Bringing a touch of sunshine to your home

Warm, golden sandy tones, reminiscent of sun-drenched beaches, through to vibrant canary shades can’t fail to banish the gloom and bring light and cheer to dull rooms.

“After a prolonged period of cold, wintry weather, no other colour brings such an instant injection of warmth and sun to the home than carefully chosen shades of yellow,” says Rishi Subeathar, founder of eico, the environmentally-friendly paint specialists.

If you’re wedded to neutrals and even the thought of yellow has you wincing and reaching for your sunglasses (a Crown Paints survey found 35% of us are scared of using any kind of colour in our homes), it could be time to overturn your colour prejudice.

“It’s true that yellow needs to be used with care so that it doesn’t overwhelm, or look as though you’ve covered a room in custard!” acknowledges Subeathar.

“But all its shades are mood-enhancing, from sunflower brights to softer buttery pastels. There’s a yellow shade to suit most discerning tastes and interiors.”

Yellows can be the perfect solution for dark hallways or small, light-deprived rooms, says Rebecca Thompson, colour and design manager for Dulux.

“Yellow, known for its optimism, has always been a popular shade and is associated with being clear, bright and uplifting,” she says. “It reflects warmth, is said to encourage inspiration and expression, and is the perfect shade to energise while still being sophisticated.”

Making a statement in a room with a splash of yellow is one of the easiest ways to create a chic, modern setting.

“Paint a feature wall in a bold, bright citrus and then balance its intensity by using grey-based neutrals or subtle whites on the other walls,” suggests Subeathar.

“If that’s too daring for your taste, simply use a deep yellow shade for alcoves to conjure depth and richness.”

Once you’ve taken the colour plunge and established a zingy yellow backdrop, you could go one step further and pull the look together with furniture and accessories in complementary shades.

Traditional settings benefit from more subtle yellow tones - from sand through to gold - which add warmth and elegance.