Yellow is a colour long associated with opposing concepts - oriental and occidental, contemporary and traditional, spiritual and intellectual. It transcends national cultures and preferences in its ability to communicate optimism, respect, radiance and wellbeing. It is this duality that makes it so relevant for 2008 as we try to balance seemingly conflicting aspects of life, art, culture and innovation.

In a historic context it alludes to the timeless patina of gold and qualities of preciousness, while for the young its vibrancy is attention-grabbing, challenging and eccentric. This advancing colour has a physical effect on the nervous system caused by its pulsating and radiating quality.

Colour psychologists associate yellow with forward thought and communication and for this reason it is often chosen, in paler tones, for schools, libraries and other institutions of learning and study. People who favour yellow tend to be creative, expansive, inspirational and intellectual; it is very much seen as the balanced colour that sits between the realms of the mind, the spirit and the body.

More than any other hue, it has the ability to convey a mood of warmth, sociability and welcome. This soft and sunny shade is neither too strident nor too understated - a happy, forward-looking colour that speaks of optimism for the future but also represents a serious respect for history and the past - a warming reminder of the need for balance in all our thoughts and actions.