7 Ways To Decorate With Yellow

Tile Tales

Reflecting its European location, this sunny ocher and oxblood red tiled bathroom blends farmhouse charm with graphic sophistication. Bronze metal accents ground the exuberant design of the tiles.

Full Throttle

A formal living room gets a cheeky color treatment with egg-yolk yellow walls and curtains, accented with red accessories and furniture. A color this intense needs strong accents for contrast. The wallpaper was custom designed by Alessandra Branca.

Soft Pedal

A soft contrast between the pale yellow walls and the warm white trim gives this living room a sunny aspect. Blue and white upholstery is a winning combination with the yellow backdrop.

Color Block

In Jane Coslick’s Georgia kitchen, bold colors rule. She framed the cobalt cabinets in white. "It opens up cramped spaces and makes colorful doors, paintings, and fabrics pop," she says. A lemon yellow checkered floor counters the intensity of the blue cabinets, providing tonal balance.

Sunny Spot

A vibrant yellow can be a smart choice for a girl’s room, because it provides some options for more mature schemes as a child grows up. Here, yellow and lime green above and below the chair rail provide a whimsical backdrop for the dramatic silhouette of the bed.

Warm Welcome

Parchment yellow walls in this entry hall offer a classic contrast with the black and white checkered floors. Simple architecture is set off by the tried-and-true combination. Glossy red accents animate the space.

Lemon Zest

Although it takes amazing discipline, a great trick for using color in a kitchen is to limit yourself to one color for your accessories. Then, against whatever neutral background you choose, you can create a color story with far less investment than changing out tile, countertops, or cabinets. Here, lemon yellow pottery asserts itself in a white-tiled kitchen.

-- Lydia Somerville, Senior Editor