Yellow Wallpaper: The Guide

Always a popular choice in interior design concepts that require an uplifting and positive boost, yellow is the brightest colour on the visible spectrum and therefore the most noticeable to the human eye. It can be a striking choice to create a fabulous feature wall and bring a touch of sunshine indoors, but it’s also a versatile chromatic hue for a vast range of home décor options. While pale shades of yellow are perfect for spaces that require an understated but fresh lift, in its mustard or ochre varieties it can provide fantastic accents as a complementary colour to darker base tones like grey or brown. A yellow wallpaper with a retro pattern is also a staple for vintage décor concepts that aim to add a contemporary twist and a dash of energy to vibrant interiors.

Why should you choose a yellow wallpaper for your walls?
Which hues are the best to combine with yellow wallpaper designs?
Which tonalities of yellow are the most popular?
Which are the best rooms for yellow wallpaper to work its magic?

Why should you choose a yellow wallpaper for your walls?

A yellow wallpaper brings many benefits to your home, boosting the mood with its positivity, increasing productivity in terms of work and studying, and setting up the perfect environment for convivial evenings with friends and family.

Yellow is a positive colour that lightens the mood

All life depends on the warm embrace of the sun. Our circadian system is based on it and being deprived of its life-giving energy results in depression and unhappiness. It this therefore a given that yellow, with its bright and attention-grabbing nature, is associated with joy, cheerfulness and energy. Yellow wall décor has a positive impact on emotions and helps lightening the mood.

Brain activity and productivity in studies and workspaces

Several studies on the psychology of colour have noted that yellow promotes productivity in studies and workspaces because of the way it affects our brain and emotions. The natural positivity and happiness this hue exudes is known to boost our mood and therefore increases motivation, while the warmth of yellow wallpaper helps create inviting spaces that reduce stress and anxiety.

Yellow is a popular Feng Shui colour to promote conviviality in kitchens

According to traditional Feng Shui doctrine, yellow is a colour associated with the element of earth and therefore considered grounding and stabilising, promoting a sense of balance and peace. A yellow wallpaper in a deeper and more saturated hue is associated with abundance and wealth and therefore recommended for convivial spaces like a kitchen or dining room.

Which hues are the best to combine with yellow wallpaper designs?

The energy of yellow can work with a plethora of colour combinations, but few are better matched to it than grey, white or any shade of blue.

Yellow and grey

One of the most classic interior design pairings, yellow and grey are a match made in heaven. Combining the life-affirming nature of cheerful yellow with one of the most elegant of neutral shades in the colour palette can make a space feel relaxing yet upbeat, the ideal goal for any room we want to spend many hours in.

Blue and yellow

A combo that screams Scandinavian minimalist happiness, blue and yellow are at the very root of some truly unforgettable home interiors, with the first adding a soothing and calming vibe and the second a touch of dynamic liveliness to a space. A blue and yellow wallpaper is the perfect antidote to the winter blues, letting you embrace happy summer hues whilst indoors.

Yellow and white

If you hope to bring a touch of modern yet warm energy to an otherwise utilitarian room like the kitchen or the bathroom, a wallpaper that combines yellow and white is a fantastic choice. This mix of hues brings together the natural neutral brightness of white with the fresh appeal of the colour of sunshine, providing an infusion of energy to the room.

Which tonalities of yellow are the most popular?

The intensity of yellow can be tuned up or down by picking the right gradient. Pale and light tonalities as well as pastel hues are calming and soothing, whilst a stronger lemon yellow carries the full power of this magical colour.

Light yellow

Light or pale yellow wallpapers are the perfect choice for those who want to introduce the balancing brightness of yellow into the room, but without distracting the attention from other interior design elements or causing colour clashes. Lighter shades of yellow add a sense of warmth and exuberance without being too obtrusive and help make the room feel brighter.

Lemon yellow

Lemon yellow wall décor provides the full experience of the power of yellow. A striking hue that immediately captures the attention and defines a space, lemon yellow works best in combination with light wooden furniture to create the vibe of a summer house or to set the scene for a large, framed artwork with similarly intense colour tonalities.

Pastel yellow

A great way to soften the intensity of yellow while retaining its positivity is to pick a wallpaper in a pastel hue. Pastel varieties of yellow retain their high brightness value but are less saturated, exuding calming and peaceful vibes with a soft finish that feels more soothing and easier on the eye.

Which are the best rooms for yellow wallpaper to work its magic?

Although the magic of the colour of the sun brings happiness into any room of the house, the areas where it is most effective are the kitchen, living room and bathroom.

Inspiring kitchens

There is a growing tendency in interior design to question the idea that kitchens should be defined by streamlined and utilitarian minimalism. The true centre of family life needs to be a high-energy and happy place, full of zest and joie de vivre. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to introduce the colour of the sun with a yellow wallpaper that adds the necessary colour accent.

Fun living rooms

A living room featuring yellow wall décor is a timeless favourite due to the versatility of this colour with its tonalities that can range from earthy and deep yellows or bright lemon yellows up to just off-white with a hint of yellow. More intense shades can warm up a cool living room with little incident light while lighter and softer pastel varieties are best suited for sunny rooms in Mediterranean climates.

Bathrooms full of positive vibes

A constant feature in classic bathroom décor, yellow works fabulously well with white to create a wide variety of looks. For those seeking a cheerful and more casual look, pastel yellow is the best option, while a wallpaper with a tonality verging towards golden is the optimum choice to create a sophisticated look with a happy energy.

Yellow Wallpaper