5 Reasons Why You Need More Yellow in Your Home

Yellow Is Going to Make a Huge Comeback

Try this hue now and be ahead of everyone else.

When it comes to interiors, yellow has a bit of an image problem. It's not universally loved like blue, perpetually chic like gray, avant-garde like black, or racy like red. Perhaps this is why so many just breeze right past that section of the color chips when deciding on what paint to go with in their homes.

Cheerful, sunny, and energetic, yellow doesn't deserve this fate. But think of it this way: Its overlooked status makes this hue poised to make a comeback in a big way. Design experts are already seeing evidence of a trend towards yellow. Stephanie Piece, MasterBrand Cabinets' Director of Design and Trends, observed that "yellows, from pale butters to dark mustard, are cropping up everywhere and are key to many different design styles, from mid-century modern to country farmhouse." Meanwhile, Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing for Sherwin-Williams, traces the trend from the current vogue for brass hardware and accessories: "Both designers and consumers alike are embracing gold finishes throughout the home, which tells us that yellows are being looked at again as an important color.

Aside from general trendiness, there are a few more reasons why yellow should make a comeback, and how to get it right:

It's a mood-boosting hue.

When faced with the seemingly never-ending darkness of winter, it's so nice to walk into a bright room that reminds us of what a sunny day feels like. (This breakfast nook in the home of Krista Ewart can't help but make you smile.) Designer Vanessa Arbuthnott says that the color can make you a little more optimistic, happier, and a bit more positive. If you don't need that effect, I'd love to know your secret.

Yellow brings out the best in other colors.

Though the color combo is often considered passé in design blog land, just think of yellow and gray (which I still find lovely, by the way). The contrast of yellow enhances the rich depth in gray. Even white trim and cabinets seems brighter and crisper next to buttery walls in this kitchen designed by Lindsey Coral Harper.

It amplifies light.

Yellow makes rooms seem brighter, even when it's a soft shade like in the sitting room of a Chicago townhouse by Steven Gambrel. It's such a strong effect that you might want to be careful in how you wield its power. You might not want it in a bedroom, but it would definitely be welcome in a breakfast nook or in a home office. When deciding on a shade, keep this quality in mind. Yellow tends to be a bit bolder than a paint chip suggests, so choose a color one shade lighter than you want.

It makes an impact, even in small doses.

Whether big or small, yellow accessories are eye-catching enough to completely change the feel of a room, like the dining area in the apartment of style blogger Sarah Rose. It's a quality that's helpful if you want to tone down the impact of a yellow-painted room elsewhere in your home. For instance: If all of the other rooms in your home are white, a yellow kitchen might feel like too much of a bold statement. Weaving in accessories in similar hues throughout your home lessens the surprise factor. "Have a color that is threaded throughout the house and this will connect the design message from room to room," says Sarah H. Fishburne, Director of Trend and Design for The Home Depot.

Yellow can have a sophisticated depth.

Many of us think of yellow rooms in terms of just flat, solid walls. But you can use the color as a jumping-off point for patterns, to get a bit more interest into a room. "If you want to add some dimension or design to a room with a pattern keep in the same color as the wall but change the sheen for the contrast," says Fishburne. Or, simply vary the shades of yellow, like the Nina Campbell wallpaper in this grand foyer.