Colors That Go With Purple (Color Matching Guide)

Find out what colors that go with purple interiors including the perfect color matches for light, dark, and pastel purple that work best with your accent decor & furniture.
Decorating with purple is at once perplexing and enjoyable. It may not be the most popular choice, but it certainly is the most interesting. 

The gentle color has proven to be versatile as well, especially when it comes to interior design. 

Purple walls make perfect backdrops and bring a sense of grandeur to a room. You can paint one side of the wall purple to highlight a particular niche. 

It also works best with accent decors and centerpiece furniture like the sofa or bed. 

If you want to know how you can pull off this lush and attractive color to your interiors, we have the easiest color guide for you!

Purple combines the intensity of the color red and the stability of the color blue. This attractive color is best known to mean luxury, royalty, and ambition, but it can also represent wisdom, creativity, devotion, independence, and dignity. 

However, some find the color too foreign or often associate it with mysticism and darkness. Many think of it as too bold or too difficult to pair with other colors. But nothing could be further from the truth!

Just like any color, purple is fun to experiment with, and there are tons of ways you can use it in your home. Understanding color theory can help you find the perfect color combinations with purple.

Colors That Match With Purple

To understand color theory, all you need is a color wheel so you can easily gauge which colors are harmonious with each other, and which ones are best paired with purple.

Complementary Colors

This purple bedroom design features a complementary color scheme.

Colors that are directly opposite each other are called Complementary colors. They contrast each other and create a balanced visual effect. For purple, the complementary colors are green and yellow.

Analogous Colors

Colors that are positioned beside each other are called Analogous colors. This color scheme is most harmonious since it is often found in nature. 

The colors analogous to Purple are the ones sitting right next to it in the color wheel, either from the left or right. You can use purple as the main color and secondary colors as accents. 

Triadic Colors

Another color scheme you can try is the Triadic color scheme, where you select three colors that form a triangle in the color wheel. 

For a triad with purple, you get orange and green. This combination brings a more energetic vibe when used in a room. 

Monochromatic Colors

If you want to stick with just purple, you can always play with its various shades and tints. This is called the Monochromatic color scheme and is achieved by adding black or white to the base color. 

A monochromatic purple scheme goes well with neutrals, such as grey, brown, black, and white. 

What Color Goes Best With Purple?

Purple is a pretty versatile color and there is no single color match for it. In general, it is best paired with orange, yellow, green, brown, black, white, and grey.

But various tones of purple have their corresponding recommended color matches as well. In the end, these color combinations would only depend on the purpose of a room or a specific style you’re going after. 

Now that you know the different schemes that work with purple, you can start choosing specific hues to convey a certain aesthetic in your home.

Below are the most common designer-approved color matches of purple for your interiors.

Colors That Go With Light Purple

Light purple is often called lilac or lavender, and even periwinkle. Lighter values of purple add a restful mood to a room. 

Orange

Everybody knows opposites attract, but purple and orange are the best examples of this color theory. The energizing orange is tamed with a calm purple and thus, creates a perfect visual balance. 

If you want a room with a vibrant character, this color scheme is for you.

Green

It may seem like a surprising contrast, but different shades of green – especially lime, olive, and mint green – have long been the perfect pairs for purple interiors. 

This classic color combination is best mixed with white or light beige to make the room feel more natural to look at.

Colors That Go With Dark Purple

Purple in its darkest value makes an elegant partner to gold, silver, and other metallics, giving your home a sophisticated appearance. 

Mustard

Just like green, yellow is another complementary color of purple and you’ll find the two naturally balance out. You can make the room appear livelier and more interesting by pairing dark purple with a darker yellow shade, which is mustard. 

While a fashionista’s favorite, this color combination is also well-loved by interior designers to bring a vigorous yet sophisticated ambiance to a room. 

Brown

If you don’t find contrasts to your taste, neutrals like brown, coffee, tan, and beige are wonderful color matches for dark purple, too. 

You can use these shades for upholstery, rugs, and other textured surfaces, which perfectly blend with a dark purple backdrop – a great idea for a cozy study!

Old Rose

Darker tones of purple combined with a soft, dusty-pink shade create a cool and cohesive ambiance, as most monochromatic color schemes do. 

With this combo, dark purple works best as touches and details, such as rugs, upholstery, or accent furniture. It would look more special and become points of interest in an otherwise neutral palette. 

Colors That Go With Pastel Purple

Pastel purple is a less intense but much sweeter shade of the luxurious color. It creates a light and soothing atmosphere and is great to use widely in any room.

Taupe

Muted pastels always work well with neutrals; the same is true for pastel purple. Taupe is a blend of grey and brown and is the perfect alternative to commonly-used neutrals like black, white, or grey. 

Combined with pastel purple, it creates a two-toned casual and airy space without looking plain.

Pastel Blue

Blue and purple give away a sense of tranquility, and such becomes more defined when these colors are muted. Pastel tints of purple and blue create a soothing vibe from casual to contemporary themes. 

Purple and blue are a great combination that keeps a calm and cool aesthetic. Lighter shades of purples and blues can also add some light green into the mix to give a brighter, more playful look to the room. – interior designer Savannah Phillips.

Just don’t forget to add some contrast, such as colorful decors and home accessories – so it doesn’t look all too muted.

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Best Color Combinations with Purple

We spoke with interior designer Danielle Porter about how she goes about find color combinations that go with purple and here is what she had to say:

Purple is a versatile color that can add a touch of both sophistication and elegance to any home. Integrating purple into your home can add depth and warmth to any room, whether you want to create a bold statement or a subtle accent.

To ensure a cohesive color palette and design, it’s important to pair purple with the right palette and on the right pieces. We’ve put together a guide below to help you seamlessly integrate purple into your home through your home decor, paint, and accents.

Idea 1: Start with a Neutral Base:

If purple isn’t intended to be the feature in your space, we recommend starting by selecting a neutral base. Neutral colors like white, beige, or gray provide a clean and simple backdrop for the purple accents to stand out.

Darker purples will make a bold statement without overwhelming the space and lighter tones will feel like a softer integration into it. The bonus of this approach is that neutral walls, flooring, and furniture will also allow you to change up your decor more easily, without the need to overhaul the room completely.

Idea 2: Pair Purple with Complementary Colors

When it comes to color matching, complementary colors can work wonders. If you need guidance here, check out the color wheel; essentially, any colors that are opposite one another are considered complementary. 

Pairing purple with complementary colors like green, yellow, and orange can add a pop of energy and interest to your space. For example, a purple sofa can be paired with green pillows, or purple curtains can be paired with yellow accents in the hardware and details.

Bringing in colors that work together will naturally create a layered space that is inviting and full of life.

Idea 3: Mix and Match with Other Purple Tones

Another great way to integrate purple into your home is by mixing and matching different shades of purple.

For example, a light lavender wall can be paired with a deep purple rug or throw blanket. Bringing in multiple shades will add depth and interest in the space. 

The natural complexity that this method creates will give you an end result that is both coordinated and sophisticated.

Idea 4: Test a Few Textures

To add even more interest to your decor, experiment with different textures. Just as multiple tones can bring in a natural depth and interest, having multiple textures creates a unique visual and tactile experience – making the space feel more intriguing. 

Purple silk curtains, a velvet purple armchair, or a sleek purple vase can add a variety of textures to your space, making it feel more dynamic and inviting.

With this approach, we always recommend playing with the textures of all the colors in your space – let the textural difference be the feature!

Idea 5: Use Purple as a Statement Piece

If you’re really looking to make a splash – consider using purple as your focal point or statement piece. Whether it’s a purple accent wall, a sofa, or a piece of art, boldly using this color can create an impactful aesthetic that your guests won’t soon forget.

The key is to balance the statement piece with more subtle accents, so the purple doesn’t overwhelm the space. Pairing a purple sofa with neutral pillows and a white coffee table, for example, can create a sophisticated and balanced look.

As you can see, whether through a subtle accent or a bold statement, integrating purple into your home can be done successfully in various ways. 

Purple can bring excitement, softness, depth, and warmth to any space and these color matching tips will help you in creating a cohesive and inviting space that reflects your unique style.

For more related designs take a look at our purple bedroom ideas gallery page.