If you want to inject a room with joy, warmth and energy, yellow is the colour scheme for you. It’s the perfect choice for transforming a home and filling it with life and light.
Yellow comes with major visual appeal, but it can dominate spaces when used in excess. In this post, we’ve put together seven tips for working with the colour to create refreshing, welcoming room schemes.
The energy of the sun
Yellow is everywhere. Not just in nature, but in our cultural reference points, too. It’s a colour imbued with optimism: sunlight, gold, lemons, flowers, etc.
But – as with everything in design – moderation is key, especially when you’re using it in interiors. Yellow works best as a complementary colour in décor. A touch of yellow can visually open up a room, letting the light in. But if you go overboard, yellow can be overpowering.
Yellow décor
From ceramic wall tiles, wallpaper and paint, to upholstery, furniture and plants… you can inject yellow into your home interiors in a number of ways. This powerful primary colour can be used to create other colours. You can combine it with blue for fresh and revitalizing results, or red to ramp up the cozy factor. Here are seven suggestions from PORCELANOSA for all the yellow lovers out there, or anyone who wants to bring this colour into their home.
#01 Yellow in the bedroom
Bedroom decorated yellow with Par-ker® Vancouver Sand floor tiles by Porcelanosa.
We may be sleeping for much of it, but the bedroom is one of the areas of the home where we spend the most time. So it’s important to get the décor just right. When you’re styling this room, the main elements to think about are the bed and headboard, bedside tables and lamps.
Textiles are also important, and because they’re changed or replaced regularly, they’re a good way of adding some yellow to the room. Printed fabrics, cushions or elements in plain yellow can add a special edge to your bedroom décor scheme, when used in moderation.
Using a blue and yellow scheme in this room gives you fresh and vibrant results. Serene shades of blue will add peace and tranquillity: the perfect partner for your resting space. The yellow, meanwhile, will radiate energy and light, giving you a cheerful and welcoming atmosphere.
#02 Yellow bathroom décor
Bathroom decorated yellow with canary yellow Amarillo Canario Essence washbasin by Noken.
In the bathroom, you can afford to be a little bolder with your yellow scheme. Whether you’re taking a relaxing bath, revitalising shower or pampering in front of the mirror, yellow can give you the visual stimulus this space needs.
Use the colour on the tiles, wallpaper or paintwork in your guest bathrooms for added character and personality. In larger bathrooms, you could pair yellow units or a shower tray with more neutral tones.
You could also add some yellow accessories to tie the look together, accentuating the décor and highlighting particular zones.
#03 Yellow kitchen décor
Yellow kitchen interior design scheme with materials by Porcelanosa. Photo: @plan_2000.
In your kitchen, you could introduce some yellow via the splashback, lighting, kitchen utensils, fabrics or upholstery. And let’s not forget, yellow may describe one particular colour wavelength, but there’s a whole host of shades to choose from. Mustard yellow, butter yellow, corn yellow and honey yellow are just some of your options. A wealth of tones are at your fingertips.
There’s a reason why these colours are named after foods and fruits. Yellow is one of the main food colours, together with red. The colour also evokes comfort and draws the eye, making it a great option for kitchens.
#04 Yellow walls, accents and accessories in the living room
Living room with yellow accessories and Aria White Polished XTONE® floor and wall tiles.
Covering every inch of wall in yellow might be too much. But painting an accent wall or incorporating an armchair in one of the many shades will imbue your living room with energy. Fresh flowers and plants in yellows will add even more vitality.
Recommendation: The fireplace is a great place to start experimenting with the colour. Why? Because it’s usually already delimited by the width of the fire and secondly, because it lends volume.
But in smaller spaces, marble-inspired ceramic tiles or natural stone could be the answer. When combined with adjacent walls in neutral shades, these materials can make the space feel larger.
A yellow and grey décor scheme is an infallible choice for the living room. The grey exudes sophisticated serenity, while the vibrant energy of yellow brings vibrancy to the space.
#05 Decorative accessories and accents
Patio with yellow cushions and anthracite Metropolitan Nature Antracita ceramic tiles by Porcelanosa.
Yellow is the most visible colour in the entire colour spectrum. This is why it’s easier for use to see the colour in our peripheral vision. This characteristic gives it potency in interior design. You can use the colour combined with other elements throughout the home.
Try adding vase of yellow flowers, a yellow frame or mirror, glassware or ornaments. The trick is to use yellow subtly, but in a way that still packs a punch.
On the contrary, if you decorate your walls yellow you need to provide some visual balance to soften the vibrancy. One effective way of doing this is to combine the walls with more neutral elements in the rest of the room. Using softer hues for the furniture, curtains and accessories will make the yellow pop, without overpowering the space.
#06 Yellow accents and neutral backgrounds
Retail space scheme with yellow elements against neutral 3D Fitwall® Mattonella White Sand decorative panels by KRION®.
Another way to make your yellow pop is to think about the surrounding colours. The colour really stands out against walls in neutrals or midtones.
More red-toned yellows tend to be warmer and easier to combine with other shades. Similarly, creams and off-whites will further accentuate yellow furniture and accessories.
#07 Metallic yellows
Metallic yellow Gravity Aluminium Sides Gold mosaic in a gold finish by L’Antic Colonial.
Yellow is a key component in the colour numerous metals such as gold, brass and bronze. You could even incorporate yellow into your décor scheme through electrical elements, light switches and plugs, or other metallic embellishments.
