How to Design With Yellow & Blue Stripes

Determine where you want the stripes to appear in your design. For a more subdued design, choose yellow and blue striped bedding, pillows or rugs. If you want a bolder look, paint one wall in either horizontal or vertical stripes. It's best to make one wall the focus rather than paint all your walls in stripes, which could look garish.

Look at the color wheel when determining the shades of blue and yellow. There are several color schemes that will make your stripes look less jarring. For example, a split complement color scheme would combine the colors blue, red-orange and yellow-orange together, while a triad scheme puts together colors at an equal distance on the color wheel, like blue, yellow and red. Typical complementary colors are blue-green and yellow-orange.

Choose accessories, such as furniture, rugs, throw pillows or shelves, that accentuate the striped pattern. To determine the right colors for these accessories, consider the color wheel. In a color triad scheme of blue, yellow and red, red would be a complementary accent to your blue and yellow design. Subsequently, the split complement scheme blue-purple, yellow and orange would mean that orange accents would work best in this color combination. Pairing the blue and yellow with neutrals such as brown or beige will also work.

Select simple accessories in the accent color to avoid making the room look too busy with several patterns. For example, pairing bold stripes with polka dots and other bold patterns can look too busy. However, pairing solid colors or light patterns, such as a soft floral or delicate plaid, will balance your design.