They call it mellow yellow

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 As the old saying goes: "When life gives you lemons, make great home decor!"

Well, maybe not exactly ... but that's the way I remember it.

Lemons not only make great lemonade, but also make for great design inspiration.

As spring stakes its claim, lemons can be a great inspiration for home fashion.

Of all colours on the colour wheel, shades of lemon have the sunniest dispositions.

It is hard not to have a smile on your face when in the company of such a jovial hue.

Need to brighten your mood? Simply add yellow to your home decor, it is always thought of as joyful, open, and friendly.

When light hits yellow, it creates a carefree, radiant and open feel perfect for spaces such as a kitchen, sunroom, hallway or foyer.

Consider putting a fresh coat of yellow paint on the kitchen walls to cheer you as you pour that morning cup of coffee, or consider using yellow in the foyer to greet you with an abundance of goodwill as you arrive home each day.

Yellow is a natural choice for the front door of your home, as it is friendly and a yellow front door will certainly draw attention and give a home curb appeal.

Yellow is also an excellent choice for windowless spaces such as hallways.

Using yellow in a dark and dingy hallway will give the space a sense of illumination and the suggestion of light cast, as it leads you down the hall.

I prefer to use shades of yellow in rooms we do not spend great lengths of time in, as yellow is the first colour to hit the human eye, this makes it difficult to look at for extended periods.

Long exposure to yellow can leave us feeling unsettled and nervous, although you can confidently add yellow accents in any room to uplift the spirit.

Try a bouquet of yellow tulips, a hand painted yellow chest or bench, a bowl of lemons, yellow toss cushions, a yellow blanket throw, yellow matting on picture frames or a grouping of yellow vases on the fireplace mantel.

When working with yellow, be careful not to make the palette too Easter-eggish by using pink, lavender or pale blue.

For a refreshing contemporary combination try yellow with acid green or turquoise or yellow paired with black and white.

For a country-styled yellow-based palette try yellow with sun-baked red and accents of copper or yellow with an olive or sage green.

A classic French country combo of blue and yellow is always charming.

Yellow is as much a visual colour as it is a scent -- when we see yellow we expect to smell energizing citrus aromas such as lime, lemon or lemon grass.

These scents, like the colour yellow, will invigorate, refresh and lift our spirits.

Lemon grass essential oil increases visual concentration, try simmering some while studying for those end of the year exams.

Allow the aroma of yellow to surround and fill your life, your home, your workplace.

Now sit back and enjoy a refreshing glass of ice-cold lemonade and lemon meringue pie in your favourite citrus inspired room!