Colour experts predict bright, cheerful yellow shades for spring / summer 2022

Bring warmth to your art and interiors, and improve your mood with yellow

Trend forecaster and well-known colour expert Pantone recently released its latest colour trend report featuring the “London Colour Palette”, namely 10 cheerful pastel and grounding neutral shades.

And since we are big fans of pastel colours at Claude & Leighton, for our Colour of the Month feature we have picked one of those Pantone trend prediction colours to focus on: yellow.

Moreover, it’s a crisp, bright sunny autumn day outside, so yellow just feels like the right colour to talk about.

Anyway, Pantone describes its lovely pastel Popcorn shade as "a bright and cheery yellow hue that radiates warmth to all who embrace it”. Doesn't that description sounds lovely? 💛 And the colour expert company predicts that Popcorn yellow is one of the colours which will be popular in both fashion and home decorating this upcoming spring and summer season.

Yellow has already been a staple colour in home interiors for some time now. If you keep up with colour trends, you’ll know that Illuminating (a yellow hue) has been Pantone’s Colour of the Year during 2021. And you’ll have seen that yellow has been everywhere: in advertising, magazines features, furnishings, fashion and homes. (And at Claude & Leighton, we’ve had a particular crush on pairing our art prints with lush yellow armchairs in our lifestyle photos.)

Yellow & grey stained glass design geometric art print by Claude & Leighton 

Keeping it simple and stylish with neutral pale grey walls, and bringing out pops of yellow with a comfy yellow armchair and our minimalist design geometric print, which has been framed in green to tie in with that stunning green screen. 

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As always, in this article I’ll be sharing visual examples of how to bring the featured colour in to your interiors and room using our wall art prints and digital artwork.

So now I’m going to make a tiny admission: as an artist and designer, I haven’t always been a fan of using yellow in my art. But that’s changed in the last couple of years. I have found myself embracing yellow more and more as a colour to paint and design with. And I'm loving it! After all, yellow is a colour that quite simply lifts your mood and makes you feel happy. So the experience of painting with it is pretty fun too. 😁

Artist Jayne Leighton Herd (me 😊), holding a print of my pink & yellow flower garden floral painting   

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So how should we be using the colour yellow in our homes?

If the universal love for the colour yellow is set to continue through 2022, does that mean we should all be adding lots of yellow décor throughout our interiors?

Well, no - let’s not go overboard. 😉 One of the most important rules to remember when decorating with yellow is that less is more. Particularly in rooms that are all about rest and relaxation. Using yellow, even as an accent colour, can be quite bold and overpowering if overused or spread across large areas. So best practice is to use it sparingly, rather than as the focal point of your home's design.

Pastel Abstract Floral Leaves wall art prints by Claude & Leighton 

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Yellow on a feature wall will help brighten up a room and also complement other elements within the room, such as furniture, while creating contrast with lighter shades of paint on furniture pieces. So if you choose pale yellow for a wall in your bedroom, select items of furniture in a different colour to achieve balance in your space.

Don’t forget that yellow comes in different shades, so you can choose the perfect yellow hue that fits flawlessly with your style preferences and desired mood. Try infusing yellow into a few select areas of your home, or simply add décor accents around the room, perhaps as part of a monochromatic scheme.

Set of 3 Pastel Leaves botanical art prints by Claude & Leighton

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Pick a shade of yellow which is warm, bright and energetic, but not aggressive or abrasive. Choose a yellow that will serve as a calming respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Grounding hues work well, but also shades that can provide a quick energy lift if needed. Yellow stimulates mental activity, encourages communication and heightens energy, which is why it is essential not to overdo it, particularly in spaces where you want to chill or sleep.

Yellow does not always play well with other colours. But it often comes down to the amounts and balance of the colours you use.

Lighter shades of yellow are good options for kitchens as they tend to create an inviting ambiance, whereas darker yellow hues can be used to great effect living rooms.

Although yellow is not really recommended for bedrooms, as it is a stimulating primary colour, some pale yellow can still be a great option. Pair it with white for classic freshness. Or try a palette with a difference and combine yellow with green and some turquoise. 

I love this room example above from HGTV. And I have added our Claude & Leighton turquoise geometric print to show you how you could tie a piece of art into the scheme.

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Yellow and grey work brilliantly together. Add some black for a strong, contemporary look.

Summer Notes square abstract art print by Claude & Leighton

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There are several ways you can incorporate yellow into your home's interior design such as adding cushions, lamps, and flowers. And, of course 😊, wall art is a perfect and simple way to add a pop of yellow to your home's interior design. Yellow artwork could be a great addition to your hallway or living room, giving everyone a cheerful welcome.

Why is it so important to choose the right colour for your interior spaces?

Colours affect us mentally, physiologically and influence our behaviour. So picking the right colours for interiors, as well as the best combinations and balance of those colours, and thinking about how we want to feel in each room, is essential.

It is no surprise that yellow continues to be a key colour in interiors and fashion given the current concerns and stresses about health and the economy. It is no accident that several leading paint manufacturers have included a shade of yellow in their Colours of the Year for 2022. Farrow & Ball is proposing a cheerful shade of yellow called Babouche No.223, with the intention of rooms appearing to be “full of sunshine”. While Dulux has included a bright yellow shade in its own 2022 Colour of the Year Bright Skies Workshop palette of colours. A selection of colours designed to create spaces which are fun and creative.

Memory Lane abstract art print by Claude & Leighton

That’s because yellow is a positive colour which inspires feelings of happiness, optimism and confidence. Furthermore yellow is the colour of sunflowers, daffodils, and ripe lemons, so yellow will automatically provoke thoughts of summer and nature. Giving us a natural lift. So if adding yellow accents to your living space helps you feel cheerful and in good humour, no matter how stressful life is, then we say why not?

Abstract Lines Female Face art print by Claude & Leighton

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It just always comes back to balance. Yellow can improve focus and enhance mental acuity. However, surrounding yourself with too much yellow, or the wrong tone of colour can actually have a negative effect, and cause anxiety and irrational feelings. So use a shade that you love, and use it in the right proportions in the right rooms.

So, will you be incorporating yellow into your spring/ summer 2022 colour scheme for your home or office? Do let me know in the comments.

And, of course, I would particularly love to know if you will be adding that pop of yellow through the art you hang on your walls?

Best wishes,

Jayne Leighton Herd
Artist & Designer

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FURTHER READING ON YELLOW COLOUR TRENDS:

What is the Pantone Colour of the Year 2021?