Yellow and Mustard Bedroom Ideas
Yellow can be a lovely bedroom colour if you choose a soft or earthy shade such as mustard, ochre or butter yellow rather than bright lemon. Pair it with navy or teal for contrast, cream for calm and warm wood for depth, and use the art to repeat the yellow once more.
Below: colours that go with mustard, warm and cool yellows, bedding and headboard ideas, and how to choose art for a yellow bedroom.
Prints for this look
The colour palette
Colours that go with mustard yellow
- Navy and denim blue are the classic partners. Blue sits opposite yellow-orange on the colour wheel, so it balances mustard perfectly.
- Teal gives a richer, slightly retro look with mustard.
- Charcoal and warm grey calm yellow down and suit a modern bedroom.
- Cream and oatmeal keep the room light and restful.
- Rust and olive make a warm, autumnal scheme.
Use the 60-30-10 rule to keep yellow from taking over: about 60% cream or a soft neutral, 30% navy, grey or wood, and 10% mustard in the bedding, a headboard or the art.
Butter, mustard or ochre: warm and cool yellows
Warm yellows such as mustard, ochre and saffron have a touch of brown or orange. They feel cosy and suit walnut, leather, rust and navy. Cool yellows such as lemon and primrose have a touch of green. They feel fresh and bright, which can be too lively for sleep on four walls.
For a bedroom, the softer options are the safest. Butter yellow on the walls feels sunny but gentle. Mustard is best on one wall, a headboard or soft furnishings. Very bright yellow is better saved for a small print or a lamp.
Mustard bedroom ideas: bedding, headboards and accents
- Headboard: a mustard velvet headboard against a grey or navy wall is one of the easiest ways to use the colour.
- Bedding: white or cream sheets with a mustard throw and a navy cushion give you yellow without overpowering the room.
- Accent wall: paint the wall behind the bed ochre and keep the others warm white.
- Lamps and glass: amber glass lamps and brass catch evening light and echo the yellow.
- Wood: mid oak and walnut furniture ground yellow and stop it feeling childish.
Choosing art for a yellow bedroom
Art for a mustard yellow bedroom works best when it repeats the yellow and brings in its blue partner. Sunflowers, folk-style prints, abstract shapes in mustard and navy, and sun and moon designs all suit it. On yellow walls, prints with cream or deep blue backgrounds stand out clearly.
Above the bed, aim for art about two thirds the width of the headboard: one A1 above a double, or a pair of A2 prints above a king size. Leave 15 to 25 cm between the top of the headboard and the frame.
Browse our yellow wall art, or see our navy blue prints for the contrast colour.
Sizes at a glance
| Size | Centimetres | Inches | Works for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 | 8.3 x 11.7 | Shelves, desks, small gaps, sets of 3 |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 | 11.7 x 16.5 | Hallways, side walls, pairs |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 | 16.5 x 23.4 | Above a sideboard or small sofa, the anchor of a gallery wall |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 | 23.4 x 33.1 | Above a standard sofa or bed |
| A0 | 84.1 x 118.9 | 33.1 x 46.8 | Large walls, open-plan rooms, statement pieces |
All our A sizes fit standard off-the-shelf frames, and every print is made to order on museum-grade matte paper.
