Hello yellow

Whether you use it on an entire wall or just a piece of furniture, you can always rely on this happy hue to add warmth and cheer.

Glamorous in gold

This stunning feature wall in Barbara and Rob Farrell’s Paarl home was painstakingly created using small sheets of gold leaf.

HERE’S HOW

Sihan Wiid of Mink Interiors explains the process:

• First we painted the wall with a base colour of maroon. Turquoise, umber and maroon work well as an undercoat when it comes to gilding; when they show through the gold leaf, they create a lovely aged look. We chose maroon as it creates a warm feel in this large hallway.

• An adhesive (gilding size) was then brushed onto the wall and the gold leaf sheets were gently applied. A thin plastic or wax paper should be added on top of the sheets before a fine brush is used to ‘paint on’ the delicate leaves. The plastic or paper is then removed. “We didn’t apply all the corners of the leaves perfectly so that some of the maroon would show through for an antique look.

• After two days, the Japanese blossoms were hand-painted with oil-based paint and fine brushes. A feather was used to brush on the branches.

• The entire wall was sealed with a clear oil-based sealant.

Project team included Sihan Wiid of Mink Interiors, Hilary Greg Cruywagen of Paint & Design and fine artist Raag Strydom

Metallic paint is an affordable alternative to gold leaf and great for a solid look. – Sihan Wiid

Colour it in!

Artist Margeaux Heydenrych of Art 2 Wall was tasked with transforming an ordinary white wall in five-year-old Braisen Ash Zitianellis’ bedroom into a focal feature celebrating everyday life. She created a fun collage of drawings with a black acrylic paint marker and added just a few pops of primary colours, including bright yellow. While the work of art is beautiful in its own right, the drawings can be coloured in with paint by the growing child – smart!

A classic combo

In this bedroom, a soft pink focal wall is interrupted by an unexpected pop of bright yellow in the fabric headboard. “The colour combination of pink and yellow is a tried and tested one and it always puts a smile on my face!” says Jani Augustyn-goussard of Paint & Décor. “It reminds me of fresh flowers, balloons and summer dresses!” Jani suggests using light shades of both colours for a calm or romantic look.

To create contrast and depth, pair a light pink with a deep, bright yellow or vice versa.

Why do pink and yellow work well together? “Pink is a lighter shade of red, which is a primary colour,” explains Jani. “Yellow is also a primary colour and primary colours always work well together.

Pink and yellow, therefore, pair well – just without the intense impact of red and yellow.

A floral landscape

With a brief to “liven up” the white wooden cupboards in six-year-old Lize Thompson’s bedroom, paint technique artist and interior stylist Sharon O’callaghan-marais decided on a ‘field of flowers’ theme.

Instead of focussing on each individual door, Sharon painted an image that stretches across the entire length of the wall-to-wall cupboards for added impact. “When little Lize saw it for the first time, she just said ‘wow’! The expression on her face was the best,” Sharon says. The pops of yellow amongst the blues, greens and pinks add a definitively playful touch. >>

I love colour and yellow is my new black! – Sharon O’callaghan-marais

All set

Cane is making a big comeback and we love the yellow twist on this set! But beware: if the cane isn’t in good condition to begin with, paint won’t fix it. It’s best to have it repaired before painting it; otherwise, it will continue to deteriorate. Also, don’t leave it outside uncovered for extended periods of time.

Hema Nana of online store sugarapple.co.za restores and paints Malawi chairs and says it’s important to treat cane for wood-eating insects. Also, prime the chairs before painting them.

Fun with furniture

Werner and Mariaan Botha chose bright yellow Tolix-style dining chairs to inject fun into their otherwise all-white dining space. “We wanted to add a splash of colour and when we saw these yellow chairs, we knew we had to have them – nothing adds a pop of joyous colour like yellow, right?” says Mariaan. “We also love the strong contrast with the black slate floor.”

Chairs from Makro; dining table from @home

Primary perfection

This Mowbray home packs a punch with primary colours! The yellow bathroom with its red door and trim shows just how impactful this combination can be. “Primary colours create an energetic décor scheme,” says Jani AugustynG-oussard of Paint & Décor. “You also don’t have to spend too much time plotting and planning which colours to pair with which.” The raw brick floor laid in a striking herringbone pattern breaks the intensity of the bold colours and adds texture.