Do Yellow Window Frames Brighten Your Home? Here's What Our Expert Says

Adding brightness to a home can help keep it feeling warm and cheery, even during darker and colder months. There are many smart ways to brighten up a dark room, and some people have tried brightening up their kitchen space with these yellow cabinet ideas, but are yellow window frames a good design choice, too? Instagram user @myplaceincolour seemed to think so when she posted a video of painting her window frames yellow to "have sunshine all year round." House Digest spoke exclusively with Erika Dale, interior designer and founder of Erika Dale Interior Design, to answer this design question.

"Painting the inside of the window yellow will not necessarily actually brighten the home's interior year round, as you aren't adding in any additional source of light," Dale explained. "However, the yellow rim around the windows produces a warming effect similar to the glow of filtered sunlight during golden hour as the light reflects off of the surface, giving off cozy, warm vibes like sunshine."

While you certainly can paint your window frames yellow (or any color for that matter), it doesn't mean it is necessarily a good idea. When House Digest spoke exclusively with Erika Dale, she explained what types of windows the sunshine effect would and wouldn't work for. "The Instagram user has windows with what is called a drywall return, meaning the window is recessed into the wall with a ring of drywall before the window trim," Dale said. "This technique will only work with similar style windows, as those with traditional window trim will not have this inward-facing surface to paint." 

For those with that traditional window trim, she explained further why she doesn't recommend this design choice. According to Dale, painting your drywall yellow is a fairly simple process, but painting the window frame is not. Not only would it take a fair amount of time, but it also wouldn't create the desired effect because there isn't enough surface area on the window frame.

While a design idea may look stunning in one person's house, that doesn't mean it will work in other types of spaces. Trends often seem glamorous at first, but there are telltale signs that even a seemingly timeless trend won't last. During House Digest's exclusive interview with Erika Dale, she explained another reason this idea wouldn't work for many homes.

"While I think this is a fun, quirky idea to bring joy into an interior full of color, it may look out of place in a home with a muted or neutral aesthetic," Dale said. "Without other pops of yellow or vibrant color to complement the happy hue, it is likely to look out of place." 

If you are looking to incorporate more yellow into your space, according to Dale, "a saturated golden sunflower yellow with orange undertones is the best shade to mimic that warm golden hour glow." Feeling inspired to add yellow to your space? Check out these butter yellow decor ideas to try in your home for an instant mood boost.