The Joyful Exterior: Say Hello to Yellow
Whether you favor bright or mellow, see how to add eye-catching yellow accents
Continuing our series on exterior accent colors, this week we turn to the happy, high-energy hue, yellow. Bright versions of yellow can be a bit much for the bulk of a home’s color, but it makes an excellent accent color in small doses. Even lighter or neutral shades of yellow can add an appealing dash of warmth to the exterior of your home.
If you can’t or don’t want to paint your front door a bold yellow, perhaps you can add the color splash to the eaves or the porch ceiling at the entry instead. The zesty yellow used here does an excellent job of directing one’s eye to the front door. The remaining light and neutral colors used on the house are terrifically subtle, supporting hues.
For a similar palette, try: Silver Drop with accents in Pewter Mug and Flame Yellow, all from Behr.
For a similar palette, try: Silver Drop with accents in Pewter Mug and Flame Yellow, all from Behr.
You can really have fun with accent colors on contemporary architecture. This particular home features a nice mix of materials, colors and textures. If your home is constructed primarily of one single material, you can still play with an invigorating color palette via the window frames, the trim and, of course, the front door.
For a similar palette, try: Tony Taupe with a small accent of Ablaze and a larger dash of Funky Yellow, all from Sherwin-Williams.
Of course that’s not to say those with more traditional-style homes can’t also have some fun with color. I’d stick to a light or neutral color for the bulk of the house, such as this soft organic green, then use the bolder colors for small accents.
For a similar palette, try: Cooking Apple Green with small accents of St. Giles Blue and Dayroom Yellow, all from Farrow & Ball.
For a similar palette, try: Cooking Apple Green with small accents of St. Giles Blue and Dayroom Yellow, all from Farrow & Ball.
Shades of gray have been popular exterior house colors of late. I like adding a bit of warmth to such an otherwise cool palette. It helps keep the house from looking too severe or gloomy. Yellow fills in nicely to add vibrance and personality to the facade.
For a similar palette, try: Phantom Mist with accents of Georgian Silver and Yorkshire Pudding, all from PPG Pittsburgh Paints.
This is admittedly not a color palette I would have come up with myself, but it works really well with this style of home. The mustard yellow gets a modern boost with the addition of a medium cool gray to the palette. The tiny bit of deep red at the door bridges the other colors nicely.
For a similar palette, try: Englewood Cliffs with a front door in Dinner Party and an accent of Damask Gold, all from Benjamin Moore.
For a similar palette, try: Englewood Cliffs with a front door in Dinner Party and an accent of Damask Gold, all from Benjamin Moore.
If you’re nervous about bold colors on your home, think small, such as for your window frames or trim only. Then stick to neutrals for the remainder of the palette.
For a similar palette, try: Blue Coal with accents of Bay Waves and Sweet Lemon, all from Valspar.
Your turn: Are you a yes on yellow? How have you used the hue on your own home?
More exterior colors: Blue | Green
For a similar palette, try: Blue Coal with accents of Bay Waves and Sweet Lemon, all from Valspar.
Your turn: Are you a yes on yellow? How have you used the hue on your own home?
More exterior colors: Blue | Green
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Get the look: Coventry Gray with shutters in Amherst Gray and a front door in Stuart Gold, all from Benjamin Moore.