How to Add Yellow to Your Home Without Overdoing It (Winter Edition)

Sunny Australia is feeling a little less bright and sunshiny in the middle of dreary, cloudy winter. I'm not going to lie: I freaking adore winter! Curling up under warm quilts in a nest of soft cushions, drinking hot coffee while crocheting to my heart's content is seriously my ideal day. But even I admit that the lack of sunshine can start to pull your mood down. You don't need to break the bank by flying to a tropical island in a desperate need for sunlight, here are some ways to add a little sunshine into your winter days.

Why Yellow Boosts Your Mood 

Yellow is one of the strongest dopamine colours to add to your home decor, adding perceived visual warmth even in the cool toned winter light. The happy hue is stimulating; creating energy and optimism and can increase creativity and focus. Yellow is often associated with joy and laughter, the precise emotions needed during winter! However, due to its strong energy yellow can get overstimulating and anxiety-inducing very quickly. Yellow's powers must be used sparingly, in small does so it uplifts rather than overwhelms. 

Warm vs Cool Yellows

Have you ever walked into a home with yellow decor and immediately thought 'nope, too much'? Often the culprit is the wrong tone of yellow. Cool tone yellows - lemon, acid yellow and pastel shades - are fantastic for being fresh and vibrant during summertime, but the freshness morphs into starkness, appearing cold and sometimes even cheap in low winter lighting.

Swap out the coolness to warm shades - mustards, sunflower, ochre and honey - and your interiors will appear richer, adding depth and comfort to your home. A well-placed pop of warm yellow will feel intentional and cosy, not shouty.

Where Yellow Works Best

Remember; yellow is powerful and a little goes a long way! Try these spots:

• Entryways - get that dopamine hit as soon as you walk in the front door! A piece of artwork on the wall, or a cushion on a bench seat could be all it takes to add some cheer and welcome you home.
• Kitchens - because yellow is a stimulating colour, it is great to use in kitchens for stimulating appetites, boosting your mood and energy. Items like tea towels, fruit bowls and ceramics are a fabulous way to slip in, with no long-term commitment needed.
• Living rooms - If you're anything like me, you will spend a vast amount of wintertime snug in your living room. Textiles are a wonderful way to add all the warmth, playing with texture with velvets, knit and boucle.
• Home office/Studio - If the winter blues are dragging your mood down and making it hard to work, yellow just may help get your focus back on track. Adding some yellow flowers, a wall print or a quirky lamp can do wonders for enhancing your creativity.

Easy Ways to Add Yellow (Hint, it's a cushion)

It wouldn't be a Colour Me Cosy blog post without some shameless plugging on all the gorgeous, snuggly yellow cushions we have, now would it? Rest assured, there are deliciously warm yellow tones galore to brighten up your couch time. From Amber, Sepia and Buttermilk to name just a few, complete you couch styling with Pecan, Beaver and either the dyed throw All Too Well or the quilt Come Fly With Me. 

How to Avoid Overdoing It

Shades of yellow can be a delightful touch to your decor, but it can be very easy to overdo it until your interiors become anxiety inducing instead of mood lifting. Here are some tips on achieving the right balance:

• Keep yellow to 10–20% of the room’s palette - it's just a pop of colour, not a wave

• Use warm neutrals as the base - cream, beige, tan, timber are grounding colours, and reduced the starkness from the winter light

• Avoid pairing yellow with too many other bright colours - there's definitely a time for blending alllll the colours, but for a cosy winter den a few well-chosen colours may be better

• Choose muted, earthy yellows in winter - warm yellows to combat cold winters

• Anchor yellow with texture - knit, boucle, linen and wool - adding physical comfort along with emotional well-being

Conclusion

Even cold weather lovers like me needs a little mood booster when sunshine is limited, and dopamine decor is a fantastic idea no matter the time of year! Experiment with the shades of yellows and the pops of colour to find what lifts your spirits.