Bring a little sunshine inside
‘Bright, energizing yellows are known to enhance the mind and help creativity flow,’ colour expert says
If ever a colour were to be associated with an emotion, it’s got to be yellow. Upbeat and welcoming, it’s a hue that’s easy to love.
Bold yellows are eye-catching, but colour experts advise caution. Unless you’re prepared to live with bright yellow’s peppy assertiveness, softer, creamier versions might be more prudent choices.
Will Taylor, founder of the colour blog Bright.Bazaar and an interior design expert at Marshalls, loves yellow in all its iterations. “To me, it’s happiness personified,” he says. “As soon as I see it, I feel joy.”
Better Homes & Gardens style director Jessica Thomas calls yellow “sunshine in a can.”
And Dee Schlotter, senior colour marketing manager for PPG Paints, says yellow is often seen as the signature hue for “happy.”
“Bright, energizing yellows are known to enhance the mind and help creativity flow,” she says. “We saw ‘Gen Z yellow’ bubble to the surface last year, with colours like Crushed Pineapple reflecting the optimism and boldness of that generation.” Afew tips when you’re shopping for a yellow:
“We recommend first looking at the bottom colour on the paint swatch to find the root of the yellow,” Schlotter says. “For example, if the bottom colour is green, the yellow at the top of the card will have subtle hints of green infused into it.”
Go two or three shades lighter than you think you want if you’re painting a room. And “warmer yellows tend to work better on walls,” Schlotter says. “Brighter variations are perfect on a front door, as an accent wall in a bedroom or in a dining room to provide a rich, striking look.”
“Yellow’s the queen of accent colours,” Taylor says. “It goes with neutrals to blacks and blues. Think of adding pops of yellow across art, pillows, throws and flowers. It will instantly add visual interest.”
Lemon motifs and prints are a fresh, fun way to bring the colour home. “Lemon-print wallpaper in a bathroom or closet is a cheerful way to add yellow,” Taylor says.
If you’d really like to commit, consider a piece of yellow furniture, or even an appliance.
All Modern has well-priced upholstered seating, with clean-lined silhouettes that let the colour take centre stage.
West Elm’s got a set of velvet curtains and a distressed rug in a hue called “wasabi” that has a golden tone.
Bertazzoni and SMEG stock equipment like stoves, fridges and range hoods in fresh yellows.
Ready for more? Scandinavian manufacturer Vola has marked its 50th anniversary by releasing Arne Jacobsen’s original 1968 designed bath faucet in a rainbow of colours, and a kicky yellow is one of them.