CHARMING YELLOW

"For oft, when on my couch I lie in vacant or in pensive mood, they flash upon that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude; and then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils"
Williams Wordsworth (1770-1850)

We surely didn't need to conjure the sight of daffodils in our mind's eye this month, did we? Everywhere I looked, yellow was blooming; from daffodils to forsythia - another "happy" flower of spring! Even tulips were on the verge of popping their petals open!

Yellow is also my four year old granddaughter's favorite color - at least this month it is. Favorites can change on a whim at four years old. However, yellow does seem to be a favorite in this year's color scheme, and all shades of yellow as well. "Yellow is the color of flowers, lemons, and sunshine. Envision also, ears of corn and vanilla pudding hues offering fresh appeal in each of its many variations," states a Martha Stewart columnist. According to Benjamin Moore experts, depending on the amount of red or blue it contains, yellow can have different personalities. Yellow with a red undertone are warm and welcoming, so they're great on large pieces of furniture and walls - "especially in north-facing rooms that might otherwise feel stark," says New York City decorator Thomas Jayne. Yellows with a hint of blue can come off as cold, so they're best used sparingly, on accessories or small furnishings. Jayne suggests keeping bright yellows out of bedrooms and offices, because they can disrupt sleep and concentration. But pale, buttery yellows "function as neutrals," he explains and can work just about anywhere.

Photo courtesy of Interiors by Thomas Jayne Studio, Inc. http://www.thomasjaynestudio.com/.
In this space, golden yellow wallpaper, hand painted with botanical motifs that evoke this house's Low country setting, envelops the entry. The color immediately sets a genial welcoming tone for the rest of the house.

"I think yellow is a fundamental color to decoration because it's the basis of a warm palette," says designer Thomas Jayne. "Most people respond to rooms painted in warm colors."

Jayne feels that with yellow's versatile nature and sunny-side-up appeal, it is little wonder that yellow is a perennially popular choice for interiors.

"I like a buoyant, light-filled house, so I usually use all warm or yellow-based colors. This ocher is really a contemporary yellow shade with an antique resonance. It doesn't draw attention to itself as, say, bold yellow or even white would. The ocher walls provide support for the exceptional paintings and furniture. Bright-colored walls would visually compete. This shade flatters everyone -- it complements every skin tone." designer Thomas Jayne


Hunter Douglas has introduced some gorgeous yellows into their window covering line. The Silhouette line carries fabrics with luscious names as Vanilla Blossom, Champagne, and Buttercup. The Duette and Applause cellular shades tempt us with Iced Lemon, Honey Maple, and Lemon Meringue. You must stop by to see these gorgeous shades!

I must admit that yellow has never been a color that I have been drawn to except as its use in accents, however, this year I seem more attracted to its sunny personalities and softer sides........or maybe it's because it is my granddaughter's favorite color this month and I find myself loving anything she does.

Vincent van Gogh himself termed yellow "a color capable of charming God." That's exactly what my granddaughter does to me!!