34 colour combinations that just work (and some may surprise you)

Pastel colours are the ultimate in ready-made colour combinations, all sharing pale or white undertones that make them perfectly compatible with one another. Follow the lead of Katherine Ormerod and pile pastel pinks, blues and yellows together with abandon.

Combining variations of the same colour can be really impactful. You can choose three or four colours from within the same family, but it is most effective if you have at least one strong contrast – like the two-toned staircase here with a warm ochre above and pale lemon below.

Pictured: Stairs painted in Wharf Sacking, back wall painted in Sella, both at Mylands

This is a really lovely example of using the right grey. These warming terracottas wouldn't sit so happily next to very cool colours, and so a warm grey with lovely lilac undertones is chosen instead. A buttery yellow would be a suitable accent colour here.

Pictured: House Beautiful Matchsticks Mono Blinds at Hillarys

A room that is predominantly black and white really invites any number of colour combinations – this landing would have equal impact in a pink, lemon yellow or green, for instance. Using the black as a framing device is really clever, too.

Pictured: Walls painted in Shallows, floor painted in Air Force Blue, both at Little Greene

This is a perfectly calming colour scheme for a home office or bedroom. Soft sage green promotes tranquillity and introduces a sense of nature, while dusky pink is a subdued feminine shade. A third match would be blue, used here as a striking pop of colour to draw the eye.

Pictured: Treron and Sulking Room Pink, both by Farrow & Ball

Usually considered a clashing pair, pinks and oranges sit close to one another on the colour wheel, and so can work harmoniously when shades are chosen correctly. A vivid pink and terracotta combination can feel wonderfully saturated – a quality that lends itself to vintage design schemes.

Pictured: Marlborough Terracotta Tile at Ca'Pietra

Combining black and brown has long been considered a fashion faux-pas – the theory being that using colours that are so close in tone can feel muddled and unintentional. The key here is to choose a black and brown that have sufficient contrast between them.

Pictured: Jute Big Panama Runner from Alternative Flooring

These are perfect complementary colours according to the colour wheel. Use a calming blue as your dominant colour – especially in a space like your bedroom or home office – and add a dusty rose as your accent. A third match here would be splashes of buttercup yellow.

Pictured: Knightsbridge Double Bed In Dusty Rose Velvet at Sofa.com

Pigmented browns, pinks and sunbaked reds offer a feeling of warmth and reassurance. They make a great base for bright accents; a shock of yellow looks great against a pinkish clay, and work equally with biscuity neutrals.

Pictured: Sofa and furniture at Swoon Editions

A crisp pistachio green makes the perfect companion to wood tones. Light woods alongside jute and rattan offer the perfect temperature – any darker and the contrast becomes slightly too pronounced.

Emerald greens are frequently matched with clean whites, light pinks or ochres, but green and blue are neighbours on the colour wheel, making them perfect partners. Green and blue are both cool colours, which can make them refreshing, but make sure to pick similar shades – an apple green with a vivid cerulean for instance – or as we see here, two soft and earthy tones.

Pictured: House Beautiful Darcy Sofa at DFS

One for bold colour lovers. Burgundy is a rich shade with dramatic impact when used in great swathes. A soft lilac is not the obvious match, but it brings out the purplish tones in the burgundy and plays down the red. A third match in this instance would be a graphite grey, or touches of subtle green in the form of plants.

Pictured: Grenache and Lady Char's Lilac both by Paint & Paper Library

This fabulous living room provides a readymade colour scheme. Natural greens and creams are an easy pairing, and if you are going to live with botanical influences so closely, it is best to offset with as much wood as you can get away with.

Lush jewel tones always work brilliantly together because they all share such rich undertones. This is certainly not a restful choice, but rather for those who feel invigorated by colour. 'Lush greens and sky blues combined with wood, stone, wool and linen will bring a heartfelt connection to Mother Earth,' says Sophie Robinson of her maximalist home office.

This cheerful home office belonging to Melanie Lissack is a masterclass in using all-over pastels without it all becoming too sugary. Lilac is a really underutilised colour, but it looks wonderful against a pistachio backdrop with striking black and burgundy accents.

This fabulous bedroom is a great example of using analogous colours – those that sit side by side on the colour wheel and tend to produce harmonious design schemes. The lovely deep red and tangerine combination sits on a whisper-soft neutral base which really lets them sing.

Pictured: Cushions, side table and duvet set, all George Home

A generous use of cream and pale yellow can give the impression that your room is the permanent recipient of gentle sunlight – great for those who don't benefit from any south-facing windows. Brown is a perfect accent in this instance to stop it all looking a bit washed out.

Pictured: Lighting by houseof. x Emma Gurner

Blocks of true black will always draw the eye, so it is a great choice to frame colourful artwork. You may want to use black in a similar way to draw attention to your best light source, or to direct the flow of your room to a focal point like a bed or sofa.