Favorite Color Combinations: Gray and Yellow

A Neutral Hue Plus a Primary Color Equal Eye-Popping Style

August 14, 2011
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
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As gray and greige reign as the neutrals du jour, you may be wondering what other colors to pair with it. While a safe and elegant choice is to keep everything in a gray, silver, black and white color palette, pairing gray with an electric color can enliven a space and put a stamp of personal style on it. Today we'll take a look at how different shades of yellow pop when paired with gray throughout the house.
Eclectic Living Room Eclectic Living Room
In the living room: This long sofa pops against the subdued gray walls, allowing it to host a combination of bright ikat pillows. The result is a glam and sophisticated room.
Eclectic Dining Room by Cynthia Mason Interiors
Cynthia Mason Interiors
In the dining room: In the same way, these Panton S Chairs in grellow are standouts in this room due to their shape and hue. By the way, "grellow" is green-yellow, a word I believe I stole from a CB2 catalog.
Contemporary Dining Room by Klang & Associates
Klang & Associates
Light gold and yellow accents add a warm glow to this dining room, which has medium-dark gray walls.
Contemporary Dining Room by Atmosphere Interior Design Inc.
Atmosphere Interior Design Inc.
A gray and yellow combination works well with modern and contemporary style. Here, black chairs, chrome, a minimalist white dining table and dark floors add to the sleekness of this dining room.
Contemporary Kids by User
User
You can also keep things light and contemporary with this color combination, as in this space.
Transitional Bedroom by Michelle Hinckley
Michelle Hinckley
In the bedroom: Gray is a restful shade and may just aid your sleep, while pops of yellow make the space a bit more interesting. Here silvery gray plays off the deep gray walls as well.
Contemporary Bedroom by Judith Balis Interiors
Judith Balis Interiors
The prints in this gray and yellow scheme are tied together by their abstract floral patterns.
Eclectic by Michelle Hinckley
Michelle Hinckley
If your base color is gray and you don't want to make a big commitment to an accent color, bring yellow in through small accessories, like this tray.

Side note: A trayscape is a good way to corral items on a surface and keep things looking streamlined.
Contemporary Bedroom by NOA Architecture Planning Interiors
NOA Architecture Planning Interiors
The color combination also works in a lighter bedroom. Here, a bold lime-colored wall plays off the yellow floral accents on the duvet.
Transitional Living Room by Jennifer Brouwer (Jennifer Brouwer Design Inc)
Jennifer Brouwer (Jennifer Brouwer Design Inc)
In the living room: Here the yellow throw pillows are just like that small vase of fresh blossoms, adding just the right touch of yellow to this soft and sophisticated room.
Contemporary Kitchen by Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC
Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC
The boundary between the living room and dining area within this open floor plan is marked by this grellow modern daybed. It picks up on the colors of the dining chairs and the vases.
Contemporary Living Room by Eileen Kathryn Boyd Interiors
Eileen Kathryn Boyd Interiors
Trim on the window treatments extends a touch of yellow from floor to ceiling in vertical lines, accentuating the beautiful windows and picking up on the throw pillows.
Traditional Family Room by Cristi Holcombe Interiors, LLC
Cristi Holcombe Interiors, LLC
Natural elements, a range of warm woods, and a golden yellow ikat fabric on the chairs help give this living room a comfortable and inviting vibe.
Contemporary Family Room by Andrea Schumacher Interiors
Andrea Schumacher Interiors
Pops of yellow draw the eye and add balance to the dramatic prints in this room.
Contemporary Nursery by Nicole Lanteri Design
Nicole Lanteri Design
In the nursery: If you're planning on letting the answer to "boy or girl?" be a surprise but you want to get your nursery together ahead of time, gray and yellow is a great gender-neutral and modern choice. (Don't worry, it still goes well with little duckies).
Contemporary Nursery by Nicole Lanteri Design
Nicole Lanteri Design
This vintage chest of drawers takes on a new life when given a vibrant paint job, and it stands out even more when placed against a soft, light gray wall.
Contemporary Kitchen by Tara Seawright Interior Design
Tara Seawright Interior Design
In the kitchen: This designer painted the ceiling yellow to brighten up a kitchen that didn't have much natural light. Gray counter stools and countertops ground all of the white from the cabinets and floor.
Contemporary Kitchen by User
User
This kitchen brings some lemon yellow in via ceramics, flowers and yes, lemons. A plate of lemons are a simple colorful addition to your countertop or tabletop that will instantly freshen up your space.
Eclectic Bathroom by Simply Grove
Simply Grove
In the powder room: This sunny mirror is the only burst of color this neutral bathroom needs. The whimsical knobs are the icing in the cake.
Eclectic by Michelle Hinckley
Michelle Hinckley
Here's another way to bring in the color combination with small accessories. Have you taken part in the greige craze? If so, please let us know what other colors you mix with it in the comments section.

More:
Going Greige: Tips for Choosing This All-Around Neutral
Hello Yellow! Bright Ideas for the Home
Choosing Paint: How To Pick the Right Gray
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Comments (39)
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jafbaf
Peggy
   
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Eva Orlop
In a house full of neutrals, black granite counters, brown cabinets in kitchen...this color combo was the perfect choice!
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cowgal51
Yellow and grey
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