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11 Rooms with Sunshine-y Bright Spots

Here on the East Coast, we’re deep in the throes of winter, with gray skies and snow turning dirty and slushy. At least the days are getting slightly longer. It’s no wonder I’m drawn to rooms that go beyond neutral palettes. While neutrals are always tasteful and soothing, they can be a bit of a downer come winter. Injecting sunshine hues makes everything seem a little more cheerful, year round. Here are a dozen rooms that incorporate a hit of yellow into the decor.

Above: Alvhem Makleri & Interior

House & Leisure

House & Leisure

A yellow backsplash perks up this sleek, white lacquer kitchen. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to be made from tile. Perhaps it’s painted glass. Or maybe just a high-gloss paint? If that’s the case, it’d be easy to swap it out for any other color if you tire of the golden hue.

yellow-countertop

At the Capri Suite Hotel, a boutique Hotel in Anacapri, Italy, on the island of Capri, Zeta Studio Architects used what looks like a concrete countertop painted a strong yellow. With the floor-to-ceiling windows directly across, it’s as though hot rays are shooting in. It’s a rustic space that is actually a former convent built in the 17th century. There are two suites: the Blue Room and the Yellow Room. Guess which this is?

Ligne Roset

Ligne Roset

This mustard-colored quilted sofa, called Facett and designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Ligne Roset, actually reads like a perky neutral. It would easily work with other colors in a room, if one was so inspired. Above, on the wood-clad wall are felt tiles, named Clouds, also by the brothers Bouroullec. The bi-colored tiles, available in two different fabrics and seven color combos, can be arranged in infinite ways for an interesting and unique three-dimensional installation.

Photo by  Helen Cathcart

Photo by Helen Cathcart

This is is a darling cafe called Halley’s Parson Green, located in a residential neighborhood in London, designed by Alexander Waterworth Interiors. It looks like a perfect space in which to hang out and drink coffee with the paper or your laptop. The yellow industrial style stools pop against the rough materials of reclaimed wood and painted brick. Apparently it’s the spot for nubile yoga girls and yummy mummies.

Elle Interior Sweden

Elle Interior Sweden

A contemporary white kitchen, is grounded and brightened by deep yellow base cabinets and countertop in this Swedish home. The painted wood floor and green rattan love seat add homey touches, while the black lighting and chairs skew modern.

yellow-jennifer-post-beach-club

Architect Jennifer Post, who has offices in New York, Palm Beach, Los Angeles, and Miami, is known for her high-end contemporary designs of both residential and commercial spaces. This space is a private member-only club in Miami Beach called Bath Club Miami. The white is broken up by yellow pillows and throw blankets, as well as a pair of pale wood stools.

Photo by Marcin Ratajczak

Photo by Marcin Ratajczak

We wrote about this concrete home by Polish design firm mode:lina  back in July. The color scheme is primarily grey and white throughout, but fields of yellow and rich wood appear in the form of floors, doors and trim. It gives this lower level space a somewhat color block effect.

Photo by Gonzalo Machado

Photo by Gonzalo Machado

This funky room, which appeared in AD Spain, mixes a contemporary patio chair in coral with a yellow graphic print rug, a glass and steel coffee table and classic sofa. The finishing touch is a golden palm tree sculpture. The champagne is appealing too!

Photo by Jonn Coolidge

In this lovely vignette, in the mid-century modern home of photographer John Coolidge, a framed-print of Ellsworth Kelly’s Yellow (II.2 Yellow; Jaune Série II No.2), 1964-65, is propped up on a curvilinear free-hanging console with a prominent wood-grain finish. The limited palette makes the most of the color, with echoes from the tulips to a shallow yellow bowl.

Milk Magazine

Milk Magazine

A kid’s room is the most obvious place for yellow, being both cheerful and gender neutral. This Scandinavian style room, which is painted all white, from walls to floor, and has white furniture too, gets all it’s pops of color from accessories. Our guess is that little wicker chair is a spray-painted vintage find.

Marni Elyse Katz is a Contributing Editor at Design Milk. She lives in Boston where she contributes regularly to local publications and writes her own interior design blog, StyleCarrot.