17 Yellow Color Schemes to Refresh Every Room in Your House

What Colors Go with Yellow?

kitchen with yellow cabinets and trim — John Gruen

By far the happiest color in the spectrum, yellow is always apt to cheer up a room and lighten a mood. Whether as bright as the sun or as quiet as a fallen leaf in autumn, this hue always brings a smile. Many different colors go with a yellow color palette. Get inspired to bring a little sunshine into your life with these uplifting yellow color schemes.

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Brown, Blue, and Yellow Color Scheme

living room with fireplace and yellow chairs — Kim Cornelison

This yellow living room has just enough harvest gold to convey a midcentury modern feel without feeling dated. Careful furniture choices and accents ensure that anything retro about this room is of-the-moment. The architectural lines of the fireplace are updated in crisp white. Wing chairs display modern stripes in yellow, sky blue, and chocolate brown. Underfoot, the rich brown rug has a trendy graphic pattern. Punches of bright blue in varying intensities add even more dimension.

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Primary Yellow Color Scheme

blue, white, and yellow living room with modern touches — David Tsay

When searching for yellow color palette decorating ideas, turn to the color wheel for inspiration. Primary colors are red, blue, and yellow; every other color is created from these shades. Combined, primary colors create lively decorating schemes. For example, shades of ochre appear on the sofa, artwork, and area rug in this living room. The golden yellow warms vibrant cobalt accents, including a velvet chair and throw pillows.

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Yellow Bedroom Color Schemes

Linen White + Sunny Yellow + Dove Gray bright clean bedroom — Kim Cornelison

To temper the energy of yellow for a bedroom, choose muted shades of goldenrod or lemon. Floral bedding adds a hint of sunny yellow to this calming bedroom without overwhelming airy white walls. An oil-rubbed bronze bed frame and curtain rod pair with soft gray pillows and linen accessories to ground the look.

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Yellow Entryway Color Schemes

bold yellow dutch door in entryway with boho cushion — Dave Greer

Greet guests with cheerful color by incorporating yellow into your entryway. Crisp white paneled walls contrast a Dutch door painted with Yellow Hibiscus 357 by Benjamin Moore in this home's mudroom. Painting a front door provides a quick and easy way to add a yellow color palette without redecorating an entire room.

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Gray and Yellow Color Scheme

blue yellow and grey living room — Lauren Rubinstein

For a neutral color scheme, choose shades of gray or blue for large surfaces, like walls, furniture, and flooring, then layer in small doses of yellow. Here, a dove-gray sofa and walls recede to create a calming backdrop for rich navy furnishings and cheery pops of yellow. Limited to pillows and tabletop accessories, yellow accents can easily be swapped out as the season (or your style) changes.

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Yellow Kid’s Bedroom Ideas

twin storage beds in kids bedroom with tree wallpaper, letter marquis decor and yellow accents — Michael Partenio

Energize an otherwise neutral children's bedroom with warm shades of yellow. Monogrammed pillows, animal-print bedding, and Roman shades carry the sunny color throughout this whimsical forest-themed space. Brass hardware on a shared nightstand embraces the yellow palette.

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Yellow Bathroom Accents

white bathroom yellow patterned wallpaper — David A Land

If painting an entire room yellow might seem daunting, try finding wallpaper with yellow accents instead. Yellow shades are balanced by soft pink and navy on this pineapple print. The yellow details liven up the otherwise all-white small bathroom.

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Yellow Color Palette with Vintage Undertones

plush yellow couch living room — John Gruen

Muted yellow fabric with warm undertones gives a vintage look to this sofa. While the yellow still stands out, its understated shade doesn't overpower the space. Mixing in other soft shades of yellows in small details throughout the living room keeps the area cohesive. Warm reds and rustic wood tones complement the cozy color palette.

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Bright Yellow Color Palette

Kitchen with island and stool seating — John Granen

Setting the mood for a healthy breakfast and after-school snacks, this casual kitchen plays off traditional school colors such as bus yellow and chalkboard green. The area is open, light, and bright for early-morning wake-up routines. This kitchen color scheme is a great motivator for school mornings.

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Pastel Yellow Color Schemes

bedroom with door to porch — Anthony Masterson

In this cozy yellow bedroom, ivory walls and cornflower blue create a restful scene. On the ceiling, a transparent stain with underlying yellow and gray tones connects with the patina on the French desk and side chair. A pair of stools poised at the foot of the bed repeat the distressed hand finishes.

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Pale Shades of Yellow

kitchen with yellow cabinets — James R. Salomon

Evoking nostalgia, this kitchen recalls simpler times with its buttercream-colored cabinets and hand-stenciled pale green and white tile backsplash. A deep farmhouse sink and white marble countertop further impress the feel of a vintage bakeshop. Green accents come in cottage pieces: a pitcher of hydrangeas, bottled water, and a striped cotton rug.

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Golden Yellow Color Palette

yellow bathroom accents — Richard Leo Johnson

There's just something about a yellow color palette that seems to lift gray spirits. Bright, golden yellow and moody gray make good color companions in this bathroom because you get the effect of neutrals with just the right burst of color. Here, a gray polka-dot shower curtain continues the energy of its sunny companions.

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Warm Yellow Hues

bright yellow corner wall and curtains — Brittany Ambridge

When considering what shade of yellow to use, consider each color's impact. Even in the smallest of spaces, color temperature makes a huge difference. Warm hues in this living room corner are cozy and comforting, bringing a sense of hominess to one of the most-used rooms.

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Cool Yellow Colors

modern living room yellow daybed — Victoria Pearson

Crisp, cool yellows are on the opposite end of the color temperature spectrum. These shades of yellow create a fresh, modern look. Here, the focal point is a daybed in a vibrant shade of chartreuse. Its cool undertones easily pair with blue artwork and chrome finishes.

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Yellow Dining Room Walls

yellow-walled dining room modern chairs — Kim Cornelison

Known as the color of happiness, warm yellow easily brightens up gathering spaces. Let your dining room play host to a happy yellow color palette by painting your walls in a warm hue. Soft shades of blue—on the wall art, candlesticks, place settings, and table linens—soften the intensity of the sunny yellow walls.

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Retro Yellow Color Scheme

kitchen with yellow walls and red chairs — Kim Cornelison

Reminiscent of a vintage diner serving classic pies and sorbets, this cool summery kitchen with lemon-icebox yellow walls, red Herman Miller-inspired chairs, and an orange banquette is classic retro-modern and is as refreshing as a scoop of minty sorbet on a hot summer day. Blue undertones in all the colors make the hues compatible partners.

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