As I’ve been thinking about what paint colors to post about next, yellow crossed my mind. Sunny, warm, happy and bright are the words I think of when I consider the color yellow. I’ve had several clients who have gravitated towards warm yellows and creams and have asked me which yellow paint colors I recommend.
I do have some favorites and thought that I would share in case yellow is the next paint color of choice for your current space. Pops of yellow are being used more and more especially in combination with teals, greens and grays.
Mr. Interior/shutterstock.com
As I’ve been doing in my recent paint color blogs, I used the Sherwin Williams paint deck. It makes the most sense to break down the yellows/creams into two categories: Subdued Yellows & Bright Yellows
Tr1sha/shutterstock.com
Subdued Yellows: These yellows are more creamy in their lighter forms and golden in their more saturated forms. If you are looking for a yellow that is still sunny without being too bright, these are your best bets. Here are some of my favorites that I’ve seen in homes tons of times.
Inviting Ivory SW 6372, Harvester SW 6373 Jersey Cream SW 6379, Humble Gold SW 6380, Anjou Pear SW 6381 Napery SW 6386, Compatible Cream SW 6387
Like I said, these paint colors still come out looking warm, but not too overwhelming in a space. The Jersey Cream and Compatible Cream are especially lovely and are two of my favorite warm and golden creamy paint colors of all time. The first picture above is a kitchen using Compatible Cream.
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Bright Yellows:
I have honestly not used these as much, except for kid spaces like their rooms, bathrooms or playrooms. These could be totally fun in a kitchen that has lots of natural light to create a super sunny space that radiates warmth. Here are some of the brights that I’ve used and loved.
Banana Cream SW 6673, Jonquil SW 6674, Full Moon SW 6679, (cute in a baby room), Butter Up SW 6681, Lemon Chiffon SW 6686, Daffodil SW 6901
This is not an exhaustive list, these are just the bright yellows that I have used and seen before. Don’t be afraid to try a darker or bolder shade of yellow out! As always, grab some samples and test them out. I really do love how a warm yellow can make a space feel so happy.
Feel free to comment on yellows that are your favorites or if you have questions on more yellow paint options! Yellow and white stripes are fun in a kid space and yellow above beautiful white trim or bead board can look so fresh. I would love to hear from you, so let me know!
I have an open floor plan in the new house we’re building. The main part of the house will be SW Comfort Gray with Sea Salt on the ceiling. Kitchen cabinets are a bright white, granite is a white and gray Wine River Granite that looks a bit like marble with garnet spots, and the nook table is Tommy Bahama Ivory Key bright white.
The nook has a big bay with lots of white trim and our white baseboards are 7″ and crown molding is 4 1/2″ on a 9′ ceiling going into a 13′ coffered ceiling great room. In our current house I have Benjamin Moore Lip Gloss coral in the nook with Wythe Blue in the adjoining great room and like it a lot, but am ready for a change that’ll still give me the same coastal feeling. Am I right in thinking Compatible Yellow would pair well with Comfort Gray? Here in the Pacific Northwest, we need all the light and sunshine we can get! 🙂
Oh, yes! I love Compatible Cream and it looks great next to Comfort Gray. You could even use the next color up from Comfort Gray, Oyster Bay for more of a contrast and a “pop.” Congrats on the new home! Have fun painting and decorating. It sounds beautiful!
We used your lattice SW 7654 in great room, breakfast , and kitchen, makes the house look so much more open from a camel tan. Foyer and dining room still tan, really want to do something big in entry. Home is approximately 4200 SF. thanks for any suggestions.
Dan
Hi there! I’m not sure what your color scheme is, but maybe you could try a pretty gray neutral. Mega Greige would look good next to Lattice. That would be something bold to try in the Entry. Does the Dining Room have trim? If you have a chair rail, you could do a bolder accent color below and a more neutral above. Balanced Beige is one of my favorite neutrals and does not feel “camel tan” like you are trying to get away from. Let me know what you end up trying!
Thanks for the feedback, the boss lady loves the mega greige. We have some terraced ceilings in the great room and thinking about doing the terraced area in peppercorn and the flat surfaces in bright white. Terraced will have white crown molding against peppercorn.
Thanks again
You are welcome! Peppercorn against the bright white trim sounds like it will look amazing. Enjoy!
We are using Silverpointe instead of Lattice in our home…I think the colors are pretty similar. I’d like to have an accent wall in our dining area (which is connected to all the living spaces), and I’m not sure to go with a saturated blue or a yellow/gold. It’s hard to pick. What do you recommend? I was thinking for the blue something like Aquaspere? but for the yellow/gold, I’m lost with that one. Your thoughts please?
Hi Mai,
Yes, Silverpointe is definitely similar to Lattice. 🙂 I like your idea of a saturated blue and Aqua-Sphere would work! For a more subtle blue-gray accent, Silvermist is a great one to pair with Silverpointe as well. If you are leaning towards the yellow-gold (this might go better in your home…I’m not sure what your accents are without seeing it), then try Compatible Cream. I love this for a soft yellow-gold color. Let me know if I can help you further! I offer design paint consults and you can view details Color Consultation. Thanks so much!!
Hi, I just painted the exterior of my traditional 3 story ‘inviting ivory’. It is not a screaming yellow but it is still a warm yellow/brown. I have mixed emotions. Mainly because the original color was a sold baby yellow for many years. My husband loves the new color. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on this.
Hi Dee,
It sounds lovely! Inviting Ivory is a soft yellow that would look good on an exterior. If you like it, keep it! If you are not in love with it, then consider getting samples of some different colors and testing them out before committing to re-painting your home. I always say to go with your gut when it comes to making design decisions. It can be easy to compare with others or feel like you must stay with current trends, but listen to your heart and you most likely won’t regret it!
What is the color in used in the nursery picture above? It has the caption Trisha/shutterstock.com beneath it.
Thanks
Hi Akram,
This is a Shutterstock photo, so I don’t know the color that was used. The picture is a representation of how yellow can be used in a space. Thanks so much for reaching out!
Laura