Welcome spring with a dash of happy yellow

Looking for decor inspiration this spring? What better way to welcome the season than to celebrate yellow, a colour long associated with the sun and its bright, life-giving qualities.

Image: Cara Saven wall Design - Wall Paper called She's no Wallflower. www.carasaven.com

In colour psychology, yellow is one of the happiest colours in the spectrum, it has an air of radiance and cheerfulness. Yellow represents a desire to start fresh and hope for a new tomorrow. Yellow is mentally stimulating, inspiring our need for knowledge and to see things more clearly. It is linked to confidence and the intellect. For more information on the psychology of colours see How colour therapy can be used in your home.

A desire for fun in the sun and a brighter future could be the reason yellow is so popular right now. if you are a fan of instagram or pinterest you will see shades of yellow - from mustard to pale lemon - popping up everywhere.

In decor, bright yellow represents joy, wisdom and power, while its paler shades are associated with calm and inner peace.

image: West Elm

Yellow works with neutrals, adding some warmth and energy and will brighten up a neutral scheme. It works well with other colours too. The complementary colour to yellow is violet. Pale yellows with lavender makes a wonderful soft colour combination while bright yellow and violet can create quite an impact. Blue combined with yellow makes a very happy marriage, one only has to look at nature the sunflowers against summer skies or the sea and the sand.

When selecting yellow as a wall colour, go for buttery or golden yellows as yellows which are too acidic or have hints of green in them can be too overpowering. It is also advisable to go for a lighter tint of the colour you like on the paint chart, as yellow looks much brighter when painted on a wall than how it looks on a small paint swatch. If you have a dark passage or room, yellow is a good colour to use to brighten and lighten the space.

Image: Pinterest

Steer clear of bright yellows on the walls in a bedroom as the energy from bright yellow is too mentally stimulating. It may cause your mind to work overtime and you won’t get much sleep. For a more relaxing, yet fresh atmosphere, selecting a pastel yellow in a soft buttery or ochre colour will create a warm, sunny atmosphere.

If you are looking for a colour for your front door, yellow is a great choice. It creates a warm, welcoming and friendly colour to come home to each day, it is also great for welcoming guests.

Yellow makes a wonderful accent colour, to bring a bit of sunshine into a room, yellow daffodils or vase of yellow lemons will go a long way to lifting a rather dull environment. Yellow roses are the perfect choice to send friends, newlyweds and new mothers. They represent enduring friendship, faithful attention and devotion. What a better way to brighten up someone's day.