20 Yellow Living Room Ideas to Brighten Up Your Space

From soft hues to rich and bold tones

By
Cori Sears
Cori sitting on a green chair against a white wall.
Cori Sears

Cori Sears is a writer with over a decade of experience, specializing in houseplants, gardening, and home decor. She writes about trending news, interior design, houseplants, and gardening for The Spruce. Her expertise in these areas has led her to contribute to other major publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Apartment Therapy.

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Published on 01/25/23
A period-style home with dark floors and ceiling beams and a mustard yellow painted half wall in the living room.

@creativelivingwithbarb / Instagram

The living room is the hub of the home, so it's important that your living room is a comfortable space that brings you joy and relaxation. The way you decorate your living room can play a huge role in how it makes you feel, particularly when it comes to the colors you choose.

Yellow has gone in and out of style several times in interior design, and while it may not be a common color choice for living rooms, it's definitely under-utilized. It's a bright and energizing shade that is associated with sunshine and can evoke feelings of happiness and peace—perfect for a living space.

From bright yellows to muted pastel shades and minimalist decor to maximalist interiors, there are plenty of ways to use this versatile hue in your home's interior design. Here are 20 yellow living room ideas to brighten up your space and prove that yellow interiors are both stylish and timeless.

51 Living Room Color Schemes From Bold to Understated
  • 01 of 20

    Keep It Earthy

    An eclectic living room with mustard yellow paint.

    @beachhousegrove / Instagram

    Instagram user @beachhousegrove used a soft, mid-yellow shade of paint on her walls and an earthy color palette to create this eclectic and inviting living room that features plenty of natural materials like raw wood and exposed brick.

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  • 02 of 20

    Go With Velvet

    A muted ochre-colored velvet couch in an apartment living room with golden yellow light coming through the windows.

    @hannah_lagom / Instagram

    Velvet couches are so in right now and are a great statement piece for any living room. This ochre-colored velvet couch sticks to fashion editor and author Hannah Krutman's earthy, boho-inspired color palette.

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  • 03 of 20

    Add Bright Pops of Yellow

    A bright living room with pops of yellow and lots of houseplants.

    @yellow.jungle / Instagram

    If you aren't ready to commit to a whole new paint color you can still bring yellow into your space using furniture and accessories. This sunny living room from Instagram user @yellow.jungle uses bright yellow accents to add warmth and color.

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  • 04 of 20

    Paint a Half Wall

    A bright living room with dark wood beams, white walls, and a stylish yellow half wall.

    @creativelivingwithbarb / Instagram

    Painting a half wall is a great way to add some interest and color to a room without overwhelming the space. Instagram user and design enthusiast Barbara Halewood (@creativelivingwithbarb) stayed true to her home's period aesthetic by choosing a vintage-inspired mustard yellow hue.

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  • 05 of 20

    Experiment With Color Blocking

    A stylish and modern living room with a yellow faux fireplace and yellow accent walls.

    Natasha Landers / Veronica Rodriguez Photography

    Interior designer Natasha Landers (@untillemonsrsweet) brought yellow into her living room by adding stylish and playful color blocks to her walls. Use one color, or take a page out of Natasha's book and add a second color (like green) to create a dynamic color palette that you can extend to the rest of the room.

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  • 06 of 20

    Keep It Soft and Muted

    A bright white living room with yellow furniture and decor.

    @shelley_cottage / Instagram

    If you're a fan of muted, neutral color palettes, take a cue from blogger and Instagram user Victoria Burton's (@shelley_cottage) bright and cozy living room. Choose soft shades of yellow and bring the color into the space using accent pieces like throw pillows, furniture, blankets, and other decor so it doesn't feel overwhelming.

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  • 07 of 20

    Go Bold and Maximal

    A yellow feature wall in a living room with lots of patterns and retro style.

    @danidazey / Instagram

    Dani Dazey, interior, print, and fashion designer (and the designer behind HBO Max's Trixie Motel) used yellow paint and fun patterns to achieve this bold and maximal look in her LA home. Ensuring that yellow is used in furniture and decor throughout the room helps to tie the bright feature wall into the rest of the space.

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  • 08 of 20

    Pair It With Orange and Red

    A bright and bold living room with yellow walls and furniture paired with orange and red.

    @danidazey / Instagram

    We're living for this bold and bright analogous color scheme that Dazey put together. For maximal impact, extend your wall color to the ceiling and choose furnishings that fit the color scheme as well.

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  • 09 of 20

    Match Your Walls and Curtains

    A yellow living room painted in a muted yellow tone.

    @lumikello_ / Instagram

    Eva Kaiser, interior design enthusiast and founder of Studio Lumikello used a pastel shade of yellow paint on her walls and matching sheer yellow curtains to create a living room that literally glows when the light shines in. Pops of complementary colors like blue and green in the furniture and artwork add some contrast to the space.

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  • 10 of 20

    Feature High-Contrast Wallpaper

    A bright and bold living room with high-contrast wallpaper and a yellow velvet couch.

    @home_ec_op / Instagram

    Natalie Papier, interior designer and founder of design firm Home Ec., brought yellow into her client's living room in an artful and dramatic way by pairing a bold yellow couch with high-contrast wallpaper on the fireplace. The botanical print is both playful and dramatic and adds an interesting focal point to the space.

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  • 11 of 20

    Choose Yellow Bookcases

    Yellow floor-to-ceiling bookcases in an eclectic living room.

    @aconcept_incuration / Instagram

    When Instagram user Francesca Johnson (@aconcept_incuration) was designing her living room, she chose to paint her bookcases a rich, warm yellow to create a joyful and uplifting space. Paired with the crown molding, green and yellow furniture, neutral wall color, and lots of plants, the result is a warm, inviting, and super stylish living space.

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  • 12 of 20

    Go Bold and Dramatic

    A small living room with a bright yellow feature wall and dramatic black fireplace mantle.

    @cliffeterrace / Instagram

    Instagram user @cliffeterrace transformed a boring white and gray living room into the moody and eclectic space of our dreams by adding a yellow feature wall and dramatic black fireplace mantle. Subtle pops of pink and green in the decor help diversify the color palette, while the yellow couch keeps the color scheme going throughout the whole room.

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  • 13 of 20

    Use Yellow Wallpaper

    A bright and playful living room with yellow patterned wallpaper and blue accents.

    SPRUCE Interiors

    The designers at SPRUCE Interiors used wallpaper in a playful print to bring yellow into their client's bright living room. The use of blue in the accompanying decor helps the space feel bright and modern. The result is both stylish and cheerful.

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  • 14 of 20

    Feature Bright Pops of Color

    A small living room with white walls and sunshine yellow furniture with lots of plants.

    @joelixjoelix / Instagram

    Bring the sunshine inside with bright yellow furniture and artwork. Judith de Graaff, founder of Urban Jungle Blog, author of Plant Tribe, and interior design enthusiast, played up the white walls in her living room with cheery pops of color including yellow, green, orange, and pink.

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  • 15 of 20

    Pair Gray and Yellow

    A grey and yellow living room with a large TV.

    @bungalowrenovationglenview / Instagram

    Gray and yellow are a classic color combination that exudes a glamorous and chic feel. Elevate a classic gray-toned living room by adding pops of yellow with accessories like throw pillows, decorative vases, and ottomans like Instagram user @bungalowrenovationglenview,

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  • 16 of 20

    Go Monochromatic

    A small apartment living room with tall ceilings and historic molding painted entirely in yellow.

    Ready to go all-in on yellow? Then why not paint your baseboards, crown molding, and doors yellow too? Using one paint color for your walls and trim is a great way to make your space feel harmonious while adding height and making it feel bigger.

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  • 17 of 20

    Choose Amber Yellow

    A living room painted in mustard yellow with a white fireplace.

    SGS Design

    Interior design studio SGS Design chose a vibrant, amber-toned yellow wall paint for their client's living room. Paired with rich wood tones, an intricate black fireplace, and furniture in similarly rich hues the result is warm, inviting, and modern.

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  • 18 of 20

    Pair White and Yellow

    A bright white living room with a splash of yellow on the couch.

    Jonathan Borba / Unsplash

    Combining white and yellow in interior decor creates a room that feels soft and light. Add yellow into a room that is already white with accents like throw blankets, pillows, and artwork. Stick to muted or pastel hues to keep the room feeling airy and bright.

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  • 19 of 20

    Decorate in Victorian Style

    A victorian-style sitting room with soft yellow walls, gold accents, and dark wood.

    Andreas von Einsiedel / Getty Images

    When paired with ornate gold mirrors and frames, dark wood, upholstered furniture, and vintage decor that is typical of the Victorian decor style yellow walls feel elegant and sophisticated. Choose a soft, muted shade of yellow to fit in with this period aesthetic.

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  • 20 of 20

    Paint a Feature Wall

    A bright mid-century modern style living room with peach/orange furniture and a yellow feature wall.

    Scott Van Dyke / Getty Images

    A feature wall is a great way to bring yellow into your living room in a minimal yet impactful way. We love the use of a bright yellow feature wall in this mid-century modern living room to give the space some contrast.

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