Decoration in yellow: freshness and brightness to bring life to interiors

Yellow is one of the most vibrant and cheerful colors in the color palette, and at Dune, a leading company in the ceramic sector, we advocate for its use in interior decoration. Yellow is the color of the sun, happiness, and joy, and in this post, we will discuss the meaning of the color yellow, its relationship with psychology, its use in architecture and fashion, as well as its importance in interior design. Additionally, we will also explore which decorative styles incorporate yellow and how yellow decoration can be a great asset in your home.

The meaning of the color yellow

Yellow color conveys joy and positive vibes. It is a primary color that can be warm and bright at the same time and is associated with clarity, fun, and curiosity as it stimulates the mind. In Western culture, yellow is considered the color of wisdom and intelligence and is also associated with creativity and originality. In many cultures, yellow is the color of spirituality and meditation. It is a color that transmits energy, vitality, and optimism, although in large quantities, it can become stressful.

Pantone, a leading company in the color industry, chooses a color every year, which they call the "Color of the Year," considered a trend in various fields such as fashion, graphic design, or interior design, among others. In 2021, Pantone chose the color "Illuminating" or light yellow, a color representing hope and joy in an uncertain world. According to Pantone, this color symbolizes a "light at the end of the tunnel" in a time of uncertainty and constant change. Using yellow in interior decoration can bring a sense of brightness and optimism to spaces, and when combined with neutral tones, it can create a fresh and cozy atmosphere.

The importance of yellow in interior design

In interior design, the color yellow is one of the most commonly used colors to create cheerful, vibrant, and lively environments. It is a color that is used to add illumination and a sense of spaciousness to spaces. Furthermore, yellow is a color that is employed to create contrast and highlight certain decorative elements. As a result, yellow decor is used in various decorating styles, from minimalistic to bohemian. Below, we take a look at different decorating styles. Take note!

Which decorating styles use yellow?

• Minimalist Style: Yellow is used in this style to create contrasts and accentuate certain decorative elements. It is typically used sparingly to avoid overwhelming the space.
• Bohemian Style: Yellow is used in this style to create warm and inviting environments. It is combined with soft fabrics, textures, and natural wood furniture.
• Industrial Style: Yellow is used in this style to infuse life and personality into spaces. It is paired with steel and concrete elements to create contrast.
• Mediterranean Style: Yellow is used in this style to establish fresh and bright atmospheres. It is combined with blues and whites to evoke a sense of tranquility and harmony.

Yellow tiles: a cheerful touch for any interior space

Opting for yellow tiles is synonymous with giving your interior a cheerful, vibrant, and eye-catching touch. At Dune, we have a wide and varied range of products in this color to offer multiple possibilities for any interior space.

Starting with the most basic pieces, we have the Flat Mustard Matt and Exa Mustard collections. The first one, measuring 7.5x30cm, is designed to create monochromatic spaces and play with its placement, making it perfectly adaptable to all rooms. From kitchens or bathrooms to living rooms or bedrooms, it's a series that suits any decorative style. On the other hand, the second one is a hexagonal porcelain tile, a format that sets trends in ceramics and is ideal for adding a unique and creative touch to floors and walls.

We continue with the Ibiza Mostaza series, perfect for spaces filled with freshness thanks to its surface with subtle waves. To enhance the ambiance, it can be combined with Ibiza Decor Mostaza, a collage of small geometries where white is combined with color. Ideal for highlighting areas such as bars, main walls, shower areas, or kitchen walls. The combination of both series is shown in the following image.

Our Mustard 20x20 yellow tile is a bold proposal to fill any space with life. Light and freshness in a porcelain tile perfect for both indoor and outdoor floors and walls.

To conclude our review of yellow tiles, at Dune, we have 6 decoration options that feature yellow as one of their primary colors. The Bellamira, Ornamental Mustard, Santorini, Creta, Mila, and Mykonos models are perfect for creating that colorful corner with hydraulic-inspired tiles.

Yellow color in architecture

In architecture, yellow is not the most commonly used color for facades, as few dare to take the risk with this color. Although it may seem to remove sobriety or seriousness from the architectural ensemble, the use of this color can bring excitement, vibrancy, and a much bolder sensation, infusing the building with life and vitality.

Certainly, it is used to draw attention and highlight certain architectural elements. Furthermore, yellow is a color used to illuminate and create a sense of spaciousness in spaces, as we will see in its use in interior decoration. It is a color employed in modern and contemporary architecture as it conveys an image of innovation and originality.

Below, we analyze a series of buildings where the color yellow takes center stage, giving them a touch of fun and joy. Let's get started!

Tellus Nursery School in Hägersten, Sweden. As we have mentioned, yellow decoration represents joy, positivity, fun, and curiosity. Designed by the architects Tham & Videgard Arkitekter, this unconventional and curvy nursery school is a clear example of this. Inspired by the mother's womb to create a cozy atmosphere, the yellow facade gives it vitality and dynamism.

Animo South High School. Los Angeles. Another school where yellow takes center stage. This building, designed by Brooks + Scarpa, aims to create an immersive space with well-lit internal courtyards while providing a safe environment with good natural lighting and ventilation. The yellow panels that make up the facade are designed to provide shade, reduce noise, enhance privacy, and bring brightness through sunlight reflection.

The Yellow Diamond. Seoul. The name of this building, created by architects Jun Mitsui & Associates Architects, leaves no room for doubt. A contemporary landmark in the South Korean capital, this yellow diamond stands out among a group of gray, cold, and uninspiring buildings. The yellow facade cladding makes this building shine like a diamond and adds that original and creative touch characteristic of yellow decoration.

The Center. Northeastern Illinois University. Chicago. This building, designed by JGMA, is one of the most important and central pieces of the University of Chicago. The yellow lattices in the image are there to protect the glass wall and give it that cheerful touch.

Cube Houses. Rotterdam. Designed by architect Piet Blom, this unique urban development has become the quintessential tourist attraction of the Dutch city. Built in the 1970s, they undoubtedly stand out for their shapes, which defy the norms of logic and have turned them into true icons.

Casa Giraldi. This is the latest work by Luis Barragán, full of color (not just yellow) that creates highly sensory spaces. Here, yellow plays a decisive role, coloring an entire hallway through the incision of light through windows of this color. This achieves a warm and welcoming atmosphere, a true pleasure for the senses!

Fallow Land Project. Vienna. A unique set of apartments, very characteristic and unmistakable in the city of Vienna. The facade is painted in a bright and vibrant yellow, making it stand out from the rest of the buildings and, above all, recognizable at first sight.

In architecture, the color yellow is used to create a sense of brightness and to highlight certain architectural elements. One of the most well-known architects who used the color yellow in his projects is Le Corbusier, who used it in his single-family housing projects and in his famous Unité d'Habitation building in Marseille, France. The use of yellow in these constructions served a functional purpose as it helped increase natural lighting in the interiors.

In summary, the color yellow is used in architecture for both its functional and aesthetic purposes. It can be used to enhance natural lighting in interiors, highlight specific architectural elements, or add life and personality to buildings. At Dune, as a leading company in the ceramic sector, we offer a wide range of products in yellow tones to meet the needs of our clients in architectural projects.

Yellow in fashion and runways

In fashion, the color yellow is one of the most commonly used colors to create eye-catching and original garments and accessories. It is a color that is used to bring designs to life and convey a youthful and fresh image. On the runways, yellow is a color used to highlight garments and capture the attention of spectators. It is a color used in both women's and men's fashion, and it blends with various styles and trends.

Yellow is also widely used in fashion and on the runways because it is a striking and cheerful color. Some well-known designers and fashion houses known for using yellow in their creations include:

• Gucci: The Italian brand is known for its use of yellow in its designs, especially in accessories and clothing.
• Versace: The Italian brand has used yellow in several of its collections, from swimwear to evening dresses.
• Balenciaga: The French brand has featured yellow in several collections, such as its Spring-Summer 2020 collection, where yellow was used in coats, suits, and pants.
• Valentino: The Italian brand has incorporated yellow in various collections, like its Fall-Winter 2020 collection, where yellow was used in evening dresses and swimwear.
• Jeremy Scott: The American designer is known for using yellow in his designs, particularly in his collections for Moschino.
• J.W. Anderson: The British designer has included yellow in his fashion collections, giving his designs a cheerful and fresh touch.
• Carolina Herrera: The Venezuelan designer has used yellow in several collections, especially in swimwear and evening dresses.
• Yves Saint Laurent: The French brand is known for using yellow in its designs, particularly in accessories and clothing.
• Dries Van Noten: The Belgian designer has used yellow in various collections, from swimwear to evening dresses.

In summary, yellow is a fashion trend and is used by several designers and brands to add a touch of joy and vibrancy to their creations.

The color yellow in movies

Yellow also plays an important role in the world of cinema. Cinematographers and production designers often use the color yellow to create a specific atmosphere or to highlight certain elements on the screen.

In some cases, yellow is used to represent joy, happiness, or optimism. For example, in Baz Luhrmann's film "The Great Gatsby," yellow is used to symbolize the wealth and excess of the characters.

In other cases, yellow is used to represent sadness or despair. For instance, in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's film "The Yellow Wallpaper," yellow is used to depict the anxiety and oppression felt by the protagonist.

In some films, yellow is used to create a sense of mystery or to highlight specific elements. For example, in Christopher Nolan's film "Inception," yellow is used to underscore the concept of dreams and reality.

However, one of the films that most frequently relies on the color yellow to create a specific atmosphere and highlight certain elements is "The Wizard of Oz." In the movie, yellow is the predominant color on the yellow brick road leading to the city of Oz. This road symbolizes the protagonist Dorothy's journey towards discovering her true home and fulfilling her dreams. The use of yellow on this path helps emphasize the importance of the journey and creates a sense of hope and optimism. Furthermore, yellow is also used to represent the kindness and wisdom of the Wizard of Oz, who is portrayed as a powerful and wise figure that assists Dorothy on her journey.

Overall, the use of the color yellow in "The Wizard of Oz" helps create an atmosphere of hope and optimism and underscores the significance of the journey and the quest for truth and the fulfillment of dreams.

Yellow in the theater

The relationship between the color yellow and the theater is not entirely friendly, so to speak. In fact, this color is directly associated with bad luck. But why is the color of joy linked to a bad omen on the stage? The "blame" for all of this lies with the death of the French actor Molière, who died a few days after the premiere of the play "The Imaginary Invalid" in 1673, right on the stage.

Molière, who was already known to be suffering from tuberculosis, spread this superstition because he was dressed in yellow at the time of his death. A tragedy that was immediately associated with the color and bad luck. In fact, to this day, it is rare for an actor to wear yellow for a theater performance, just as it is not a color used for stage settings.

However, in Chinese culture, the color yellow is one of the most commonly used colors and is a fundamental color in theater performances. It is associated with the emperor, royalty, and allows for playing with the personalities of the characters, as it can also refer to their cruelty or selfishness.

Yellow in art

The color yellow begins to dominate the world of art thanks to Goethe and, more specifically, the attire of one of the most famous characters in his book "The Sorrows of Young Werther." This character wears a blue jacket and a yellow waistcoat, which would become a fashion milestone of the time and a color combination that has endured to this day.

Before him, artists of the caliber of Vermeer already used this color pairing in their paintings, such as "Girl with a Pearl Earring," or Leonardo da Vinci, who said: "Among different and equally perfect colors, the one next to its direct opposite will shine more... blue next to yellow..."

With artists like Van Gogh and Klimt, Impressionist painters, the explosion of the color yellow in this artistic field begins. They start to paint things as they are perceived, not as they are. In other words, they begin to paint the light in yellow, just as we see it.

Yellow color and psychology

Being a primary color, yellow is warm and cheerful. In psychology, the color yellow is strongly associated with the mind and the ability to think and make decisions. It is considered a color that stimulates the mind and enhances concentration and memory. Moreover, as the lightest color in the chromatic spectrum, it is directly related to clarity, fun, and curiosity.

In fact, yellow is one of the colors most associated with creativity, mental agility, and curiosity. It is said to aid in decision-making and clarifying thoughts, as it also helps with focus and recall. Undoubtedly, it is a color with a strong personality, intense, and full of character. At the same time, yellow is a color that conveys optimism and joy and helps people see the positive side of things and overcome obstacles, so it is used in therapies to treat sadness and depression.

However, being such a vibrant and strong color, in its more negative perception, it can also be associated with stress, anxiety, restlessness, and criticism.

In conclusion, yellow is a color used in various fields and sectors, from architecture to fashion, including interior design. It's a color that conveys joy, optimism, and energy, and it helps people see the positive side of things. At Dune, as a leading company in the ceramic industry, we embrace the use of yellow in interior decoration, as it brings life and vitality to spaces. How about you? Would you dare with this color?