How to Decorate With Yellow

In this article, we'll be covering the following about the color yellow:

• Where yellow fits within the color wheel.
• How yellow affects our moods.
• Tips on how you can incorporate yellow in your designs.

According to ColorCom, 62% – 90% of first impressions of a space are due to color. Color is one of the most powerful tools in interior design. And whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that yellow is one of the most prominent colors used in design. When you think of yellow things, what comes to mind? Sunshine, flowers, honey, lemons—all cheerful things. There's a reason why people associate the color yellow with joy, creativity, and inspiration!

If you're interested in learning more about the color yellow and want to learn how you can use it in your designs, keep on reading for some design tips.

Here’s where yellow fits within the color wheel.

The color wheel has four main color schemes: complementary, analogous, monochromatic, and triadic.

Yellow is a primary color on the color wheel, alongside red and blue. Try pairing yellow with a complementary color like blue or purple to achieve a contrasting and bright look.

When colors sit next to each other on the color wheel, they are analogous. Analogous colors are pleasing to the eye and "guide" the visitor. For example, green and orange are analogous colors when looking to yellow.

Monochromatic (arguably one of my favorite ways to create color palettes) color schemes focus on one color on the wheel in various shades.

Triadic colors are evenly spaced around the color wheel (for example, blue, yellow, and red). These colors make an image pop, allowing each color to stand out harmoniously.

Yellow positively affects our mood.

Yellow (along with oranges and reds) gives off a bright and cozy feel in a space. A yellow room feels friendly, optimistic, and happy. According to a study on Frontiers by Psychology, people exposed to yellow illumination reported greater mental alertness and felt favorable judgments. In addition, these colors evoke a feeling of passion and energy, which is why kitchens, nurseries, workout rooms, and bathrooms are often painted yellow.

Here's how you can use yellow in your designs.

Go bold by centering your living room around a yellow sofa.

The yellow sofa is clearly the star of the show here. Having a bold-colored sofa is great for anyone who wants to make a statement and use the rest of their room’s decoration to complement and balance down a room.

If you want to start small, sprinkle yellow accents throughout your room.

You don’t always need to go as bold as choosing a yellow sofa! Try sprinkling yellow through accent pieces in your home, like pillows, wall decor, or rugs, to achieve the warm and cozy vibe you are looking for.

Use wallpaper to bring some yellow into your space.

Wallpaper is a great decorating tool for anyone who wants to upgrade an area in their home. Depending on the type of wallpaper you buy, it can also be renter-friendly!

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Alternatively, you can paint a portion of your wall yellow to create a mural and focal point in your space.

I love using paint to enhance my spaces. You can do an entire room if you’re feeling up for it, but you can also paint a shape or two on a wall. There are no rules! Do what feels best for you.

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Make a yellow mood board and let your creativity run wild!

Mood boarding is my favorite way to get all of my ideas in one place and make sense of them all. Creating a mood board allows you to place products next to each other and see how everything looks together before making any big decisions. The good news is that you can’t go wrong with incorporating yellow into your space—it’s just a matter of figuring out what works best in your space.