Lighten up your home with lemon yellow

Dark rooms have their own allure, but sometimes a house cries out for something light, bright and sunny. If your house could use a jolt of brightness, lemon yellow is the shade that lifts the darkness but doesn't overwhelm the way other bold colors do. Like the zing of lemon juice that brightens a dish, a lemon yellow accent brings a sunny, happy vibrancy to rooms.

Citrus lift

Who can resist a slice of light and creamy lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? When you add mood-lifting lemon yellow to your decor, it makes your rooms instantly lighter and brighter, and it perks up your style.

The trick with lemon yellow is to avoid going too gold or too neon. The best color reference is the fruit itself, which is neither harsh nor moody. Try Lemon Twist by Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore's Lemon Meringue. For something as pale and iridescent as a lemon slice, Behr's Polished Pearl adds a hint of shimmery yellow to a room.

Air and sunshine

Lemon yellow has a clean appeal, making it a wonderful color for a bathroom. Pale yellow subway tiles with crisp white linens will transport you to the beach or a summer afternoon.

In the kitchen, who could resist eggs sunny-side up in a lemony breakfast nook? For an easy lift, swap out cabinet hardware with lemon-hued knobs and drawer pulls. 

Lemon patterns and accents

Look for the light and lemony appeal of a yellow gingham check. Brighten up a dark patio or shady backyard or porch with sunny furniture cushions. Or roll out vintage lemon prints indoors on wallpaper or curtains.

If wall color requires too much of a commitment, focus on accents. Perk up an entryway with a pair of yellow lattice mustard jars or a yellow chair. Add some zing to your doorstep with a welcome mat decorated with a lemon slice. Whether you use it at the front door or back, it will help visitors see the sunny side of life.