Yellow is thought to enhance concentration and speed up metabolism (good color for the kitchen) but studies have also shown that babies cry and tempers flare more often in a yellow room. This may be due to the fact that yellow can tire the eyes. Fortunately, there are many variations of this bright and sunny color. Think of the soft down of a baby chick for a subtle yellow, the bright yellow of a gerbera daisy for a bright pop of yellow or a golden wheat color for something a bit more sopohisticated. The trick, it seems, is to not overpower a room with this strong color and to combine it with other colors that evoke the feelings you are looking for.
Paint
We often associate pastel yellow with a baby’s room. But a soft yellow wall can be a nice backdrop for a soothing gray master bedroom or to bring out the golden tones in the wood paneling of a home office.
A deep rich mustard yellow can turn a dark powder room into an interesting space, especially when combined with black accents. You would not want to use this color, however, in a regular bathroom where you apply makeup since your face will most likely have a yellowish cast to it from the reflection of the wall.
For a cheerful and sunny kitchen, white cabinetry really pops up against bright yellow walls. Choose primary color accents such as cherry red, bright blue or grass green for a room sure to wake you up in the morning.
Fabric
Yellow is one of those colors that can be combined with most other colors. Of course it works well with all other pastels to create a sweet springtime look. With the color of the year, turqoise, you get a bright and cheerful room. Red and yellow (think gold) offers a rich, traditional look, mustard and black is a sharp contemporary combination, yellow (gold) and purple are the colors of royalty, yellow and green can be calming and soothing and all shades of yellow work with all shades of gray.
Your fabric choice may have yellow as a background, as a subtle accent or as the primary color. You can find floral prints, plaids, stripes and geometric designs to go with the yellow color you have chosen.
This stylish and versatile color is sure to add a bright spot to any room in your home.
