May Tulip Yellow adds visible warmth and energy — works well in north-facing rooms that need a lift and in spaces where cheerful is the goal. At LRV 70 it reflects plenty of light, which makes it well-suited for north-facing rooms and smaller spaces that benefit from extra brightness. Because it's a fully saturated example, it lands strongest as a single accent wall or large architectural feature rather than the dominant whole-room color. Skip it in north-facing rooms with cool light, where yellows can read acidic or greenish rather than cheerful.
Ref. #F8D870 · 43YY 69/543
May Tulip Yellow
70%LRV Value
May Tulip Yellow Technical Profile
What color is PPG May Tulip Yellow (43YY 69/543)? It's a light warm yellow — hex #F8D870, LRV 70. The closest cross-brand equivalent to May Tulip Yellow is Vista Paint Tons of Sun — a near-identical match on the wall, with Vista Paint Mayan Maize and Dunn-Edwards Golden Rays also close. With a Light Reflectance Value of 70, May Tulip Yellow reflects a generous amount of light, making it well-suited for north-facing rooms or smaller spaces that benefit from extra brightness. Pair it with crisp whites like Pure White for trim, oak or maple woods, and brass hardware. Navy or deep teal accents balance the brightness without competing for attention. As a fully saturated example, it reads as a confident statement color — best deployed as a single accent wall or large architectural feature rather than a whole-room dominant. Under 2700K warm bulbs May Tulip Yellow reads more golden or buttery. Under 4000K daylight bulbs it stays truer to the chip, though saturated yellows can edge toward green in mixed light. Saturated colors amplify lighting effects more than muted ones: warm bulbs deepen and enrich, cool daylight sharpens and slightly cools the same hex.
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Colors Similar to May Tulip Yellow
Closest digital match based on color values. Always verify with physical samples.
Tons of Sun
Vista Paint
Nearly identical
Golden Rays
Dunn-Edwards
Nearly identical
Surfboard Yellow
Behr
Nearly identical
Golden Haze
Valspar
Nearly identical
Daffodil
Sherwin-Williams
Nearly identical
Spinning Gold
Dutch Boy
Nearly identical
Sun Touched
Hirshfield's
Nearly identical
Amarillo
Benjamin Moore
Nearly identical
Recommended Pairings
Colors That Work With May Tulip Yellow
Timeless pairing with clean white trim and a tonal accent wall
Side Walls
May Tulip Yellow
#F8D870
Accent Wall
Tonal Shift
A warm shift that adds depth without clashing.
#B3D062
Trim & Molding
Pure White
Crisp white trim for a clean, traditional look.
#FFFFFF
Color Palettes for May Tulip Yellow
Color harmonies based on color theory — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Opposite on the color wheel — creates vibrant contrast
May Tulip Yellow Room Palettes
Color schemes built around this color — each swatch links to the closest matching paint.
Warm & Inviting
Warm tones with cozy appeal — welcoming and comfortable
Cool & Calm
Cool hues with soft contrast — serene and restful
Bold Contrast
Complementary hues with punch — dynamic and striking
Similar PPG Colors
Other PPG colors close to May Tulip Yellow.
More yellow colors from other brands
Cross-brand colors in the yellow family — useful when you want a similar look from a different brand.
May Tulip Yellow — Frequently Asked Questions
What colors match May Tulip Yellow from other brands?
The closest cross-brand equivalents to May Tulip Yellow are Tons of Sun by Vista Paint (a near-identical match), Mayan Maize by Vista Paint (a near-identical match), Golden Rays by Dunn-Edwards (a near-identical match). These are ranked with the CIEDE2000 color-difference formula, which scores how similar two colors actually look to the eye rather than matching them by name — so they're the best options for getting May Tulip Yellow's look in a brand your local store carries. Always confirm with a physical sample, since sheen and lighting shift the final result.
What is the LRV of May Tulip Yellow?
May Tulip Yellow has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 70.2, on a scale where 0 is pure black and 100 is pure white. That makes it a light, reflective color that bounces plenty of light back into a room — well-suited to north-facing spaces, hallways, and smaller rooms that need to feel brighter. LRV is the most reliable guide to how light or dark a paint will read in a real room — more dependable than the swatch on your screen, which varies by monitor.
Explore More with May Tulip Yellow
Related Reading
How to Match Paint Colors Across Brands
The science behind Delta E and CIEDE2000 — find a Behr equivalent of any Sherwin-Williams shade, or a Benjamin Moore alternative when your store is out of stock.
Paint Sheen Guide
Flat, eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss — the right finish for May Tulip Yellow depends on the room. Here's how to choose.