HOW TO USE YELLOW

Yellow paint is vibrant, fun, easy going, but it can be tricky to pull off. Yellow is in the spotlight because Pantone’s Colour of the Year is Illuminating, and because the design world is shifting from its grey-white phase. Earthy vibrant colours like yellow, orange and red are making their way back into mainstream interior trends. Read on to find out tips on how to use yellow in the home.

CITRONA YELLOW

LA interior designer, Kelly Wearstler’s new paint collaboration with Farrow & Ball includes Citrona, a tribute to California. The bright lemony walls create a lovely fresh backdrop to natural, contemporary furnishings.

CONSIDER THE LIGHT AND WINDOW VIEWS

Natural daylight affects the colour that you choose. Citrona is earthy, allowing its underlying tones to embrace intense light, using this colour next to a vast skylight or large expanses of windows is ideal. For dim spaces, look to pastel yellows that give off luminosity even on dreary days.

LAYER YELLOW ON YELLOW ON YELLOW

In nature when you see a colour you actually see a number of shades of that colour which is what gives it depth, for example, the sky, the sea, the beach.

Apply this principle by using different yellow paint tones, from soft pastel to deep mustard, to add dimension. Layers of pale yellow, to orange, to red create a great warm atmosphere.

YELLOW WITH BLACK AND WHITE CREATES DRAMA

Pairing yellow with black and white monochrome furnishings is a really powerful combination. This would work well in an entrance hall using black and white as the backdrop and shades of yellow as the accent.

TONE IT DOWN WITH WALL DECOR

Nervous about trying yellow? Yellow is a powerful colour, so being mindful of its impact is vital when using it in design. Create a feature wall and contrast by layering artwork over it. This helps balance the intensity of the colour and provides added interest.

USE IT AS AN ACCENT

A yellow accent makes sense if you do not want to commit to a full-on yellow room. Use a patterned paper or fabric with a yellow print and a white background to keep it looking fresh.