Yellow and Grey Decor: How to Style Your Room in Pantone’s Colors of the Year

Pantone recently announced the 2021 colors of the year: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating. The soft grey and sunshine yellow shades not only complement each other aesthetically but also figuratively, representing the struggles of the past year and the optimism of the future. According to Pantone, yellow and grey are “a marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.” 

Looking to refresh your home decor this year? Yellow and grey would be a perfect choice. Yellow, a bright, cheerful pop of color, warms up a room and evokes a sense of happiness while also making your space look larger. Grey, a classic, elegant tone, easily combines with other colors and makes a space look more modern and sophisticated. Together, these two colors make a great combination, with the warmth of yellow perfectly complementing the coolness of grey.  

Whether you’re looking to embrace this color scheme in an entire room or simply want to add a small accent to your space, you’re in luck! Here, we’ve got yellow and grey decor inspirations for you, including the best yellow and grey rugs to complete the look!  

Start with the kids’ room or nursery

A nursery or kid’s room is the perfect place to fully embrace the yellow and grey decor trend. Matching the walls to the rug can make the whole room look cohesive and intentional. The grey also helps ground the yellow on the walls so it doesn’t look too over the top. 

Opt for a yellow and grey rug

One of the simplest ways to incorporate a yellow and grey color combo into your home is by adding a rug with both yellow and grey tones. Our Yuma Yellow and Grey Rug seen here is understated yet effective.

Try darker tones for a sophisticated look

To keep the yellow and grey combo from looking too cutesy, try the colors in darker shades. The mustard yellow chair and subtle tones of golden yellow and grey in the rug look great together but have an edgier, more sophisticated look. For a moodier vibe, try painting the walls a dark tone as well.

Paint an accent wall or door

Painting an accent wall in either grey or yellow is a fun and easy way to incorporate the colors into your home. If you can’t commit to painting an entire wall, consider painting  just the door yellow and trimming it in grey for a cheerful and welcoming entrance. 

Introduce small accessories

If the idea of yellow and grey is too intimidating, start by adding a few small accessories, like yellow throw pillows or a grey area rug, to an otherwise neutral palette. 

Mix and match

A yellow and grey color palette doesn’t have to be over the top and obvious. You can incorporate both shades in an understated way, like in this bedroom, by mixing and matching the colors in small ways throughout the room. The grey rug and grey accents on the duvet are complemented by the bright throw pillows and dark mustard in the wall hanging. 

Embrace a monochrome look

If yellow isn’t really your thing, try a classic, monochrome grey look. Mix textures and shades to keep your space from looking boring. To incorporate a pop of yellow on a temporary basis, try adding a bouquet of yellow flowers, which can easily be removed when you’re tired of them.