Think outside your usual palette.
Deciding on the right color palette for your home can be a daunting task. It can feel as though we’re forever caught between choosing what piques our interest now and what translates as “timeless.” Interior designers, however, are encouraging those who are refining their design aesthetic to throw out the rulebook and compose a color scheme that suits their space and personal style.
As we part ways with the dark and moody stretch of winter for brighter, longer spring days, you might feel called to revamp your space. Whether you’re reaching for a fresh coat of paint or coordinating your next tablescape, these are nine designer-approved color combinations to try.
Being on opposite sides of the color wheel, blue and orange hues work well together as complementary colors—as seen in this bedroom, designed by Theresa Butler Interiors. Striking a natural balance, the two tones play off of one another to create a cheerful aesthetic.
Interior designer Kerri Pilchik pairs chocolate brown and powdery blue in this Euro-inspired living room design. In keeping with her practice of adding a third, or even fourth color to keep her color schemes from feeling “one note,” she adds subtle touches of spring green to bring depth and vibrance to the semi-muted palette.
Interior designer Cynthia Rojas combines soft navy, rich mustard, and deep maroon to style this bedroom. These tones create a mellow and moody air that is layered and visually intriguing without feeling overwhelming.
Hailing from the same color family, burgundy and pink are naturally aligned, yet different enough to build notable dimension. The designers at Theresa Butler Interiors paired the hues in this midcentury Georgia home to create an office space as posh as it is practical.
Red and blue can transcend their primary-color associations, and Bridget Tiek knows it. In this kitchen banquette corner, the designer pairs pale powder blue with ripe berry tones to add a touch of warmth and create a visually compelling color scheme.
A lover of tonal palettes, interior designer Cynthia Rojas layers warm, creamy neutrals in this living room. The tones, despite having roots in the same color family, vary just enough to bring contrast to the design, resulting in an elevated minimalistic color scheme that proves you don’t need a strong statement color to style your space, just thoughtful hues.
Designer Cynthia Rojas combines unlikely hues in this Dallas family room, crowning the room's centerpiece, a deep green couch with a bright pink ceiling, to create a playful yet complex color contrast. Finished with soft tan details for highlights and depth, the color palette is both bright and chic.
Nature makes the best color pairings, and this palette is an ode to just that. Curated by the team at Theresa Butler Interiors, this color design aims to channel a relaxed yet rich feel, pairing teal for depth with green—nature’s most natural hue—to ground the design.
If you're looking to channel classic chic but want to stray from all-monochrome-everything, interior designer Maria Tenaglia dares you to try navy. A variation on the beloved combo, navy provides the same stable contrast as black without feeling as domineering. Paired with white, as seen in this California bathroom, the hue grounds the room with a rich darkness while the gold detailing adds notable flair.
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