I often recommend bold, vivid colors in a home, and yellow is one of my favorites. Most people use it in small doses, as an accent that pops against mostly white walls or other features. So a question I typically get is, what is the best white to pair with a bold yellow? Here I gathered inspiration photos that showcase a range of spaces that stylishly use yellow and white together. Plus I included specific yellow and white paint colors to test in your own home.
Y.A. studio
1. Light Yellow and Clean White
This lovely light and bright kitchen has a kiss of sunny yellow on the upper cabinets, while the remainder of the space features light white and wood tones. It’s a happy space for cooking and sharing joyful meals. The white on the lower cabinets and ceiling is a clean, neutral white that’s neither warm nor cool. It’s a good base color for this dash of yellow.
Note: Paint colors on a computer or device may look different than they would in your home. Talk with your design or remodeling pro, or paint samples on the wall or pieces of scrap wood and check them at night and during the day to make sure a color is right for your space.
The Right Way to Test Paint Colors
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: Venetian Yellow by Sherwin-Williams is a good option for anyone looking for a dash of yellow that doesn’t come on too strong. Snowbound, also by Sherwin-Williams, is a clean white that doesn’t veer too warm or cool, so it works well with any shade of yellow.
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2. Soft Yellow and Cool White
Here’s an even softer shade of yellow than the previous example, and it’s perfect for color-shy people. All-white spaces sometimes read as stark. This space has a light and airy feel, but the muted yellow and crisp off-white give it a bit of visual flair and personality.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: Calla Lily by Benjamin Moore has a similar softness and White Wisp by Benjamin Moore is one of my go-to whites. It has a slight gray-green undertone that works well with yellow, green and blue accent colors.
Tip: If you’re having trouble determining if a white is warm, cool or neutral, grab your white paint swatches and lay them on top of a piece of plain white printer paper and compare how they look against the paper, as well as to each other.
You’ll notice that some swatches look warmer in comparison (with red, orange, yellow or brown undertones) or cooler (with green, blue, violet or gray undertones). Neutral whites have a slight tint when compared with pure white, but the tint is neither overly warm nor cool.
3. Soft Yellow and Warm White
This beautiful kitchen is quite colorful, but because the hues are all relatively soft and neutral, the effect is quiet and cozy. The buttery yellow on the island bridges the greens and blues in the backsplash and the orange area rug. The warm white on the walls balances out the palette nicely.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: I generally like to pair warm accent colors with warm whites and cool accent colors with cool whites. A true yellow like Pineapple Delight by PPG is a warm hue and therefore a nice fit with PPG’s Featherstone, which has warm yellow-green undertones. Warm whites can sometimes appear dingy, but because this white has some green, it looks fresh and crisp yet still warm.
4. Medium Yellow and Neutral White
Here’s a slightly zestier yellow paired with a neutral white. It’s another example of using color in a restrained way to dress up a space. And I cannot think of a better color to brighten up a laundry room.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: Rarely will I recommend a pure “super white” in or on a house. These hues often have a touch of blue in them that can make them appear cold, stark and overly bright. Instead I’ll go for a white such as Behr’s Bit of Sugar, which has a slight tint to it. It doesn’t read as super bright white, but it also doesn’t have overly warm or cool undertones to it. It’s a good neutral white to pair with a medium yellow like Surfboard Yellow by Behr.
KALLUMS Bathrooms
5. Medium Yellow and Warm Grayish White
This charming bathroom features a bathtub clad in a similar yellow as the previous example, but here it’s paired with a warm grayish white on the walls. A super bright white would look cold. This subtle and slightly warm white takes the chill off.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: Late Day Sun by Valspar is a vibrant, happy color that would warm up a kitchen or bathroom nicely. It’s not too bright but it’s no demure pastel, either. Meanwhile, Valspar’s Decadent has the tiniest tint of taupe (a gray-brown hybrid) making it a clean, warm off-white.
Studio FortyFour
6. Medium Yellow and Clean White
I like the use of yellow here, in geometric swaths on the lower area of two walls. It’s a softer touch than if the entire walls had been painted in the energetic hue, and it’s more visually interesting than if just the lower half had been painted in a straight horizontal line. The neutral white keeps the vibe clean and modern.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: April Sunshine by Kelly-Moore is a warm yellow that works best with a warm or neutral white, such as Cloud White by Kelly-Moore.
Kore Residential
7. Bold Yellow and Warm White
If comforting and cozy is how you like your sleeping space, this is a good palette to go for. The warm yellow (warm because it veers more orange than green) and warm white join forces here with warm wood tones to create a bedroom that brilliantly balances lively and energetic with homey and restful.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: An assertive hue such as Dutch Boy’s Honeybee Yellow is mellowed out nicely when paired with plenty of warm white. Washed Cotton by Dutch Boy is a great option for a super subtle warm shade of white.
Papilio
8. Bold Yellow and Cool White
Here’s a cooler shade of yellow than in the previous image. It veers more green than orange and therefore works well with a cool white. The bolder you go with yellow the more thoughtful you need to be about what you clad in this eye-catching color. I like how it’s used in relatively small amounts in this contemporary kitchen.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: Cheerful by Benjamin Moore definitely fits its name. Just be sure to inject plenty of crisp, cool white, such as Benjamin Moore’s White Diamond, to offset the vibrancy of the yellow.
Teakwood Builders, Inc.
9. Bold Yellow and Clean White
Last but certainly not least we have the boldest yellow of the bunch. This small splash of vivid golden yellow brings a big dose of warmth and personality to this mudroom. Because the floor tiles are a cool gray, I think sticking to a neutral white for everything else is best. It doesn’t fight with the warm or cool hues in the space.
Jennifer Ott Design
For a similar look: The bolder the accent hue the more light and neutral you may want to go with the main color in the room. Pick a white that doesn’t compete with the more eye-catching elements of the space. Pure White by Sherwin-Williams is clean and bright without looking cold and stark, a great pairing for the bold Butterfield by Sherwin-Williams.
Your turn: How have you worked with white and yellow hues in your own home? Please share your photos in the Comments.
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