There is a color that lives somewhere between morning light and a jar of wildflower honey. It's the yellow of ripe pears and fresh-churned butter. Soft, warm, and creamy, it’s a color that exudes joy and lightness.

Butter yellow has gained popularity in fashion, interior design, and beyond over the past few years. Psychologically, yellow is the color most associated with happiness and increased energy. Evocative of a cozy cottage interior, a stroll through the streets of Europe, or the expansive ease of a long summer afternoon, it’s no wonder why this color has become a go-to in the design zeitgeist. 

As the days grow longer and warmer, we've been collecting palettes that carry this same sense of light and radiance. Here are five color palettes incorporating butter yellow hues that we love, made using the Palette Scout deck.

1. Van Gogh, Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase, ca. 1890

Palette: Amber 4, Amber 3 tone, Midnight 2 tone, Pine 2 tone, Garnet 2, Garnet 5

Here, warm yellows, ambers, and oranges erupt against a deep midnight background—the value contrast between being so stark that the flowers seem to generate their own light. Garnet red and Pine green add richness, depth, and sophistication, providing a reminder that lighter hues like butter yellow aren't just for pastel forward palettes.

2. Céline Spring/Summer 2018 Ready-To-Wear

Palette: Ibis 5, Amber 5, Amber 4 tone, Kohlrabi 3

Pale butter yellow and soft pink are elevated through a mix of structure and softness in this Céline runway look. The deep purple turtleneck acts as a complementary accent that gives the baby-soft hues additional intrigue.

3. Tomato Toast

Palette: Amber 4, Flame 1 tone, Kohlrabi 2 tone, Flame 3, Pine 5

Sometimes the best things in life are accidental, such as this near-perfect example of a complementary color harmony found in butter yellow plates, vivid red ripe tomatoes, and a purple cutting board. A touch of Pine found in a Maldon sea salt box is unexpected and crisp. This is a photo and palette that’ll have you salivating. 

4. T.B. Lightfoot, Prize Irish Batch or Crumby Loaf, ca. 1903

Palette: Amber 5, Amber 4, Carrot 3 tone

In this photograph from The Book of Bread, pale cream fades into warm butter yellow which meets a golden-brown crust. This monochromatic palette moves through value rather than multi-varied hues. It's quiet, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying in the way that simple things like an excellent loaf of bread often are. All that's missing is, well, a slab of butter! 

5. Butter Yellow Linens from Piglet in Bed

Palette: Buttercup 4, Ocean 4 tone, Daylily 2 tone, Buttercup 4 tone

Blue and yellow is one of the oldest pairings in color theory, and this bedroom shows exactly why it endures. A dusty, muted blue on the walls meets butter yellow and cream in cotton-linen bedding from Piglet in Bed. Soft, airy, and made for slow mornings.

From a Van Gogh painting to a plate of tomatoes on a sunny afternoon, color inspiration is all around us. Don't be afraid to pull from various inspirations—you never know where your new favorite color pairing might appear.

This season, play with the butter yellow hues in your Palette Scout deck and see where the sunshine takes you. We'd love to see what you create. Share your palettes with us on Instagram by tagging @zolliemakes. We can't wait to follow along!