If you’ve ever wondered what colors go with blue, the answer is just about any color! Blue is a true design chameleon, and when done properly, can really mix with just about any other color. “Blue is one of the most versatile colors in the designer’s toolbox,” says designer Courtney McLeod, principal at Right Meets Left Interior Design. “It can move from soft and calming to strong and masculine, from urbane sophistication to French country. Blue is a universal favorite because there is a shade to suit every personality and every style.”
How to Pair Colors With Blue
- Pair with cooler colors for a calming effect: Falling on the cool side of the color wheel, blue is often thought to pair best with other cool tones like greens, grays, and purples. Sticking to cooler colors can give your room a sense of stability and calm.
- Pair with warmer colors for a bold statement: For higher contrast — and a bolder look — blue can actually play well with warm colors like oranges and reds.
- Keep an open mind: There are many more beautiful possibilities for decorating with blue than you might think, and new-to-you blue pairings (peacock blue and magenta? Yes, please!) might be just what you need to shake things up in your home.
1. Blue and Burgundy
Lynne and Ty McDaniel paired a cobalt sofa with a gorgeous burgundy area rug in their eclectic Chicago studio apartment. The furniture store owners installed a gallery wall of locally-sourced art that complements the bold colors.
2. Blue and Blue
Don’t be afraid to decorate with varying shades of blue, like Clay Crider and Julian Kline did with the living room in their Brooklyn apartment. The monochromatic look is calming and cozy, perfect for unwinding and entertaining.
3. Teal and Mustard
A teal and mustard pairing seems like a daring choice, but the risk is well worth the reward. Design consultant Allison Pierce’s stunning dining room in her colorful Los Angeles home is the perfect example: The sunny tablecloth acts as an energizing centerpiece, perfectly juxtaposed against the blue-green bookcase and moulding.
4. Blue, White and Brown
This peaceful kitchen by @antique_arte_y_deco shows just how well this color combination works. Light blue kitchen cabinets contrast with the dark wood beams, drawing the eye upward. The homeowners have cleverly added dramatic brown decor as well, counting on the white kitchen countertop to balance the space.
5. Turquoise and Gold
Blue and gold is a color combination that’s stately and elegant. But when you change the blue to turquoise, you get a fun, mid-century modern vibe, as shown here by @delightfulll. They’ve chosen to embrace the look with funky chairs and an amazing, dramatic gold light fixture.
6. Navy and Beige
If you’re wondering what colors go with blue to create an elegant look, beige is always the right answer. Navy and beige combine to create a pulled-together look in this room by @nimbus.beds. The subtle, patterned wallpaper is a perfect partner for the dark and dramatic bedding and curtains in this attractive room.
7. Slate Blue and Rust
McLeod is a proponent of this cool meets warm combo, noting, “A rich orange is a beautiful and unexpected pop that adds life to a slate blue color palette.” That said, you won’t want to overdo it. “A little goes a long way, so I recommend sticking to accessories for adding the orange to your decorating scheme,” McLeod explains, as illustrated in the living room above. Use art and objects to your advantage, peppering in those pops of burnt sienna around your space to create a sense of contrast—and movement—against a grayish blue backdrop.
8. Midnight Blue, Black, & White
Midnight blues, mixed liberally with black and white, make for an edgy combo that’s ideal for a minimalist who wants to put an eclectic spin on a classic color pairing. This Brooklyn rental features a large piece of blue DIY artwork that adds some drama to an otherwise simple scheme of hotel style linens, white walls, and black window trim.
9. Navy Blue and Mustard Yellow
McLeod describes this high-contrast pairing as an excellent combination that works particularly well for more gender-neutral interiors. What’s nice about this sunny look is that popular pieces right now, like natural wood tone furniture and brass accents, only emphasize the warm, golden tones at play with blue here. So many of your existing furnishings already jibe with this color combination. Use navy for a large anchor piece in your space like a sofa or rug—it’ll balance out a zingy mustard yellow accent chair and set of decorative pillows.
10. Blue and Gray
Don’t shy away from this calm and cool color combo in fear that it will be too boring or miss the mark. Blue and gray complement each other wonderfully; the key is just selecting shades that contrast enough to make an impact, as seen in this Chicago living room. Try this in a bedroom or living room to create the perfect atmosphere for relaxing and kicking back.
11. Pale Blue, Mint Green, & Bright Yellow
“Pale blue and mint green combine to create a fresh and youthful look,” McLeod explains. “I like to see these colors used in a balanced way within a space—the addition of a bold touch of yellow really gives it personality.” Feel like adding more? A pop of pink can’t hurt either, as this home in Israel illustrates.
12. Turquoise and Magenta
Feeling bold? Maximalists will love the idea of pairing turquoise with hot pink or magenta—the sofa and rug setup in this LA home makes for great design inspiration. This living room also exemplifies how easy it can be to add pops of bright color to a space without picking up a paintbrush. Between the sofa, rug, artwork, and coffee table with a yellow frame, there’s more than enough hue happening here that you don’t even notice the white walls.