The world's best interior designers love using this color in the home – here's why

Want to know what color the word's best interior designers have chosen for their our Color of the Month? 

Warm colors are having something of a revival, so perhaps now is the time to decorate 'sunny side up'. Unsurprisingly, a golden yellow will be at the forefront of our decorating ideas for 2022. This lively yellow color choice will have us all re-painting our homes for summer. 

Understanding color lies at the root of all interior design decisions. If in doubt, consulting the color wheel – and basic color theory – will ensure your decorating scheme flows effectively from room to room. 

Is yellow a good color for the home?

Symbolizing energy and optimism, yellow room color ideas are a great color choice for the home. In her book, Recipes for Decorating, Farrow & Ball’s color consultant Joa Studholme notes that we are embracing stronger shades when decorating our home ideas. Much research has been done into how colors affect our mood, so it is no wonder than we are seeing more and more people reaching for the yellow paint can. 

Andy Greenall , head of design, Paint & Paper Library agrees: ‘Yellow is a color that evokes happiness and provides a sense of positivity. It is perfect for areas of the home where there is much activity and socializing, such as the kitchen and dining room, where it adds energy and vitality.’ 

While the popularity of this color trend has been revived in recent times, the hue itself isn't new – the color yellow is one of the most revered shades in history. 

How to use yellow in the home?

Some of our favorite insiders reveal how to use yellow room ideas to best effect.

1. Create a nice surprise 

Dispensing with a classic white, the interior of this pantry in the home of interior decorator Sarah Brown almost glows with warmth and the color makes a perfect backdrop for all the packaged goods. 

‘Yellow is always a good accent color and using a mustard shade works well inside cupboards or pantries as an uplifting surprise as you open or enter,' says Sarah Brown, founder, Sarah Brown Interiors, 'It’s easier to incorporate this shade into a scheme if you’re slightly put off by bright yellow paint in your home and it is particularly effective in darker, moodier spaces as it creates a feeling of warmth.’ 

2. Use yellow to light a landing

Design studio Frank & Faber ensured that the upstairs landing at the boutique hotel Number One Bruton in Somerset is joyful with a rich yellow, ideal to greet guests in the mornings. 

‘Sometimes you need a deeper golden color with more clout as some yellows can be too grey, too flat or just too primary,' advises Edward Bulmer, interior designer and founder, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. 

'Earthy tobacco shades will work in any room you want to feel warm and intriguing; it is a serious color, elegant and sophisticated, which creates a fabulous backdrop to artwork and antiques and works in a variety of spaces. I would pair this with the creamier off-whites, beiges and warm greys for a softer palette or with a sludgy green or deep blue for instant drama.’ 

3. Set a contrast 

Interior designer Nicola Harding chose bold, unexpected color combinations, set alongside floral prints, for the boutique hotel The Rose in Deal, Kent. 

‘This is an energizing color that works best in a room that you don’t use all the time or as an accent color, says Nicola Harding, founder, Nicola Harding & Co. 'It lifts my spirits every morning!’