For the love of yellow
Putting my Christmas decorations away allowed me to finally give everywhere a thorough spring clean, but oh do I miss the sparkle and glow of the fairy lights and baubles. They injected much needed light and warmth into my rooms and now everything looks horribly drab and grey in comparison.
Over the years I’ve tried numerous ways to counteract the low mood of Seasonal Affective Disorder and the sheer miserable-ness of January. More fresh air and exercise, practicing mindfulness, boosting my body with antioxidants from upping my fruit and veg intake. But by far the thing I have noticed has an immediate and beneficial effect is colour. Specifically yellow.
“Yellow is the most light giving of all hues….Just as there is but one truth, so there is only one yellow.”
Johannes Itten. The Elements of Colour
Yellow is the brightest color of the visible spectrum, and it is the most noticeable of all colors by the human eye. Despite psychology showing each individual perceives colour differently, the colour yellow suggests happiness and optimism more than any other. It is the color of the sun shining, it is a bright light shining in the darkness. It is the color of high energy, enthusiasm, hope, fun, and cheerfulness.
So how can you bring the positive effects of this colour into your life? The easiest and instant win is to fill vases with bunches of daffodils. Daffs are easy to get hold of and cheap, so be bold. Fill the biggest jug or vase you’ve got for a table or sideboard centerpiece. For a fireplace or shelf you can fill three or five pretty ceramic jugs, glass jars and even china teacups.
Braver still, add yellow cushions or a throw to brighten up your sofa. See my pick of the bunch with links below.
- Pompom Knitted Throw £12.60 Dunelm (While you’re at it, buy two of the matching cushions)
- MW by Matthew Williamson Lilou cushion £32 Debenhams
- Kardal stoneware table lamp £125 Cotswold Co
- Yellow pompom stems £24 Next
- Rosie yellow fringed cushion £30 Perch & Parrow
If you really want to turbo charge your colour therapy, go for a feature armchair in more of an ochre hue. That way you can add cushions and throws to tone down or enhance its brightness. Styled to perfection, Ikeas Strandmon wing chair in Skiftebo yellow is in my opinion, a bit of a bargain. An original fifties design, IKEA bought it back with modern fabrics and colours and it immediately became an Instagram fave. It reached iconic status and rightly so, it’s a real statement piece that will lift any room and works with light or dark walls. Even better, it has a matching footstool!
Lastly, how about wearing yellow? Obviously this depends on your colouring, but adding yellow accessories to a neutral outfit, a splash of vibrancy in a scarf or a pendant will give you radiance like nothing else. If you’re brave, go for a top or braver still a dress for a head to toe golden glow. You can go a darker ochre or a pastel lemon but my personal favorite is full on buttercup.
In an attempt to boost my mood I wore a yellow dress today on the school run and three people commented how nice it was to see a bold bright colour. I guarantee you’ll get compliments!
Thanks for reading, see you soon
Emma x
