Colors That go With Mustard Yellow — 'These 5 Pairings Will Make Your Home Happier'

Consider colors that go with mustard yellow to create an interior that is cheerful, lively and design-forward

A corner with mustard yellow chair and teal walls
(Image credit: Michelle Gage Interior Design)

Finding the right colors that go with mustard yellow is all about balance. There was a time when this tone was considered garish in interiors, but as homeowners have become more daring, mustard has gone from gaudy to glam.

Having said that, this tone, whether used in its brightest tones to the most earthy incarnations, can be a difficult color to work with, but a few pairings can make it easier to approach.

Need proof? Take a look at these colors that go with yellow, and learn how to use them easily in interiors.

1. Pink

A space with peach doors and yellow walls

(Image credit: AMOO)

When it comes to colors that goes with pink, yellow can be a great companion, but only if you're looking to create a cheerful, upbeat mood.

An easy way to make these two colors work is to choose the right shades of each. Yellow varies from a light ecru to a bold sunshine. And, pink varies from subtle rose to neon attention-getter. Choosing the right shades will make a difference when using this color combo in your home.

'The apartment takes up the entire second floor of a small residential building,' say Aureli Mora and Omar Ornaque, founder of AMOO. 'To create a break between spaces, we used interesting chromatic choices in the interiors. The paint colors of pink and yellow intertwine with the terrazzo, iroko wood parquet, melamine, mirrors, and wood veneer, softening the visuals.'

2. Teal

A corner with a yellow sofa and teal walls

(Image credit: Michelle Gage Interior Design)

By choosing deep tones, you can keep mustard's dominating vibe in check, preserving the space's quiet air. It's a great color that goes with teal, and the two opposite tones wonderfully offset each other.

'This was our second project with this client,' says Michelle Gage, founder and creative director at Michelle Gage Interior Design. 'In her last space, we had sourced with pink and yellow rug which she loved and wanted to bring over to her new home. We were down to reuse it, but wanted the space to feel fresh so we brought in this deep teal to give new life to an old item, and added a mustard chair to add further contrast!'

3. Olive green

A dining space with olive green walls and a mustard artwork

(Image credit: TN Arquitetura)

A more muted mustard can actually have a nice, retro vibe to it. This classic, mid-century hue can perfectly complement more earthy tones, and make for a lovely color that goes with olive green or sage green.

'Elegant combinations such as olive and yellow evoke the sophistication of nature, creating calmness and serenity,' says Talita Nogueira, founder of TN Arquitetura. 'This harmony of natural tones is perfect for cozy and elegant environments, bringing the feeling of connection with the countryside.'

4. Blue

A living room with dark blue couch and yellow chair

(Image credit: Filippo Tommasoli. Design: Olbos Studio)

'The color scheme of the townhouse was guided by a quite analytic exchange of images and impressions with the client,' says Giorgia Cedro, founder of Olbos Studio. 'The grungy presence of the original bricks also deserved to be enhanced — so the blue represented the most elegant and classic choice to harmonize everything, without being too in contrast with the terracotta tones. Blue is the warmest of the 'cold' colors; it can hold everything together, and is a perfectly calming background for any accent piece like the yellow chair.'

If you want to add another layering, pink or grey are colors that go with blue so consider adding these in, as accents or subtle backdrop elements.

5. Peach

A dining room with yellow chairs and peach walls

(Image credit: Nichetto Studio Press)

Yellow can be a good color that go with blush pink or peach as the two tones are set close to each other on the color wheel.

Be warned though, that the two tones can sometimes feel a bit saccharine so perhaps use them in transitional spaces or smaller rooms to create a jewel box effect.

'I wanted to give a touch of warmth and I did that using color and volumes of peach and yellow,' says Luca Nichetto, founder of Nichetto Studio. 'I particularly chose materials culturally connected with the south of Europe and very deliberately mixed them with Scandinavian features.'

3 paint colors to pair with mustard yellow

Aditi Sharma
Design Editor

Aditi Sharma Maheshwari started her career at The Address (The Times of India), a tabloid on interiors and art. She wrote profiles of Indian artists, designers, and architects, and covered inspiring houses and commercial properties. After four years, she moved to ELLE DECOR as a senior features writer, where she contributed to the magazine and website, and also worked alongside the events team on India Design ID — the brand’s 10-day, annual design show. She wrote across topics: from designer interviews, and house tours, to new product launches, shopping pages, and reviews. After three years, she was hired as the senior editor at Houzz. The website content focused on practical advice on decorating the home and making design feel more approachable. She created fresh series on budget buys, design hacks, and DIYs, all backed with expert advice. Equipped with sizable knowledge of the industry and with a good network, she moved to Architectural Digest (Conde Nast) as the digital editor. The publication's focus was on high-end design, and her content highlighted A-listers, starchitects, and high-concept products, all customized for an audience that loves and invests in luxury. After a two year stint, she moved to the UK, and was hired at Livingetc. Currently, as the design editor, her focus is on kitchens and bathrooms and she covers exciting before/after projects, writes expert pieces on decor, color, and occasionally reviews exciting travel destinations.