Yellow Kitchen Walls: Shades Measured From Paintings
The best yellow for kitchen walls is a warm, muted one that reflects light without glaring. Here are three yellows measured from public-domain paintings, from light to deep, with the closest commercial paints for each. Three companion colors from the same paintings cover trim, wood and textiles.
Quick answer
Use #DDCD9F (LRV 62) on the walls of most kitchens. Keep #E8BA84 for one wall or accent, and #D0B166 for a large, bright room or for furniture.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Shades of yellow
#DDCD9FLRV 62
Pale Hay Yellow
The best all-round kitchen wall color here. Its LRV of 62 reads light and bounces light, and its warm yellow undertone keeps the room from feeling cold. Measured from "Tobias and the Angel" by Davide Ghirlandaio (David Bigordi).
Sherwin-Williams SW 6407 Ancestral Gold
Very close
Valspar 3008-8B Ancient Scroll
Very close
Farrow & Ball No. 37 Hay
Close
#E8BA84LRV 54
Warm Apricot Gold
Use it on a single wall, a nook or one bold piece such as a stool. At LRV 54 it is light but noticeably warmer and more orange than the other yellows. Measured from "Bar-room Scene" by William Sidney Mount.
Sherwin-Williams SW 9012 Polvo de Oro
Near-identical
Valspar 3001-5C Spun Gold
Very close
Behr HDC-CL-18 Cellini Gold
Very close
Farrow & Ball No. 51 Sudbury Yellow
Similar
#D0B166LRV 46
Deep Straw Gold
A richer yellow for a large, bright kitchen or for main furniture such as an island or table. Its LRV of 46 sits in the middle range, so it looks heavier than the lighter yellows. Measured from "The Outskirts of a Village" by Edmond-François Aman-Jean.
A good choice for trim and ceiling beside yellow walls. At LRV 70 it is very light, and its warm red-orange undertone reads as soft cream. Measured from "The Outskirts of a Village" by Edmond-François Aman-Jean.
Use it for wood: floors, open shelves or a butcher block counter. It is a mid-tone at LRV 21, with a warm yellow undertone that sits well with the yellows. Measured from "Bar-room Scene" by William Sidney Mount.
Best in small amounts, such as a rug, runner or curtains. At LRV 9 it is very dark, and its red-orange undertone stays warm beside yellow. Measured from "Bar-room Scene" by William Sidney Mount.
Sherwin-Williams SW 2807 Rookwood Medium Brown
Very close
Valspar 3011-8 Dark Earth
Close
Farrow & Ball No. 290 Salon Drab
Similar
How the lighter colors change with the light
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
Color
Neutral daylight
North light
South light
Evening lamps
Pale Hay Yellow
Warm Apricot Gold
Deep Straw Gold
Soft Peach Cream
Try these colors in a room
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is Tobias and the Angel.
Which yellow works best on kitchen walls?
Start with LRV. The lightest yellow here, #DDCD9F, has an LRV of 62, so it reads light and bounces light around the room. It suits most kitchen walls, especially in a small kitchen or one with little daylight. The closest paints measured are Sherwin-Williams SW 6407 Ancestral Gold and Behr PPU8-11 Mojito, both near-identical.
#E8BA84 sits at LRV 54. It is warmer and more orange than the other two, so it works well on one wall, in a breakfast nook or in an alcove. Sherwin-Williams SW 9012 Polvo de Oro is a near-identical match.
#D0B166 has an LRV of 46. That is a deeper, richer yellow. It can hold all four walls of a large, bright kitchen, but in a small room it may feel heavy. Behr 340F-5 Beachwalk is a near-identical match. If you are unsure, start with the lightest one. You can go deeper on another wall later.
What goes with yellow kitchen walls: trim, ceiling and floors?
For trim and ceiling, try #F0D6BF, LRV 70. It is very light with a warm red-orange undertone, so it reads as a soft cream with a hint of peach rather than stark white. Sherwin-Williams SW 6358 Creamery and Behr UL130-11 Iced Apricot are near-identical matches. Its LRV is higher than any of the yellows, so trim and ceiling will look lighter than the walls.
For wood, use #967859, LRV 21, a mid-tone brown with a warm yellow undertone. It suits a floor, open shelves or a butcher block counter. Sherwin-Williams SW 6124 Cardboard, Behr BXC-08 Safari Brown and Valspar 3002-9B Mocha Syrup are all near-identical matches.
For a rug, runner or curtains, #6B4E39 has an LRV of 9 and anchors the room without taking it over. Behr BXC-65 Outback Brown is a near-identical match. Use #D0B166 on main furniture and #E8BA84 for one bold piece.
How do yellow walls look in different kitchen light?
All three yellows have a warm undertone, so they add warmth to a room rather than cooling it. In a kitchen with cool daylight, such as a north-facing room, the lightest yellow, #DDCD9F, is the safest choice. Its LRV of 62 gives you the most reflected light.
In a south- or west-facing kitchen with plenty of sun, you can go deeper. #D0B166 (LRV 46) and #E8BA84 (LRV 54) will look richer in strong light and softer toward evening.
Artificial light changes things too. Warm bulbs push yellow toward gold and orange. Cooler bulbs can make it look paler. Check your bulbs before you decide, and look at the color in the morning, at midday and at night. A kitchen is often used most after dark, so the evening look matters as much as the daytime one.
How do you test yellow paint samples in a kitchen?
Paint a sample at least two feet square on the wall you plan to paint, or on a poster board you can move around the room. Use two coats so the color is true.
Put samples next to the things that will stay: cabinets, countertop, backsplash and floor. Yellow shifts against its neighbors, so judge it beside them, not alone on a white board.
Watch each sample for a full day. Look at it in morning light, at midday and under your evening bulbs. The hex values and LRV on this page are measured from the paintings, so a paint from the can may look slightly different on your wall. Order sample pots of the closest matches listed for each color and compare them side by side.
FAQ
What is the best yellow paint for kitchen walls?
For most kitchens, #DDCD9F is the easiest choice. It has an LRV of 62, so it reads light, and its warm undertone feels welcoming. The closest paints measured are Sherwin-Williams SW 6407 Ancestral Gold and Behr PPU8-11 Mojito.
Will yellow paint make a small kitchen feel darker?
A light yellow will not. At LRV 62, #DDCD9F reflects light well. The deeper #D0B166, at LRV 46, can feel heavier in a small room, so try it on one wall or on furniture first.
What trim color goes with yellow kitchen walls?
A very light warm cream such as #F0D6BF works well. Its LRV of 70 is higher than the yellows, so trim reads lighter than the walls. Sherwin-Williams SW 6358 Creamery is a near-identical match.
What wood tones go with a yellow kitchen?
Warm mid-tone browns such as #967859 sit well with these yellows because they share a warm yellow undertone. For a darker accent on rugs or curtains, #6B4E39 has an LRV of 9.
Can I use yellow on just one kitchen wall?
Yes. #E8BA84, at LRV 54, is warm enough to stand out on one wall or in a nook. Pair it with a lighter yellow or cream on the other walls so the room stays balanced.
Save these colors
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Painting images: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0).
Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
From Tobias and the Angel, Davide Ghirlandaio (David Bigordi)
