Gold is a distinctive color that carries a lot of psychological power.

From regal kings and gold crowns, to black and gold sophistication to rose gold iPhones, gold is a sign of class across many cultures.

These properties make gold ideal for designing spaces, branding, or accents, if you want to convey yourself as the best, a cut above the rest, providing something of great value.

Gold doesn’t have to look shiny or metallic. A pot of honey, for instance, may be described as golden. A golden sunset, the gold color of hay…nature holds a lot of variations of gold. So gold can be used to create a natural or earthy vibe as easily as it can be used to convey flash, glitter and wealth.

I see gold as a blend of two colors: yellow and brown. Gold can be eye-catching, like a bright yellow, or it can add warmth, more like brown. This gives gold the flexibility to convey different impressions.

Let’s take a look at how gold can be used in different design contexts. Perhaps you’ll find inspiration as you see how versatile gold can be!