being used for all walls and feature walls,’’ said Gregory.
‘‘Obviously, the lighter tones for all walls as it has a tendency to bounce off itself and cause the colour to look more intense when used on all walls. Darker and more vibrant tones of yellow can be used as a feature colour or on furniture.’’
To keep yellow contemporary, go mustard, using paint colours such as Resene Cleopatra or Resene Thumbs Up. Or if you’re not ready for the commitment of a full yellow wall, try warm whites such as Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta or Resene Rice Cake.
Bibby agrees that warm
whites are lovable, just opt for tones that aren’t too cream so they don’t look dated.
Let’s talk texture
Another great way to adopt yellow in wall coverings, is through wallpaper but be careful where you put it. ‘‘Because it’s such an intense colour I would suggest smaller rooms such as an entrance area, a sunroom, a breakfast nook, or even a powder room,’’ said Bibby.
‘‘We have a gorgeous wallpaper with a lovely grasscloth texture. Wallpapering an area in the gold colourway would be a fantastic way to put a more modern twist on the old yellow wall,’’ said Bibby.
Or rather than a full-on yellow, send the colour to the back and choose a patterned, oriental design for an elegant aesthetic.
It’s something Aucklander King would use in her own home. ‘‘I live in a villa in Devonport and if I chose a room to revamp, I have always pictured a sophisticated chinoiserie wallpaper theme for the powder room, reminiscent of east meets west,’’ she said.
Off the wall
But aside all this, if sunflowers still speak to you, here’s how to make it work in less permanent ways.
‘‘If you are going to embrace the sunflower, do it subtly with accents of the design of the plant’s petals popping up in a framed sketch or painting,’’ said King.
‘‘Team it up with shades of lavender, leaning towards the indigo blue, as well as a skew towards sage and terracotta that are also making a comeback.’’
Gregory’s favourite way of bringing in a colour accent is to paint the legs of her sofa.
‘‘Just that little pop of colour can change the feel of a room,’’ she said.
Meanwhile, Bibby suggests adopting the optimistic colour ‘‘in small doses’’ via artwork, cushions or pottery.