By Kim Cook

Associated Press

If ever a color were to be associated with an emotion (OK, blue, we see you), it’s got to be yellow. Upbeat and welcoming, it’s a hue that’s easy to love. But it can be tricky to use when decorating.

Bold yellows are eye-catching, but color experts advise caution. Unless you’re prepared to live with bright yellow’s peppy assertiveness, softer, creamier versions might be more prudent choices.

Will Taylor, founder of the color blog Bright.Bazaar and an interior design expert at Marshalls, loves yellow in all its iterations. “To me, it’s happiness personified,” he says. “As soon as I see it, I feel joy.”

Better Homes & Gardens Style Director Jessica Thomas calls yellow “sunshine in a can.”

And Dee Schlotter, senior color marketing manager for PPG Paints , says yellow is often seen as the signature hue for “happy.”

“Bright, energizing yellows are known to enhance the mind and help creativity flow,” she says. “We saw ‘Gen Z yellow’ bubble to the surface last year, with colors like Crushed Pineapple reflecting the optimism and boldness of that generation.”

Schlotter says yellow was a close runner-up for PPG’s 2019 Color of the Year. Night Watch.