Do Gray Tile & Yellow Walls Go Together?

Texture

• Walls may be smooth, slightly textured or have a rough texture. Tiles also have various textures, from smooth and shiny to course with a matte finish. If your gray tiles are smooth and your walls have a rough texture, use a shade of yellow that matches the depth of the gray. The similarity in tone between the two colors reduces the conflict in textures, allowing the two colors to work together despite the inconsistency in surface texture. If the two surfaces are similar, then one of the colors should be lighter in tone to highlight the color contrast.

Size

• The size of your gray tiles influences how their color is perceived. Smaller tiles have less visual weight, so the color "floats." Larger tiles give the color a more expansive feel and appear "heavier." If your gray tiles are smaller, such as 4-inch squares or 1-inch squares, choose a yellow that is one to two shades lighter than the gray in the tiles. This visually adds weight to the smaller tiles. If the tiles are 12-inch square or larger, choose a yellow that matches the same tonal range as the gray to maintain a visual balance in the room.

Lighting

• How dark the gray looks or how bright the yellow appears depends on how much natural and artificial light is in the space. If the tiles are so dark as to be almost black, select a sunny or lemon yellow or a jewel-toned yellow to attract the light and spread it throughout the room. The tiles, then, don't seem to pull in all the light, and the contrast creates vibrancy and energy. If the room has little natural light and depends on artificial light, select a yellow and gray combination that softens the artificiality; mid-range to light tones work well in artificial light.

Color Scheme

• The gray tiles and yellow walls are not the only elements in the space. Both colors take on different levels of intensity depending on the other colors in the room. For example, if pink and black are also used in the design scheme, the gray deepens and the yellow takes on more definition. Use the same tonal range for both the walls and tile in a scheme that includes other strong colors to maintain balance and harmony between the gray and yellow.