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41 yellow rooms to inspire your next paint project
Everything comes in waves and yellow is riding on a tidal wave of popularity at the moment. “Warmth will come from yellow in 2025,” says Patrick O'Donnell, colour consultant and brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball, reflecting on the colours to know for this year and given the influx of yellow rooms that have dominated the houses of House & Garden of late, he's certainly not wrong.
“Yellow is the colour of optimism, of courage, of joie de vivre, of summer holidays, the emoji keyboard and books about happiness," says Pandora Sykes and it's currently also the colour of the moment. Yellow living rooms are all the rage and yellow kitchens have been quietly picking up pace over the years. It's not surprising as yellow can add a dose of sunshine to any space and the spectrum of choice, from bright acid yellow to rich egg yolk tones and buttery, creamy colours is as appealing as it comes. Below, we've gathered the best yellow rooms from the House & Garden archive to inspire your next paint project.
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Christopher Horwood1/41The hallway of this country house project by Tamsyn Mason is painted in ‘Sudbury Yellow’ by Farrow & Ball. “My client was very design literate and knew what she wanted,” Tamsyn explains, pointing to the yellow hallway that the client was determined to have. Tamsyn has an eye for colour – “colour is something I love, from brights to neutrals and the science behind it” – and knew immediately that ‘Sudbury Yellow’ from Farrow & Ball would be the right choice. “The volume of the hallway is lovely but it’s dark. Using colour against a cooler neutral means it doesn't look too contemporary or too staid.”
Mark Roper2/41In the Georgian house of Harry Carr, decorated by Christabel MacGreevy, the kitchen was originally supposed to be painted olive green but ended up painted in glossy ‘Babouche’ by Farrow & Ball. It opens onto the garden and is flooded with light.
Paul Massey3/41Joint managing director of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler chose a bright yellow (Papers and Paints’ ‘Imperial Chinese Yellow’) for the drawing room of his Somerset house. The colour sets off curtains in ‘Carriage Cloth’ in petrol and a sofa in ‘Palma Damask’ in blue, both from Claremont, and floral cushions in Le Manach’s ‘Mortefontaine’ in gris.
“It started off with neutral shades," he explains, "and then a friend, the interior designer Lucinda Griffith, came to stay one weekend and said that the colour made her feel like she was underwater. So out of devilment, I decided to do a yellow room just to see if I could pull it off.’ Unsurprisingly, he says, the heritage of Nancy Lancaster’s Yellow Room at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s old headquarters on Brook Street, W1, was in his mind. ‘But I also wanted to try to put to bed my fear of certain colour combinations. I knew that I wouldn’t end up with something drab at any rate.”
Boz Gagovski4/41Farrow & Ball's ‘India Yellow’ is one of the most popular shades in the family of warm yellows. Brandon Schubert has created a sunny scheme in the garden room of this cottage in Wiltshire, combined with bamboo blinds are from Colour & Co.
Mark Anthony Fox5/41Trust Emma Burns of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler to know a good yellow – proven by the use of ‘Tang Yellow’ by Papers & Paints on the walls of a Wimbledon flat. It's as close to orange as yellow can get, with lovely tones of saffron and shows how well yellow serves as a backdrop for art and antiques.
Simon Brown6/41The existing kitchen units in this Studio Vero Notting Hill house were painted in ‘Middle Buff’ by Little Greene which offsets the colours of the Hanley Tube wall tiles by Balineum. The blue and white lino checkerboard floor is from Sinclair Till and the Roman blinds are in Open Sky from Woodnotes. A trio of Lucia Pendant lights by Hector Finch hang over the island. Three bar stools in leather and dark bronze from Rose Uniacke stand at the custom-made kitchen island which narrows towards the French doors, as do the walls of the room.
Michael Sinclair7/41The vast drawing room at designer Martin Brudnizki's Sussex apartment is painted in Edward Bulmer’s ‘Naples Yellow’. He always knew he wanted it to be yellow – ‘like sunshine even on a dark winter’s day’. As daylight fades, it takes on a golden hue and the room simply glows, thanks in no small part to the dimmed lights and candles – there are no fewer than 20 of the former and 20 of the latter.
Mark Anthony Fox8/41The sitting room in Lucy Cunningham's Hampshire cottage is painted in ‘Sadhika' by Atelier Ellis. “It's one of the nicest yellows I have come across,” says Lucy. "It's rich and warm without being too overpowering or strong, and it looks equally good in the day as well as the night where it becomes a little darker and moodier. I painted the skirting and ceiling in 'Spanish White' by Edward Bulmer, which is a softer white and not too stark. I didn’t want the white to look too bright against the yellow - more of a soft addition. This is probably my favourite room in the house - yellow is such a happy colour!”
Chris Horwood9/41‘A shaker style kitchen just seemed to be the most appropriate for the history of the building,' says Anna Rhodes, who commissioned The Shaker Workshop, of her 18th-century workers' cottage in historic Greenwich. The colour is ‘Sand Yellow’ by RAL, the worktop is reclaimed iroko and the floor is a limestone from Floors of Stone.
Dean Hearne10/41In their rental house in north London, sisters Olympia and Ariadne Irving have also used Papers & Paints' ‘Imperial Chinese Yellow’. Somehow this makes the perfect backdrop for their varied collections, including a Victorian chair upholstered in leopard print (‘It was the first thing our father bought from Robert Kime in 1985!’) and a 19th-century Indian Tree of Life wall hanging.
Christopher Horwood11/41This south London flat by Carlos Garcia has walls in Edward Bulmer's ‘Persian’, a yellow that is more subdued in daylight but warm and glowing in the evening.
Paul Massey12/41Walls in a deep, mustard yellow paper-backed cotton from Warris Vianni showcase art in this Victorian villa in north London decorated by Brandon Schubert. It creates a warm and enveloping feel in the adjoining living spaces.
Tom Griffiths13/41In her Bristol flat, Kate Cox knew she wanted the living room to be yellow the moment she saw it. ‘I painted huge blocks of different shades all over the walls and we lived with them there for weeks’. Eventually, she chose Farrow & Ball’s ‘Sudbury Yellow’ as a, ‘bright but not overpowering’ backdrop to her collection of objects and art.
Owen Gale14/41After decades trying fruitlessly to put down domestic roots in sub-lets and shorthold tenancies, Olivia Laing finally found the chance to create the home of her childhood dreams in a Georgian house in rural Suffolk. The sitting room is painted in Little Greene's ‘Yellow-Pink’. A print by Christopher Logue hangs over the fire, along with a Cornish scene by Romi Behrens over the bookcase.
Owen Gale15/41The bathroom in Olivia's house has stripped yellow walls left by the original owner. A chair originally belonging to Olivia's grandmother stands by the bath, with a striped curtain from Toast at the window.
Boz Gagovski16/41Creative consultant Max Hurd’s London terrace is the perfect illustration of his eclectic influences, from Oscar Wilde to Verner Panton. The result is a flamboyant contemporary take on country-house style realised in collaboration with the designer Benedict Foley. The choice of Farrow & Ball’s sunny ‘Babouche’ paint for the walls of the study was inspired by Nancy Lancaster’s Yellow Room in her Mayfair flat.
Paul Massey17/41Modernising without losing character is no mean feat, but Carlos Garcia has approached the decoration of this early 18th-century house and its Tudor elements with great sensitivity, marrying period details with colour, pattern and contemporary touches. Reclaimed flagstones from Norfolk Antique & Reclamation and Plain English cabinetry are given a modern feel by splashes of colour on the island and door, both in Plain English’s ‘Nicotine’.
Michael Sinclair18/41Decorative details have been cleverly combined with practical elements by interior designer Lucy Hammond Giles, of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, to transform a classic Victorian house in west London into a pleasingly distinctive but eminently comfortable family home. The walls and woodwork in the dining room are painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘India Yellow’.
Michael Sinclair19/41Keith Johnson and Glen Senk’s search for a retreat from Florida’s heat took them to a Grade II-listed house in south west England, which, after restoration and redecoration, is a refreshing amalgamation of creative American spirit and English country ideals. Walls in ‘India Yellow’ by Farrow & Ball contrast with the original parquet floor. The shallow English sink was bought at a local antique fair.
Rachael Smith20/41When interior designer Lucinda Griffith fell for a cottage that took her back to her Welsh heritage but was almost beyond her means, she cleverly employed all the tricks of her trade to furnish it in a thrifty, inventive and charmingly inviting fashion. The living room walls are painted in a subdued yellow colour – ‘Amber’ by Zoffany – which complement the armchair in John Stefanidis’ ‘Victoria’ floral.
Simon Bergström21/41The cabinets in the kitchen of Sebastian Bergstörm's tiny Stockholm flat are painted in Sudbury Yellow by Farrow & Ball. The interior designer's flat in Stockholm is both a joyful expression of his love of colour and pattern, and a demonstration of his remarkable efficiency with a small space.
Simon Bergström22/41Sebastian renovated the bathroom last year, adding panelling in a cheerful yellow (a shade called Vete by Auro) and vintage furniture that helps the space feel warm and comfortable. “With this renovation it really became a part of the flat finally and I love spending time in there,” he says.
Paul Massey23/41The brief for this London maisonette was twofold: to serve as an efficient yet appealing crash pad during the week and as a family base in the holidays. Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay has exceeded every expectation with a transformation that marries easy elegance with practicality. A guest bedroom is painted in a muted yellow, adding brightness and colour to the space, working well with the patterned bedcovers, headboard and blinds.
Simon Brown24/41With a clear colour palette lifted by occasional pattern and an eclectic mix of furniture, interior designer Victoria Gray has created a Cotswold retreat for her family that marries rustic charm with minimalism, and transcends modern trends. The walls of an attic guest bedroom are painted a buttercup yellow, adding a mellow joy to the space.
Milo Brown25/41Interior designer Lonika Chande transformed an owner's rather dark childhood home in Holland Park into a light-filled oasis perfect for family. For this eaves bedroom, Lonika and her team chose to paint the entire space - ceiling included - in the oh-so-yellow ‘Mister David’ colour from Little Greene. “Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls gives a lovely cocooning and cosy feel and avoids the eye being drawn to any awkward corners,” says Lonika.
Kristin Perers26/41Keeping one eye on the purse strings, interior designer Catherine Olley has transformed her Dulwich flat from an abandoned shell into a first family home. The wardrobes in Catherine's bedroom give a proper pop of yellow, having been painted in Dulux Trade's 30YY 46/304.
27/41In the master bedroom of this apartment in the Marais area of Paris designed by architectural salvage company Retrouvius, reclaimed parquet flooring flows up the wall to form a panelled headboard, in which electronics for plug sockets and light switches have been elegantly concealed. The bedside tables had a former life as juror's desks; while industrial brass outdoor lights with filament bulbs (a look which has spawned a thousand copies) have been fixed to the wall as reading lights. The rich yellow wall colour complements the stained wood perfectly.
Owen Gale28/41The bedroom at Sophie Ashby's former west London flat has walls in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Babouche’, a beautiful backdrop for artworks and patterned textiles.
Tom Fallon29/41This bright and colourful family seating area in a large kitchen was created by Retrouvius Design. The warm yellow walls are paired with rich purple furnishings and seventies style printed curtains.
Andrew Montgomery30/41The drawing room at Faringdon House juxtaposes sunny yellow walls with a lovely brick-red rug. The fresh colour brings life to the antique furniture and otherwise traditional decorative elements of the room.
Simon Brown31/41The owners of this west London house employed a skilled team to restore and complement its original features, and create a home with a feeling of permanence after a lifetime of moving. The study has felt-covered walls and a pair of back-to-back desks, which are incorporated into the woodwork. The bright yellow paint makes the most of the light that floods from the window.
Ngoc Minh Ngo32/41This Dutch farmhouse is filled with simple furniture, rustic ceramics and shades of green, blue and sunshine yellow. The walls are painted in 'Cream Colour', £38.40 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion, from Papers and Paints. The late-nineteenth-century wood cupboard is painted in 'Ginger', £55.20 for 2.5 litres water-based eggshell, also from Papers and Paints.
James McDonald33/41If painting an entire room yellow seems a step too far, try painting your kitchen cabinets. In Tobias Vernon's Somerset cottage, kitchen units painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Dutch Orange’ contrast with ‘Circa’ industrial rubber flooring in forest green by Polymax.
Rachel Whiting34/41In the sitting room of Pandora's house, walls in Farrow & Ball’s ‘India Yellow’ frame the view into the study, with its ‘Zebras’ wallpaper by Scalamandré.
Elsa Young35/41In the kitchen of a writer's flat in Edinburgh, Susan Deliss has used the brilliant combination of Farrow & Ball’s ‘Babouche’ yellow paint and bright blue cabinets. A kilim tablecloth helps to add warmth and cosiness.
James McDonald36/41'You cannot be serious,’ said the specialist painter as he applied the first few brushfuls of a bright yellow paint onto the lofty drawing room walls of this London house. The designer he was addressing, Stephan Eicker, was unfazed. The shade is the bright ‘Reginald’ by Colour Makes People Happy.
Maree Homer37/41Walls in Dulux’s ‘Alluvial Inca’ create a warm background on the top floor of this Sydney house decorated by Lisa Burdus.
Alexander James38/41For Sarah Peake of Studio Peake, her first ever solo project was an opportunity to test out her ingenuity by transforming a tiny Georgian cottage in London without stripping it out entirely.. The sitting room is painted in a cheerful custom shade of yellow from Papers and Paints, and warmed up with plenty of patterned textiles.
Simon Brown39/41Since moving into her husband's Wiltshire farmhouse, designer Sarah Vanrenen has enhanced its quirky charm, with an adjusted layout and unexpected colours. Eye-catching pieces hold their own against the bright walls. The large mirror and sofa were both inherited by Sarah's husband Grant and she made shades for the Vaughan wall lamps in an ikat fabric. The mustard yellow is characteristic of the fun paint shades chosen in this house - bright enough to be novel but not so garish to clash with the traditional furniture.
Rachel Whiting40/41The bright yellow colour on the walls of this bedroom adds warmth and light to a room which could otherwise be feel pokey and dark. A strip of Anatolian silk inspired the palette for this tiny bedroom in London's Barbican. Designed by Maria Speake of Retrouvius, the silk was used as a feature panel in the curtains, and the colours are echoed by the vintage Indian bedcover.
Davide Lovatti41/41Known for their restoration of historic buildings in Scotland, conservation architects Nick Groves-Raines and Kristin Hannesdottir relished the challenge of saving Lamb's House in Leith, where they now live and work. In an attic room, the box bed is painted in Farrow & Ball's 'India Yellow'. The unexpected colour choice adds further interest to the quirky sleeping space.
