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Color of the Week: Celebrate Summer With Sunny Yellow

Bring home some of that glorious summer sunshine

Jennifer Ott June 8, 2015

San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's work has been featured in many print and online publications. Her recently-published book, "1000 Ideas for Color Schemes," is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide that takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color palette for your home or special event. For more information on Jennifer Ott Design, visit http://jenottdesign.com/.

San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's... More

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Summer may not officially begin for another couple of weeks, but for those who are out of school, on vacation or just enjoying the longer, warmer days, it’s definitely on — and definitely time to brighten those rooms with some sunny paint. And if you’re still in the midst of lingering gray-weather doldrums, consider adding a splash of yellow around the home to capture that happy summer-sun vibe early. I’ve gathered some of my favorite sunny yellow paint colors as well as examples of how to successfully incorporate these high-energy hues into your living spaces.

Jennifer Ott Design

When I think of summer-sun-inspired colors, I envision vibrant yellows with a small touch of orange to them. These yellows can be tricky to decorate with because they can take over a space pretty quickly. I try to avoid using large amounts of yellow and black together as the pairing is often associated with danger or a warning — it calls to mind the coloration of bees and wasps and of caution signs. But when used thoughtfully, bold yellow hues can evoke happiness, vibrance and positive energy.

Examples of summer-sun paint colors, from left to right: June Day from Sherwin-Williams, Days of Sun from Pratt & Lambert, June Day from Behr and Sundance from Benjamin Moore.

Logan Killen Interiors

This charming bedroom wears its sun-kissed wall color well. The paint appears to have a fairly matte sheen to it, which gives it a soft and unfussy feel. The texture of the brick and mortar helps break up the expanse of color, further softening its impact. The warm colors and materials make this a cozy and inviting space for rest.

Read more about painting brick

CARLO - Architecture & Interior Design

Here’s a decidedly more contemporary take on sunny yellow. These high-gloss yellow cabinets add some fun personality to this hip urban kitchen. White walls often feel stark to me, especially in super-minimalist spaces, but that’s not the case here. In fact, with such bold-hued cabinetry, I think white walls are a good choice. The wood elements also help warm up the space and keep it from feeling cold or sterile.

Art of Construction Inc

As I said, a little sunny yellow goes a long way. If you like this vibrant hue but prefer to keep your interiors light and neutral, try adding yellow in small doses throughout a space, and in ways that are fairly easy to swap out later, through items such as light fixtures and decorative accessories. If you want to add a second vibrant color to the space, you can’t go wrong with orange or green — colors adjacent to yellow on the color wheel.

KUBE architecture

Here’s another space with a small swath of yellow. In this instance, it’s used on deep drywall returns to highlight the window and picks up and amplifies the natural sunshine that flows into the space.

KUBE architecture

In this larger view of the same window, you can see what a huge, cavernous room this is. Our featured hue would probably be a tad loud if used throughout such a big and open space. By using it sparingly, to frame the window, it doesn’t feel busy, and it actually helps draw attention toward the magnificent window and the forest view beyond.

KUBE architecture

Here’s an exterior view of the same window, taken later in the day. The yellow-painted surfaces inside create a gorgeous lantern-like glow when viewed from the outside.

Pinnacle Mountain Homes

Yellow is an attention-grabbing hue, which is why it works so well when you want to frame a focal point in a space. There are several vibrant colors in this space, but because they are all fairly warm hues, they work together nicely.

Four Chairs Furniture

There’s no rule stating that interior doors need to be wood-toned or white. Especially if you have beautifully detailed doors or an interesting installation such as a sliding barn door, a few coats of a vibrant yellow paint will make this feature in your home really stand out.

Get more inspiration for interior doors

Witt Construction

Don’t be afraid to add our featured color to a small, enclosed space. You might be tempted to keep a small bathroom like this one all white, but I think the half-wall of yellow adds such nice warmth and charm to the room. It also offers a good bit of contrast to the white-painted wainscoting, which helps to highlight the detail.

Chris Cobb Architecture

If you find our featured hue too vibrant for use inside your home, try incorporating it on the outside. Colors can look a bit washed-out when viewed outside in full sun, so you can typically go a bit bolder on the exterior.

But bright colors are best used in small doses here too, so think about using sunny yellow to frame the entrance to your home — such as on the front door or the ceiling of your entry overhang. The color is a great choice here because it’s such a friendly, welcoming hue.

Portal Design Inc

I like the mix of dark gray and sunny yellow on this modern home. The yellow panels pick up on the yellow hues in the landscape. I think I’d have a smile on my face every time I entered this happy-looking home.

Read more stories on decorating with yellow

Tell us: Love these sunny hues? Or do you prefer a more mellow yellow?

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Color of the Week: Celebrate Summer With Sunny Yellow

Bring home some of that glorious summer sunshine

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