In our last home, I really challenged myself to get out of my comfort zone and use colors I had never used before. I did this in the red music room, Polly’s purple bedroom, and this yellow playroom. I had taken risks with color in past homes, only to grow sick of them in a matter of months. But without making those mistakes and then swinging too far to the beige and neutral pendulum, I wouldn’t have figured out which colors I actually DO like. Soft, muted colors are my jam, and this buttery yellow playroom is proof that you can incorporate a stereotypically bright, aggressive color in a soft, gentle way.

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The color is HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, Restrained Gold.

This lesson is a part of our Color School series! Be sure to check out our past lessons if you want to feel more confident in your color-making decisions.

Lesson one

Lesson two

Lesson three

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What to know about the color yellow

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Apparently, yellow is one of the more difficult colors to paint because of the higher LRV (light reflective value). The higher the LRV, the more light bounces around the room, which ends up being yellow light. And then you potentially have yellow light bouncing off of yellow paint, which bounces off to no foreseeable end. In the case of the playroom, we did striped yellow wallpaper around the room and hallway and only painted the cabinet a buttery yellow, which eliminated too much yellow light bouncing.

Yellow is typically a very sunshiny, happy, optimistic color. I get cheery just looking at the playroom images, but I felt even happier being inside that space, which is why it was the perfect color to use for a playroom! According to ColorMeanings.com, a duller, muddier yellow can be seen as a sign of sickness, jealousy, or caution, so beware.

Brass and Gold Have Yellow Undertones

Brass & gold in the kitchen

One of my very favorite ways to incorporate “yellow” into my home is through brass and gold metals. There’s something about using warm hardware that just livens any space, and I think the kitchen is a perfect example of that.

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Even the taupe cabinets have a yellow undertone, which is why I think the aged brass knobs and pulls look so good! Even the bowl of pears are adding joy to the space.

Just like any color, yellow can swing to the warm side, the cool side, the lighter side, and the muted side – here are a few examples of each!

Warm, Sunshine Yellow

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I’m absolutely in awe over this warm, dandelion-yellow mudroom. Somehow it just works so well with the black, and I’m such a fan of the glossy-painted doors and trim.

Cool, Citron Yellow

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If you add just a touch of blue to yellow, you’ve got a cooler, citron yellow. Using cooler color tones tends to lean towards a more modern style, which totally matches the rest of the vibe in this laundry room. (Paint color is Farrow & Ball Citrona Paint.)

Gold & Ochre

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This muddier yellow wallpaper puts me into such a trance. I feel like I could sit on that ochre sofa and look around the room for hours on end. Using more muted colors can add some complexity to the emotions you feel, and I think this is a great example of that. This isn’t sunshiny yellow; it’s sulky, sultry yellow.

Soft Yellow

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This yellow is nearly neutral, and I think that’s why I love it so much. It’s the perfect amount of color without being too over-the-top or boring.

If you want to brighten up your life, here are some yellow things you could use in your home. Feel free to tiptoe your way in by using warm metals like brass and gold.

Decorating with Yellow

1. Brass Pepper Mill $138
2. Clementine Platform Bed $1,498
3. Provençal Pitcher $69
4. Shelter Daybed $1,299
5. Pastry and Fruit $12
6. Kauai Botanical Wallpaper $198
7. Brass Barstool $79
8. CLJ x Loloi Polly Straw/Ivory Rug $263
9. Gold Outlet Covers (5 pack) $39
10. Antique Gold Deco TV Frame $699
11. Lynwood Square Upholstered Cube $100
12. Faux Autumn Aspen Tree Branch $39