Martha Stewart’s 1970s butter yellow kitchen is making a huge comeback, and replicating the look couldn't be easier – here’s why it’s the only color you need now

Butter yellow is the only color that matters in 2025

Martha Stewart
(Image credit: Pierre Suu/GC Images via Getty Images)

Long before dopamine décor and sun-drenched interiors took hold, Martha Stewart was already ahead of the curve. Her iconic 1970s butter yellow kitchen, with its soft, golden tones and timeless charm, is making a spirited comeback – and all signs point to this warm, nostalgic hue becoming one of 2026’s defining color trends.

Martha Stewart’s butter-yellow kitchen is a perfect fusion of nostalgia, charm, and clever design. It perfectly demonstrates how heritage hues can be both joyful and enduring in contemporary homes. This vibrant hue fills the room with warmth and is ideal for adding an uplifting, positive energy to your home.

It's official: the butter yellow kitchen is well and truly back for 2025.

Unlike the cooler grays and stark whites of years past, butter yellow offers something softer and more emotionally resonant. It brings a mood-lifting warmth that’s both sophisticated and approachable, perfect for spaces that serve as the heart of the home. Designers are now reimagining this retro classic in elevated finishes, from hand-painted kitchen cabinetry to serveware.

‘To use butter yellow in a residential property, you need to think of it as the “neutral” in the scheme; as a foil to set off other colors, not to overpower everything else,' explains Susan Deliss, a textile designer and interior decorator. 'Avoid anything that says canary or banana and go for something that sets off the architecture or warms up a cooler space.’

If you are wondering what colors to pair with butter yellow, expect to see this hue paired with natural textures, warm metals, and creamy off-whites, lending kitchens a sun-kissed, lived-in elegance. Whether in a traditional farmhouse or a modern rustic scheme, butter yellow is poised to lead a quiet revolution, ushering in a new era of color confidence, comfort, and nostalgic luxury.

With its comforting feel and understated elegance, butter yellow is more than a passing trend. It’s a return to warmth, softness, and the soul of the home. And as we look ahead to 2026, it’s clear: Martha had it right all along.

devol mid century modern kitchen with butter yellow walls

(Image credit: deVOL Kitchens)

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Brighten your home (not just your kitchen) with buttery yellow accents. Shop my favorite vibrant home décor that brings warmth, nostalgia, and a sunny vibe to every room.

Jennifer Ebert
Editor

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for several years in both the US and UK, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing and occasionally dabbles in the social media, commercial, and the e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling houses designed by some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances, and even writing a few news stories or two.

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