These unassuming little cowslips brought a smile today with their cheerful flash of yellow amongst the hellebores and forget-me-nots. Inspired by the cowslips, we can use yellow to create a sunny mood in our home, bringing the essence of sunshine indoors.
In astrology yellow is the colour of the Sun, the ‘Lord of the Day’ and is also associated with royalty, power, glory and vitality.
Yellow is the colour of the solar plexus chakra ‘Manipura’. According to Wikipedia ‘Physically, Manipura governs digestion, mentally it governs personal power, emotionally it governs expansiveness, and spiritually, all matters of growth’ (Wikipedia – The Sola Plexus Chakra)
So yellow has a lot going for it – we could think of it as the happiness colour – which makes it a good choice for kitchens, halls, breakfast rooms and living rooms. The rooms we use to welcome friends and family – where we spend time together and where feelings of optimism combined with light and warmth help create a comfortable home.
Inspired by the cowslips here are a few analogous or harmonising colour combinations – demonstrating how nature and the colour wheel can help you bring yellow into your home
Wallpaper
Subtle creamy golden yellow combines with soft yellow-green in an elegant combination that could add warmth to a living room with cooler daylight or brighten a room with a sunny aspect.
19909 Barbara Hulanicki Ophelia Yellow,Cream Floral Wallpaper (www.grahambrown.com)
Elegant vases from www.vases.co.uk could be used to reinforce the green – yellow combination:
LSA Coro Leaf Vases Set Of Two
Paint
The yellow theme can be taken into adjacent rooms to create a warm welcome whilst neutrals help maintain a relaxed atmosphere.
Dulux have a lovely range of yellows, including Wild Primrose – A light, spring lemon colour that could look great in a sunny kitchen. www.dulux.co.uk
If you want to make a sunny statement in the living room, this sumptuous golden yellow sofa could be a good place to start, available from www.wesley-barrell.co.uk
Taking inspiration from the cowslips nestling amongst forget-me-nots, we could add contrasting colour accessories in violet and blue-violet, like these vases from http://www.vases.co.uk
LSA Coro Berry Vases Set Of Two from Heals
Or brighten a brown leather sofa with these cheerful yellow cushions. These are from Kimberly Dawn
Silk Taffeta Yellow Gingham Cushions
For garden fans – a few last words on cowslips – according to Wikipedia the species name is Primula vēris (vēris means “of spring”) and so the humble cowslip heralds the warmer weather and sunny days of summer.
‘Cowslip leaves have been traditionally used in Spanish cooking as a salad green. Uses in English cookery includes using the flowers to flavour country wine and vinegars; sugared to be a sweet or eaten as part of a composed salad while the juice of the cowslip is used to prepare tansy for frying.’
‘Folk names include Cowslip, Cuy lippe, Herb Peter, Paigle, Peggle, Key Flower, Key of Heaven, Fairy Cups, Petty Mulleins, Crewel, Buckles, Palsywort and Plumrocks.’
And for those who remember the joy of Morecambe & Wise, treat yourself to a dose of sunshine:
Bring Me Sunshine – YouTube
Bring me Sunshine, in your smile,
Bring me Laughter, all the while,
In this world where we live, there should be more happiness,
So much joy you can give, to each brand new bright tomorrow…
Words – Sylvia Dee, Music – Arthur Kent
Morecambe and Wise bring you sunshine
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