Need some sunshine? Here's the hue for you

Can a color have a personality? In the case of yellow, the answer seems to be yes.

Yellow can be quiet or bold, subdued or daring, says color specialist Peggy Van Allen of Dutch Boy. It all depends on the shade and how it is used.

Interior designer Joyce Sielen of Boston Store's Design Studio in Brookfield, Wis., calls it adaptable and versatile.

A vibrant shade of yellow called mimosa is cheerful, warm and hopeful, says Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute, which chose it as the Color of the Year for 2009.

"People are drawn to yellow," Eiseman says. "It symbolizes warmth and brightness and all the good qualities of the sun. And in its own way it offers an antidote to the troubled mood in our nation these days."

Whatever its personality, yellow is beginning to show up in all kinds of home and kitchen accessories, from placemats to pillows to picture frames. Many such items, in stores now, can be seen on this page.

If you are considering making a bigger commitment to yellow in your decor, experts offer some ideas.

SUNNY COLOR CAN BRIGHTEN YOUR MOOD, AND YOUR DAY

When Leatrice Eiseman comes home each night, she unlocks her door and steps into a yellow entry area, yellow great room and yellow kitchen.

"I have used yellow ever since I moved to the Northwest," says Eiseman, perhaps the world's most quoted color expert. She lives on Bainbridge Island, just a short ferry ride from Seattle.

"Yellow is warm and welcoming and the perfect answer to those gray days that go on and on and on," she says.

Yellow seems to be gaining in popularity on the decorating front. It appeals to men as well as women, coordinates well with other colors, and comes in a wide array of hues that fit into all types of decors.

The Pantone Color Institute has chosen a shade of yellow, called mimosa, as its 2009 Color of the Year.

"It's a color that speaks to hopefulness and cheer," says Eiseman, executive director for Pantone. "And those are things that are so necessary during these uncertain times."

In its color trend forecast for 2009, Dutch Boy features three shades of yellow. According to color specialist Peggy Van Allen, who helped prepare the forecast, Dutch Boy's Carmel is a rich gold, Sullen Mist has greenish undertone and Creamy Camel is a subtle neutral.

Yellow is one of Betsy Hoke's favorite colors. An interior designer with Sturgeon Interiors in Whitefish Bay, Hoke enjoys working with color and uses yellow in her own home.

"I think yellow is wonderfully versatile," she says, "Some people find it too invigorating and won't put it in places that are supposed to be restful, but I love it.

"In fact, I've broken all the rules and even put it in my bedroom."

THE HUES

If you are considering adding a bit of sunshine to your walls, you'll want to put some thought into finding the right shade of yellow.

Yellows can be found across a wide range of the spectrum. Hues that border on green are found toward the blue end of the spectrum. Yellows that tend toward orange are found toward the red end of the spectrum.

Each has its place, and each tends to be an upbeat sort of color.

You also will want to decide how much to use. You can paint just one wall or an entire room if you are feeling industrious.

Or you can add yellow accents with pillows on a couch or towels and placemats in a kitchen without making a huge commitment.

Yellow shades can combine with other colors to create different moods and make very different statements.

THE COMBINATIONS

A pale yellow teamed up with pastel blues, aquas, apricots, pinks or pale sage creates a soft and delicate environment, perfect for a nursery, a little girl's room or a floral-inspired sunroom.

Truer tones of yellow combined with blue create a classic combination often seen in toile patterns, crisp stripes or Delft tiles.

When a bold yellow is used as an accent with black and white tile, zebra stripes or upholstery fabric, the result is very contemporary.

Gold paired with russets or sages makes an earthier combination, often associated with Tuscan or Mediterranean decor.

When it comes to woodwork, the clearer yellows work best with white painted woodwork for a contemporary look, while softer golds paired with cream-colored woodwork fit into a more traditional decor, Hoke says.

Eiseman finds that a chamois sort of yellow works well with natural stained woodwork.

"That's where yellow's versatility comes in," Van Allen says. "It can be quiet or bold, quaint or contemporary. It all depends on the shade and combination you use."

THE CHALLENGES

"I don't find the gold shades of yellow difficult," says designer Sielen, "but the brighter shades can be hard to work with and hard to live with as a wall color.

"A soft tone that offers just a hint of buttery yellow can be a pleasing neutral backdrop that can be used with almost anything," she says. "The bolder yellows don't recede at all. They make a strong statement."

Sielen is especially fond of Benjamin Moore's Westin Flax and Wyndham Cream, which are both soft colors.

Van Allen concurs that finding just the right yellow can be a challenge.

"You have to buy a small quantity and paint a sample on your wall, preferably in a corner, to see how it looks in different light and at different times of the day," she says. "It can intensify. It can be overwhelming."

Eiseman says people have the most difficulty with yellows that fall toward the green direction on the color wheel. "They can be too bright, too dramatic," she says.

But just the right touch of yellow can do wonders for your decor, and your mood, say the experts.

"People are looking for a little sunshine these days," Hoke says. "A yellow room can grab your attention. It can make you smile."

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