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A splash of indoor sunshine

Bring on the sunshine indoors with yellow shades. Gabrielle Fagan (PA) reveals how to create a brighter outlook at home

Even a hint of sunshine peeping through grey skies instantly lifts our spirits, and the good news is yellow shades can work that same magic indoors. 

A yellow palette - from bright daffodil through to custard or zingy citruses - is guaranteed to bring a whole lot of cheer to any room, and will have an uplifting quality that sings spring has arrived. 

“Yellow cannot fail to add a little sunshine to any setting. It evokes energy, and creates a sense of warmth and zest,” promises Laura Kelway- Bamber, creative director at The Headboard Workshop (www.theheadboardworkshop.co.uk). 

“Team yellow with a bold black or navy feature wall for drama and you’ll also conjure a sense of sophistication and elegance. In a bedroom, subtle, softer yellows are a wise choice, and this will avoid the colour dominating or feeling overbearing. Yellow tones are great for details such as accessories, as they’ll stand out and act as visual focus points in a scheme. Yellow’s also brilliant in smaller rooms, as it can help create a sense of space and warmth.” 

So banish those winter blues and welcome spring’s signature shade into your home... 

SPLASH OF SUNSHINE 

“Yellow’s known to have a positive effect on our mood, so why not incorporate it into your interior design?” says Laura McDonald, upcycling expert for paint specialists, Rust-Oleum. 

“This optimistic hue is ideal for brightening rooms, and can be used to make a statement or add a complementary hint of colour to existing home decor. 

“Darker shades are particularly striking in a living area or bedroom when teamed with blue, while citrus lemons suit a kitchen or dining area. Grey, pale green and creamy hues work well around the home alongside yellow, and are more interesting alternatives to white.” 

GET THE LOOK: Make light work of revamping anything from furniture and light fittings to kitchen units, with Rust-Oleum’s spray paint range. Try a sunflower shade in a Mode Spray Paint, £14.99 for 400ml, Homebase, or a marigold gloss Painter’s Touch Spray paint, £7.00 for 400ml, Wilko. 

If you’re dreaming of a new kitchen, Crown Imperial’s Rococo collection in matt yellow and white makes a stunning combo; a full kitchen from around £10,000. And don’t overlook the floor; new carpet can totally transform a room and Carpetright’s Kosset Major Twist Plus Carpet, £29.99 per square metre, comes in a saffron shade. 

Next has embraced yellow, making it easy to give a facelift to a bedroom, with their Retro Floral Bed Set, from £22; matching Curtains, from £45, and a Quilted Circles Throw, from £40. For a fun touch, add a Vegas LED Plastic Fun Light - Star Yellow, £19.95, Boutique Camping. 

SUNNY SNIPS: Hay Autumn Yellow Towels - bath towels, £25 each, and guest towels, £13 each, Amara. The Andromeda Clock in citrus yellow, £60, Newgate Clocks. 

LIVING YELLOW 

“Always regarded as a ‘Marmite’ colour for clothes, yellow can be a winner if you need a pep of sophisticated sunshine for an interior,” says Peter Thwaites, of hand-painted fabric and wallpaper specialists, Rapture & Wright. 

“In the past, it was often used with blue and white. The latest incarnations of this colour tend to be the tertiary yellows, which are either the earthy ochres, ideal for beautiful, sophisticated schemes when mixed with dark browns and greys, or the more acid hues - think Chinese yellow with a smidge of green/black. 

“This sharper, straw yellow works beautifully with a contemporary palate of greens, grey/blue and pinks or reds. For an interior that works beautifully throughout the day and night, lacquer your walls in yellow.” 

GET THE LOOK: Style windows with yellow curtains, or custom made Golden Yellow Vintage Patterned Roller Blinds, from £38.78 per square metre, English Blinds (available end of March). 

Add a punch of colour with one statement piece of furniture upholstered in yellow. For classic style, opt for a Chesterfield-esque Matlock Sofa, in Designers Guild Primrose Yellow Velvet, from £1,656, Sofas & Stuff, or a Duchess Armchair in Wattle Mustard Yellow Velvet, from £1,395, Content by Terence Conran. Mid-century modern enthusiasts need look no further than a Tallulah 2 Seater Sofa in Mustard Yellow Velvet and Linen, £599, Atkin and Thyme, and Very has a fab Papillion Contour Fabric Accent Chair, £229. 

SUNNY SNIPS: A Bluebellgray Saffron Pom Pom Cushion, £58; Orla Kiely Tealight Lantern, £12, and Orla Kiely Sicilian Lemon Reed Diffuser, £32, all Amara. Bright Blue and yellow Hydrangea Melamine Tray, £33, Emma Britton.