Classic Color Combo: Gray and Yellow

Some colors are known to just go together. Think black and white (add red if you’re daring), blue and white, pink and brown (Neapolitan, anyone?). These classic combinations are easy to pull together and practically guaranteed on the coordinating front. Another classic that’s been enjoying the spotlight in recent years: gray and yellow.

Gray is still a top contender for the neutral du jour, and for good reason: just about every color complements it, and it’s not white or beige. The downside to gray is that too much of it (or too dark a shade, especially without adequate lighting) can go dreary very quickly.

The perfect color to add some sunshine cheer to a gray-skied room is, naturally, yellow. The combination is simultaneously bright and serious, happy and solemn, bright yet toned down. For a more muted option, try shades of mustard or pale yellow for a similar (though less dramatic) effect than sunny yellow.

Check out these examples of gray and yellow perfection.

Start out your day with a brightening bang – but not too squint-inducing – in a gray and yellow bathroom:

Bathroom by Red Egg Design Group
Bathroom by Simply Grove
Photo credit: Erika Bierman Photography
Bathroom by Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs
Bathroom by B&Q
Bathroom by Shea Homes – Arizona
Bathroom by Moosehead Contracting Inc.
Bathroom by Moon Design + Build
Bathroom by Project 12 Architecture

Gray in the bedroom is restful for nighttime; add some yellow to help get you going when your alarm rings:

Photo via Michelle Hinckley
Bedroom by Atmosphere Interior Design Inc.
Photo via Michelle Hinckley
Bedroom by Judith Balis Interiors
Bedroom by Tobi Fairley Interior Design

Gray and yellow is the ideal gender-neutral combination for kids’ rooms, an excellent choice for shared rooms and unisex nurseries:

Nursery by Carousel Designs
Nursery by Carousel Designs
Kids’ Space by Lisa Lev Design
Kids’ Space by REFINED LLC

(And that extra pop of teal is just swoon-worthy!)

Bedroom by Susan Strauss Design
Bedroom by Jimmy Jacobs Homes

With a kitchen like this, who needs coffee?

Kitchen by Rafe Churchill: Traditional Houses
Kitchen by Architectural Design Consultants
Kitchen by Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC
Kitchen by Signature Designs Kitchen & Bath
Kitchen by Klopper and Davis Architects
Kitchen by Pushh Construction
Kitchen by essential design + build
Kitchen by Dallas Renovation Group

Use it throughout the house to spread the joy in any room:

Living Room by Treoma Design

Porch by Texas Construction Company

Living Room by Bumble Los Altos
Living Room by Intexure Architects

Living Room by The Cousins
Living Room by Eileen Kathryn Boyd Interiors

Living Room by Jennifer Brouwer Design Inc

What’s your favorite classic color combo?

yael