Color Combo: Turquoise and Yellow

The cheerful color combination of bright turquoise with canary yellow can be overkill, especially if the colors are the same intensity. But what makes it work? Calm neutrals cover the basics (sofas, walls, etc), and the arrangement of the furniture gives each piece breathing room.

[ Photos from Drake Design Associates ]

Comments (14)

love it but i think i'd get sick of it really fast...

posted by misslyss on August 21st 2008 at 2:09pm
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Yellow is my least favorite color - but in this room it works for me.

posted by bepsf on August 21st 2008 at 2:41pm
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this looks wonderful

posted by hanako66 on August 21st 2008 at 2:44pm
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These are the colors I've been trying to work in my new apartment. Love the b&w framed art too. The black & white contrast looks as important here as the neutral elements. Ooooh. Thanks for the inspiration.

posted by pudgy-girl on August 21st 2008 at 3:05pm
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I love the color combo, but the two pics make it feel very stiff and contrived.

posted by reb on August 21st 2008 at 3:31pm
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Love this color combo. Definitely something I will consider in upcoming decorating projects.

posted by mary jane on August 21st 2008 at 3:32pm
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Wow. Does anyone know if those black and white prints of the (what I think is, anyway) Chrysler building? What a beautiful series.

posted by Lekamarie on August 21st 2008 at 4:01pm
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The color combo looks great in these photo's of real high priced glamour and ceilings 20 or more feet tall---but in the average home, not so much for me.
Over time I would want to change it faster then most.

posted by poptart on August 21st 2008 at 6:10pm
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Aahh! I'm crazy about this!!

posted by A Merry Mishap on August 21st 2008 at 6:28pm
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I have the same question as Lekamarie.... love the prints! Where are they from?

posted by JH4285 on August 21st 2008 at 9:45pm
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My living room is decorating with shades of turquoise and teal blue. I hung a painting with those colors plus a golden yellow, and the addition of the yellow really improved the look of the space. So I was just thinking the other day that I should incorporate a little more yellow for Fall. Thanks for the pics! There is also this same theme is this month's Domino!

posted by 2lastnames on August 22nd 2008 at 3:34am
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there is something about this color combination that reminds me of gidget and the 50s/60s. i think it's fresh and exciting, especially with white accents.

posted by Pistachio on August 22nd 2008 at 4:33am
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THANK YOU - my kitchen is being painted Behr Citrus and I need to make it work with the turquoise accents I have in the living room. The first floor is a relatively open floor plan (the developers built around the chimney so I have a 4 ft. wide wall in the middle of the space) so I don't know where to stop painting. At least I know I can leave much of the living room white and pull yellow into the space with pillows and accessories.

posted by casafroggy on August 22nd 2008 at 4:41am
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I just moved out of a fully yellow and turquoise space, into a beige space, and I have to say I miss it! I wish I could paint the new apartment...

posted by lemonadefish on August 22nd 2008 at 5:08am
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