Decorate with yellow for instant warmth

Cheerful, energetic yellow instantly adds comfort to any room, particularly soft, pale shades that are easy on the eyes. Muted yellows like buttercup, vanilla, saffron or sand could help brighten a room that has only a little natural light. It can also make a space with high ceilings feel cosier (choose a shade that is closer to orange, rather than green, for the greatest effect).

When choosing the perfect shade, it’s important to make sure that your favourite yellow looks just as lovely on the wall as it does online. Test a few shades by painting two coats of paint onto sheets of white A4 paper. Let them dry and stick the cards to your wall. Check the way they look at different times of day and night, as well as under natural and artificial light. Then you’ll know which is the best shade of yellow for that space.