What Color Goes With Yellow? – 18 Ways to Transform Spaces

Which colors blend well with yellow? In the domain of interior design, integrating yellow with complementary hues can create a harmonious and balanced aesthetic. Earthy tones like deep browns and warm beiges can enhance the natural ambiance, while vibrant contrasts such as goldenrod or mustard can infuse a lively energy. Delve into our carefully selected list of 17 color combinations that effortlessly harmonize with various shades of yellow in interior design. Additionally, we’ll share tips and tricks on seamlessly incorporating these yellow color combinations into your home!

The Different Shades of Yellow

The different shades of yellow play a large role in when deciding on what colors go with yellow. Although a predominantly warm color, yellow can have cool undertones as well, which can change the look and feel of the entire interior. Below is a list of some of the different shades of yellow and their color values.

What Color Goes With Yellow?

Below we will be looking at specific shades of yellow and what colors they pair well with in an interior setting. Keep in mind that these pairings are not set in stone and playing around with the shades within the pairings can create even more interesting color combinations.

Yellow and Purple

Naturally, purple is one of the colors that go with yellow. Because violet is yellow’s complementary color, shades of purple tend to work well when combined with yellow, in moderation. Very dark, burgundy purples look great when combined with softer, pastel yellow. 

For a dramatic interior, make use of dark purple as the predominant color, with subtle pops of yellow to create contrast and interest.

Yellow and Storm Blue

Storm blue and yellow create a very moody and contemporary atmosphere. This combination works particularly well when storm blue is used as the backdrop color and is complimented with accents of mustard yellow. This combination is a very sophisticated choice for a room like a study if you are set on introducing yellow in some way without creating a sense of overstimulation.

Yellow and Olive

Green is one of the colors that go with yellow in almost any shade pairing. Pairing olive green with a dark, warm yellow creates a natural, earthy color palette that can be adjusted quantity-wise to suit almost any room in the house. But because of the properties of both colors, promoting cheer, health, and vitality, it may just be the perfect, albeit unexpected, color combination for a kitchen. 

A good application would be olive green kitchen cupboards with warm yellow tiles for the splash back. 

Yellow and Gray

Yellow and gray make for a very contemporary color combination. This combination works particularly well in interior design when gray is used as the backdrop for the interior in various hues with pops of yellow furniture, to warm up the space and make it livelier. Consider the tones of colors when choosing your yellow and gray color combination: Pair warm yellow with a shade of gray that has a warm undertone, and cool yellow with a cool undertone gray. The darker the gray against the yellow, the interior will be perceived as contemporary and sophisticated, whereas pairing yellow with a lighter gray gives off a youthful pairing that can work well in nurseries, for example.

Yellow, Black, and White

Yellow and black is considered a very sophisticated and modern color combination but can be quite straining on the eyes if not combined with a buffer color. Using white as a buffer makes for a perfect tonal color palette. The shade of yellow depends on whether you want yellow to be the feature color used the most, or if you only want to use it as an accent color. 

When making use of yellow as an accent color it is perfectly fine to introduce a very bright yellow into your color pallet, but when yellow is your main color, then a softer yellow is a better option, especially when paired with black and white.

Yellow and Teal

Teal is such a fun and energetic color and adding it to a yellow color palette emphasizes its cheerfulness of it. Unlike many color combinations, this specific color combination tends to work well when both colors are used in very bright shades and can work particularly well in rooms where stimulation is required such as a children’s playroom.

Yellow and Warm Brown

Because warm brown is a very dark shade of orange, it pairs very well with warm yellow. This pairing is made easy when choosing furniture items that are made from natural woods that aren’t too dark (walnut) or too light (ash). Making use of wood furniture pieces means that yellow will naturally become the backdrop of the combination. 

This can be done with the walls, big, built-in furniture pieces, or other larger furniture pieces such as the sofa in a living room, or the bedding in your bedroom. 

Yellow and Beige

Yellow and beige is the more mature and sophisticated version of yellow and white. Pairing yellow with beige embodies warmth and together they have the power to create a very inviting atmosphere when used in the right setting. This combination can work well in a living room, dining room, or kitchen.

Whether yellow is your favorite color, or you simply want to push the boundaries of your comfort zone, it is the perfect color to play around with. As long as you remember that yellow, as with all colors, has countless different shades and hues, and when these undertones are evaluated, it is easy to find a combination for any shade of yellow, especially when making use of color theory. No matter the shade or combination you end up with, the properties of joy and vitality remain the same, and we all can do with a little extra of those.

Take a look at our “what color goes with yellow” webstory here!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Color Combination for Yellow?

What is the best color combination for yellow? It depends heavily on the shade of yellow and the mood you want to achieve. Colors that tend to complement yellow well in an interior setting according to color theory are purple, black, white, gray, and navy blue.

What Is Yellow’s Complementary Color?

What is yellow’s complementary color? According to color theory, to find the complementary color of a primary color, the other two primary colors should be combined. In the case of yellow, red and blue are combined to form purple, which is then yellow’s complementary color.

Can Yellow Be Used in a Minimalist Color Scheme?

Definitely! Yellow can be part of a minimalist palette. Pair it with clean whites, grays, or even black for a modern and impactful design with a bright and lively touch.

Kylie Deyzel( Interior Designer )

Kylie Deyzel is an interior designer and sustainability enthusiast from Cape Town, South Africa. She has a passion for writing and educating others on various interior design topics. Her favorite interior design topics include interior design theory, interior design history, and most of all: sustainable interior design.

She received her B-tech degree in interior design from the University of Johannesburg in 2018 and has worked at various interior design firms since and had a few of her own freelance interior design clients under her company name binnekant.

Learn more about the Art in Context Team.