COLOR SPOTLIGHT – Benjamin Moore Hawthorne Yellow

It’s an overcast Sunday here in Bermuda and while I secretly love the excuse rain provides for not doing all those outdoor projects (goodbye cleaning the car – hello laundry!), cloudy days can get a little gloomy.  But you can make your own sunshine by brightening your home with yellow.

Picking the right shade of yellow for your walls can be tricky.  The colours on the paint chart can look drastically different on the chip than on your walls.  In your space, most paint colours look brighter, especially if you have a room with a lot of natural light.  For this rason, I usually recommend picking a slightly softer version of your favorite colour.   That bright yellow might look happy and cheerful at the paint store but on the walls it can turn into a fluorescent shade that’s impossible to live with.

TIP:  Picking up a paint sample is great way to make a decision on a new wall colour.  Paint a large area with coats of paint in both a corner of the room and on a wall opposite a window.  Make a final decision after seeing how it looks in both the daytime in natural light and in the evening under artificial lighting.

Benjamin Moore Hawthorne Yellow HC-4 from the Historical Collection is one of my go to shades.  It’s just the right balance of soft and bright but not too green or orange.  It’s perfect not only for kitchens (it goes brilliantly with white cabinets) but also dining rooms, bathrooms, or dark nooks and crannies.  For a traditional space pair with reds and greens or for a more contemporary space with shades of grey (for more on using grey and yellow click here).

Need some inspiration?  Check of these beautiful rooms below.  Click on each image for more or visit our Pinterest boards for more decorating inspiration.

If you liked this post don’t forget to check back next week to see what’s new on the blog but if you can’t wait  our Facebook page is updated daily with amazing spaces, design tips and DIY projects.  Or get a sneak peak at life behind the scenes at the paint store (and more stunning rooms) on our Instagram page here.  

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HAPPY PAINTING!