About Lemon
Lemon, #fff700, is yellow at its sharpest — bright, cool and acidic, the citrus at full zest. Cooler than gold, more electric than butter, it is yellow that reads as tart.
History
Lemons preserved sailors from scurvy and flavored the world’s kitchens; the color name rides that ubiquity. Cleaning products claimed lemon yellow (and scent) as shorthand for fresh and clean; it became the aisle’s dominant hue.
Psychology
Lemon reads fresh, energetic and clean — yellow’s optimism with a citrus edge. It signals zest, cleanliness and cheerful sharpness.
In design
Lemon is a bright accent: electric on charcoal and navy, near-invisible as text on white (1.1:1 — one of the worst pairings). Pair with white and gray (clean), navy (nautical), mint (fresh). Cleaning, beverage and summer brands love it.
In culture
When life gives you lemons, lemon-fresh everything, a "lemon" of a car: the fruit’s bright yellow spans zest, cleanliness and disappointment alike.