Stay mad about saffron by keeping it mellow

It's warm, inviting and cheerful. What's not to love about yellow?

Designers say somewhat surprisingly, considering how widely it is used, that yellow can be a tricky colour on a wall.

"Yellow is the hardest colour to get right, without question," says New York designer Alexa Hampton.

"As mellow a yellow you think you select, it's always much louder than you think it will be."

"Above all other colours, it's inclined to get more intense on the wall," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute and author of Colour: Messages and Meanings.

Yellows with even the slightest green undertone, she says, can go greenish on the wall, especially if the room has lots of windows.

If you want to go yellow, Ms Hampton advises sticking with the topmost choices on the paint swatches because these are typically the palest shades.

Paint a large sample, she says.

If it's too bright, mix in a bit of your trim colour. And consider off-white paint colours, too.

Some of the creamiest shades turn out to be just yellow enough.

Love the colour but aren't sure you want to commit to paint? Introduce yellow into the room with a cheery fabric or patterned pillows, a graphic area rug or a floral lampshade.

Even these subtle touches are sunny.

- Los Angeles Times-Washington Post

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