Our March theme on Wit & Delight is about the joy of decorating with color. Some of the questions I hear most often from readers center around how to choose colors and how to know which color combinations work well together.

The color combinations I’m sharing today could be broadly applied through wall color or highlighted more minimally in decor or furniture. If you’re feeling dissatisfied with the design of a room but you’re not ready to start from scratch, consider bringing in color in a smaller way through decor. It could be a really useful way to get yourself “unstuck” in the design process. Slightly shifting your home’s color palette in a new direction can bring warmth and vibrancy in a really approachable way. 

Before we dive into my favorite color combinations, I wanted to share a note on existing design elements.

Deciding on the color palette you’ll bring into a room through paint and decor is a very helpful place to start when crafting your design scheme. But if you think of these colors in a vacuum, you’re doing yourself a disservice. It’s also helpful to consider the colors of the existing elements that won’t change—whether it’s the flooring color, the trim color, or the color of a light fixture. When you consider the room as a whole, the end result is sure to be something you’ll love.

Here are nine of my favorite interior design color combinations…

For a deeper look into how to use color theory to determine your home’s color palette, read this blog post.

Spins on Complementary Color Combinations

1. Tomato Red and Green

We have an entire room in our home dedicated to this bold color palette. You can read more about why I chose this color palette for our family room in this blog post.

2. Baby Pink and Hunter Green

This is a recognizable color combination (think walking through a rose garden) that feels both familiar AND fresh when used in a decor scheme.

3. Burgundy and Light Yellow

What I love so much about this color combination is how familiar it can feel. What I mean by this is that burgundy and light yellow (shown below on this bathroom’s cabinets and walls) is reminiscent of the familiar contrast between black and white, in a way that feels rich and deep.

Analogous Color Combinations

4. Cool Pink and Tomato Red

In theory, a pink and red color combination can feel reminiscent of Valentine’s Day. However, if you use a very cool pink and a tomato red that contrast in tonality, the result will feel completely fresh.

5. Hunter Green and Baby Blue 

This is one of my absolute favorite color combinations. I love the use of hunter green as a grounding color in place of a more neutral color like black or brown. 

6. Beige Pink and Rust

This is an earthy, autumnal, gorgeous color combination. In the example shown below, the familiar color combination of pink and red has been toned down to beige pink paired with the rust color of the wood. The result is a warm and serene environment. 

Color Combinations That Bring in Neutrals

7. Cerulean Blue and Cream

Lucy Williams features this palette in her kitchen (shown below) and in a more saturated way in her living room, paired with a mustard gold sofa. You can tour her entire home right here.

8. Ochre and Gray

This is a relatively neutral color combination that feels very approachable, as shown below through the gray fireplace and ochre chairs. Ochre paired with a warm wood like white oak is also an incredible combination.

9. Olive Green and Brown

This is an approachable color combination that pulls its inspiration from nature. The real fun happens when you play with the depth of the brown and green colors. Using a darker green will make the brown feel richer while using a lighter green will create more contrast in a way that feels unexpected and fresh.