Yard Party works best when you treat it as a calm backdrop rather than the star of the show. It's the kind of muted, earthy tone that lets everything around it breathe, so the trick is layering warmth and texture rather than fighting it with anything loud.
Start overhead. A warm off-white on the ceiling keeps things soft and stops the room feeling clinical. Farrow & Ball Au Lait (LRV 80) is a lovely milky choice that bounces light without going stark, and Paper III from Paint & Paper Library (LRV 75.3) does a similar job with a touch more body — both sit comfortably above Yard Party without creating a harsh ceiling line.
On woodwork, go soft putty or stone rather than brilliant white. A creamy, slightly grey-down trim keeps the whole scheme grounded and gentle. Then let your materials carry the rest: undyed linen, pale oak, a bit of rattan or natural stone all read as part of the palette and do the heavy lifting for free.
Where you want to add depth, do it on a single piece — a cabinet, a chimney breast, a door. Mylands Cigar BH.20 (LRV 11.8) is a cracking choice here: a deep, warm brown-black that anchors the room without coldness. A deeper olive or ink blue does the same job if you'd rather lean green or moody.
If you fancy a proper accent — cushions, a chair, a bit of art — Dulux Fuchsia Falls 2 (LRV 29.8) brings a punchy pink that plays surprisingly well against Yard Party's earthiness. Used in small doses it lifts the whole scheme and stops it feeling too safe.
My advice: sample big, and always look at Yard Party against your chosen white at different times of day. North-facing rooms will pull it cooler and slightly more grey, so warm everything else up to compensate. Get the off-white right and the rest falls into place.