Color in our homes is one of those things that you either feel comfortable with or nervous about. Well, the third category is those that are willing to bring a “pop” of something other than grey, cream, black or white, but what if I told you that there is an eye-catching color that actually feels like a neutral but livens up a room in a way that no beige color can? Can you guess what it is? Hint: No, it is not blue.
Wonder! it is yellow! Mustard, ochre, butter, primary yellow… it doesn’t really matter the variation, it’s basically the easiest color to work into any color palette because, if you think about it, it’s one of the closest colors to a true neutral. Beige and cream? Just a highly unsaturated version of yellow. Wood? It usually has golden yellow undertones. Yellow, even in small amounts, creates all warm neutrals by default, so when you increase it, it makes sense that it can easily fit in with basically anything.
Quick anecdote: Once upon a time, I bought a pair of yellow leather and brass sandals simply because they were on a big sale, assuming they wouldn’t go for much, but I couldn’t turn away the price for the quality. Long story short (and several dresses and costumes later—so many that they eventually fell apart), those little mustard T-straps coordinate with basically everything. Plum blouses, red dresses, all black dresses, white and cream in the summer… they went on and on. Adding a subtle cheerfulness and zero color clash.
Let my sandals be a lesson for your home: yellow goes with everything. Therefore, it is essentially neutral.
Below is a quick visual I put together to prove my point. The first collage is a top row of neutrals, a middle row of warm wood tones, and a bottom row of yellows. The image after that is the same, but with blue color. See how the yellow color blends completely and the blue color stands out:
If you saw all of the above in one place, your eye would register no contradiction. Just like it doesn’t have any vibrant colors. But the blue color below is a different story:
Does it look nice and cool? Sure! But do any shades of blue resemble the colors or materials shown above? No, of course, one could argue here that blue is an offshoot of some brown (neutral) colors, but keep those thoughts to yourself, will you? I am not accepting feedback in this department. 😉
yellow in action
You know I need to prove my point over and over again, for all you doubters out there (or anyone already on board, you’re welcome to in advance for all the inspo).
How cute is this?!? Yellow has a way of looking complex and interesting, yet calming, when used in multiple applications in a room with white or cream walls. Be sure to bring in related patterns (like a bolster pillow) and lots of warm brass to kick it up a notch.
Yellow isn’t often a color associated with elegance and luxury design, but it should be, especially when it’s in golden velvet like on this sofa. It matches perfectly with the warm white color on the wall and coffee table.
Another example of a very luxurious, very upscale living room where the yellows and warm creams feel like butter and honey melting on artisan toast. Absolutely delicious, quiet and luxurious.
Two Togo chairs suffice as a bridge between the high-contrast tight-back sofa and the red-toned plank ceiling and earthy stone wall. To me, that’s the beauty of this type of yellow; With crisp, cool whites, it feels modern and sharp, but when sitting next to organic materials, it’s easy and uninteresting.
Love pattern, but not an overload of color and contrast? Try something like this beautiful bathroom Studio Square. The yellow mirror framed in the background of the wallpaper feels timeless and timeless (in a good way) against the deep mahogany of the frame, towel stand, and side chair. The brass legs of the sink console echo the color.
Okay, here’s something a little different. This is not a neutral room, obviously, but, look at how the yellow rug doesn’t actually *add* to the color palette, but instead keeps it amid the warm neutrality throughout the architectural moments.
Another chic room, another yellow rug. Having a tone on the floor maintains the visual line of the wood paneling while also adding enough variation to keep it interesting.
Marco Zamora’s previous apartmentThe one he just brought out was a great example of incorporating a buttery yellow: through the draperies. They’re a step up from white or hemp panels, without adding weight or distracting from a room with intricate architecture.
It doesn’t have to be all calm and cool; Yellow can be a perfect wingman for eye-catching and graphic wallpapers, while still being very vibrant and non-fashionable. Studio Wanda Extracted ocher from the flowers of the wall covering and repeated it on the lower half of the wall. It is difficult to tell whether a paper pattern leaf is blue or black; Either way, they play well.
We’ve written about butter yellow being a kitchen design darling last year, but we’ve never really approached the argument that it’s a neutral choice for cabinetry. I think this is especially true in a home that has great natural light, as well as a healthy mix of warm wood colors in the floors and furniture. And so far, we’ve seen yellow mostly with brass, but it also goes great with nickel, chrome, and silver.
one more from Studio Wanda. If you click, you’ll see that the bed is dark blue, but in the first image, it’s a beautiful, bright, happy book with a mustard velvet chair. Sure, a beige linen chair or vase would have been nice, although a little boring. Isn’t it boring? A yellow chair.
And finally, a touch of ocher is all you need in a wood-clad space like this bathroom possibility refuge. Do me a favor and cover the towel with your finger, then pull it off. See the difference? It’s like mustard on hot dogs (not a classy comparison, but effective).
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So, after saying the word “yellow” and its synonyms about 30 times, I think I can rest my case. It’s just the color your neutral room might need to add some oomph, without adding anything that registers as a color that screams at you. It may also be what you need to complete a color palette that feels flat or incomplete. It’s a panacea for most rooms that you may have always overlooked because it doesn’t give the blue or green glow and pressure of an unexpected red.
Thank you for stopping by today. Until next time, friends…
*Initial image credit: By Design julie rose | photo by sarah ligoria-trump | From: A Mid-Century Eclectic Living Room with Kilz Primer and Paint – Solving the Dark Room Problem
