One-palette rooms and statement staircases are featured in our latest lookbook, which explores the best yellow interiors from the Dezeen archives.
From soft, buttery hues to vivid primary colours and deeper mustards, these residential and commercial spaces have challenged the use of traditional shades to create unique, eye-catching yellow interiors.
The use of yellow has been incorporated into bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and facades, whether it is contrasting with brighter colours, blending with other honey tones or standing out against neutral materials.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with lime plaster walls, Barbiecore pink aspects and retro nods to Wes Anderson.
Beresford Road property, London, by Russian for Fish
This London-based apartment features a statement yellow kitchen that was used to brighten the basement and complement the other colours in the space. Russian for Fish used the same vivid shade throughout the entirety of the kitchen, which also continues to the staircase.
Plant pots are added to the area to create dimension, with the green tones adding more colour to the otherwise yellow and neutral home.
“Yellow is a great colour – it brings out the ochre tones of the natural concrete floor, compliments the off-white walls, and creates warmth throughout the flat, even on the dullest of days,” says architect and founder at Russian for Fish, Pereen d’Avoine.
Find out more about Beresford Road property ›
Seven Lives, Spain, by Anna and Eugeni Bach
Spanish architecture studio Anna and Eugeni Bach built this apartment block in Barcelona, adding primary yellow features to the facade that add a vibrant touch to the interiors.
The building has yellow window frames and grills, balconies and blinds that are all visible from the apartments, as well as yellow internal doors to the balconies. These statement attributes contrast with the grey stucco and internal walls.
The shade – which was selected as it was approved by the area’s regulators – is also used in the communal staircase.
Find out more about Seven Lives ›
Residential complex, The Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism
A variety of bright colours were used to decorate this residential complex designed by Shift Architecture Urbanism in Amsterdam. The 235 apartments feature shades of yellow, green, blue, red in the furniture, fixtures and appliances to create a playful atmosphere.
The homes feature laminate floors, white walls and concrete ceilings that create a neutral base for the additional colours used for the modular units, cupboard-style bedrooms and ceramic tiled walls.
Find out more about the residential complex ›
Apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
This apartment in Stockholm uses plenty of primary colours, with reds, blues and yellows used on the walls and on the furniture.
A butter shade decorates the walls of the main and children’s bedrooms, and is complimented by a sunshine hue on the ceiling. Soft yellow shades are also used to contrast maroon tiles and doors throughout the home.
Yellow accents can also be found on its accessories, such as lamps, crockery and artwork.
Find out more about the Stockholm apartment ›
Casa Collumpio, Spain, by MACH
MACH designed this industrial-style house in Barcelona with lemon-yellow steelwork used on the interior and exterior.
Used as a focal point among grey concrete and wooden cladding, a bright yellow staircase with a protective mesh panel connects the upper floors of the building. To complement the feature, yellow stripes are added to the white kitchen cupboards.
The colour continues on the steelwork around the door, forming a decorative statement around the windows at the front and back of the home.
Find out more about Casa Collumpio ›
Apartment, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
Arquitectura-G designed the interiors of this apartment in Barcelona with pastel yellow tones to create a lighter, more open space. The walls and floor of the space are covered in glazed square tiles, with the metal kitchen units matching in a similar tone.
Yellow furniture, such as a sofa and cupboards, complement the apartment’s colour palette.
“We prefer to use the same colour in the whole project, in order to give a strong visual impact and make it an essential part of the house’s identity,” sids Arquitectura-G.
Find out more about the Spanish apartment ›
Cafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA
ASKA has created a picturesque cafe in Stockholm informed by film director Wes Anderson’s aesthetics, using shades of mustard, cream, pink and brown to adorn the space.
The yellow checkerboard floor was influenced by traditional Cuban styles of interiors and mirrored by similar tones in the tiled table tops.
“In order to create an environment that feels harmonious we work with subtle layering and tone in tone methods,” said ASKA co-founder Madeleine Klingspor. “The same yellow is used on the walls, lamps, tables and floor but in different scales and intensity,”
Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›
JJ16, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
Citrus yellow offsets petal pink in this Madrid apartment by Lucas y Hernández-Gil, with a yellow built-in bookshelf lining the length of the corridor.
The hallway leads to the kitchen, which features a contrasting soft pink floor and walls and matte grey units.
The rest of the space has been decorated with similarly vivid colours and prints, including neon orange storage hidden by white doors, blue checkerboard flooring and an aubergine wardrobe.
Find out more about JJ16 ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with lime plaster walls, Barbiecore pink aspects and retro nods to Wes Anderson.
