We may have eagerly reached for that particular crayon color as children, but at some point, our adult sensibilities took over and now we tend to use yellow in our homes sparingly, if at all.

If yellow suffers from an identity crisis, it may help to think of it in softer terms, such as butter, gold, mustard and ochre. With this expanded palette, you can find good reasons to add yellow to your home décor for your McKinney home.

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• Yellow conveys happiness, and you can credit Van Gogh's sunflower paintings for giving it this cheerful status. The softest yellows are easy on the eye and can be used liberally, from window treatments to rugs, to brighten any room.
• Yellow was used by the Aztecs to symbolize food. This makes yellow a natural choice for kitchens from backsplashes to golden-toned granite countertops.
• Yellow exudes warmth, especially when used in wood. Light oaks especially contain yellowish hues that soften what would otherwise make a bolder statement and provide the feeling of natural color.
• Yellow is a sure attention-getter, but be careful not to overdo a good thing. One chair or ottoman in yellow fabric is all you need to make a statement. If you're decorating adjoining rooms, use yellow to anchor the stretch with a yellow rug at one end and a yellow chair at the other.

We love primary colors, but we also love to show McKinney homeowners how they can think outside that crayon box and use the different hues of yellow to great effect. Call Stephanie Kratz Interiors for a consultation and we'll show you how to add yellow to your home décor.