What Color Goes With Lilac? – Calming Shades of Pastel Purple

Lilac is a very popular color when it comes to weddings because of its soft and calming effects. Lilac may also be something to consider adding to your interior design color scheme. However, a color scheme rarely involves only a single color, so we will be looking at what color goes with lilac to create an appealing and successful look that you can use for all kinds of design projects!

What Color Goes With Lilac?

When looking at violet it appears to be a soft hue that is similar to purple. The subtle appearance of lilac means that it can work with many different colors and will not dominate the color palette, depending on what you wish to achieve. You can create a calming and feminine lilac color combination with shades of pastel pink or purple, or pair lilac with neutrals like soft grays, shades of white, or taupe. To create more of a fun and contrasting look, consider pairing lilac with brighter and more intense colors like various shades of yellow, orange, green, and blue.

You can also use softer versions of these colors to provide a more subtle contrast that still provides a calming effect.

What Is the Lilac Color?

The lilac color can be described as a soft violet tone that originates from the color of lilac flowers. Sometimes, it is confused with lavender, however, these are separate colors. On the color wheel, the various colors are split into cool and warm colors. Basically, red, orange, and yellow are on one side, while green, blue, and violet are on the opposite side. Purple is considered a cool color, however, some lean more toward blue, while others lean toward red.

Violet has more of a reddish undertone, so leans toward red and can also be considered a shade of magenta, while lavender has more of a blue undertone.

Violet is also a shade of magenta but is a brighter version as you can see from the table provided. Both can be considered shades of purple and are also similar to other colors like mauve, and periwinkle. When mixing paints, you can create a color close to lilac when you blend red and blue, and then add white to lighten it. Lilac has a few meanings and is often associated with youthfulness, friendliness, and innocence. The lilac color is similar to pastels, which are calming and easy to use.

Lilac Color Combinations

To understand what color matches with lilac, we need to refer to color theory and various color combinations available. All colors, including lilac, can be seen on the color wheel, and how these colors are positioned and interact with each other is what forms the best color combinations. Some of these create harmonious and calming color palettes, while others form a more eye-catching combination. A summary of the lilac color combinations includes the following.

• Lilac and dark sea green
• Lilac and emerald green
• Lilac and olive green
• Lilac and teal
• Lilac and turquoise
• Lilac and soft pink
• Lilac and fuchsia
• Lilac and dark purple
• Shades of lilac
• Lilac and slate blue
• Lilac and mustard yellow

Colors That Complement Lilac

We are going to begin with complementary colors to lilac. This color combination produces a color palette that is an eye-catching contrast. This type of color combination involves colors that are on opposite ends when dealing with the color wheel. If you are looking for a color that has a similar tone, then the complementary color to lilac will be something similar to dark sea green.

Lilac will also work just as well with other shades of green, such as a more vibrant emerald green or a more earthy-inspired olive green.

Split Complementary Colors That Go With Lilac

Colors laying on either side of your complementary hue are also considered complementary colors to lilac and have a similar contrasting effect.  This again, will be a shade of green and green-blue, such as the grayish cyan and green below. However, you can also try a more vibrant combination like lilac and turquoise or lilac and teal.

In designs, consider using the more vibrant colors as accents, or stick to the 60, 30, and 10 rule, where one color is selected as your main hue and the others are used as accents.

Analogous Colors That Go With Lilac

A color combination that is more pleasing to look at and shares certain characteristics includes different shades of purple, violet, and pink. You can keep the look more subtle with soft pastels, however, you can also add pops of color with lilac using colors like fuchsia.

You can also consider creating a more sophisticated look with a darker shade of purple.

Monochromatic Colors That Go With Lilac

This color combination is simple and provides a seamless look that can help to provide depth to a design. So, to create this color combination, you take the lilac hue and then use a darker and lighter version of it.

Triadic Colors That Go With Lilac

One of the more challenging color combinations as it also provides a contrasting look with three colors. These three colors form a shape on the color wheel that looks like a triangle. The two colors, in this case, are muted and grayish shades of blue and yellow. Again, besides the muted colors, you can also pair lilac with other versions of these colors.

Creating More Lilac Color Palettes

As you can see, lilac is a versatile color. When deciding on what color matches with lilac, there are many possibilities. To carry on with our search for what color goes with lilac, here are a few more great choices to consider.

Lilac and Brown

Brown is a grounding and balancing neutral that easily works with most colors, including lilac. The rich and earthy brown paired with lilac can produce a comforting, warm, and sophisticated look. When considering interiors, natural elements like wood and leather can bring in the brown color.

For example, lilac walls and brown leather couches.

Lilac and Burgundy

Burgundy is a very rich color and pairing it with a soft lilac can create a contrast that is both bold and gentle. The dark intensity of burgundy provides drama and sophistication, while the lilac offers a counterbalance that produces both a charming and eye-catching look. Remember to use these colors carefully to create a balanced design.

Lilac and Burnt Orange

You might think that orange and lilac are an odd combination, but it can produce an interesting combination. The colors are bold and provide a contrast, making both colors an eye-catching feature in any design. However, they still also provide a more harmonious feel, as they both lean towards the warmer side. You can choose different shades of orange, however, a burnt orange paired with lilac offers a fun and charming look.

You can include a neutral like gray to help balance the look. 

Lilac and Coral

Coral is a lighter shade of orange and has a similar tone to the soft lilac color, which creates a fresh look that is lively but also calming. The vibrant quality of coral helps to provide an uplifting effect, while lilac provides balance. This is a popular combination color palette for weddings.

Lilac and Gold

When it comes to interior designs, adding metallics can be a great addition to any color palette. Gold is quite a versatile option that can help to create many interior styles from modern to vintage. When using gold with lilac, do not overdo it, as this will create an unbalanced look. Consider adding a few gold elements, such as a gold lampstand or gold photo frames. In the bathroom, consider gold handles. These colors can also be used in jewelry designs and fashion.

Adding touches of gold to an outfit can elevate the look to one of elegance and sophistication.

Lilac and Gray

Gray is the perfect neutral color that goes well with any color. Just remember that you have your pure grays, and then you have grays with different undertones. Lilac, being a softer color can also act like a neutral as it tends to stick in the background. Combining gray and lilac creates the perfect calming color palette. The examples below include a dark battleship gray, which you can pair with either an ash gray that has greenish undertones, or a lilac gray, which has bluish undertones.

You might want to stick to warmer tones like the gray wolf, which has a reddish undertone.

Lilac and Navy Blue

These two colors make a wonderful combination that offers a striking and soothing look. This can be used to create an intriguing outfit and are colors that are seen in many wedding color palettes. The combination can also create appealing interior designs.

Lilac and Taupe

Taupe is another color that is considered neutral, which makes it an easy air with most colors. The neutral taupe helps to ground the more energetic lilac to create a calming feel. Combined with other neutrals like white and gray, this lilac color palette can produce a sophisticated and welcoming interior design.

As you can see, there are many different lilac color combinations available. You can go for the overall soft and calming look by pairing lilac with other pastels, or you can mix things up with brighter and more energetic color combinations. Of course, if you are unsure, there are always neutral colors to fall back on. Lilac paired with white or gray will always be a good match.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Goes With Lilac?

To create contrast, the best colors that go with lilac include various shades of green, blue, orange, and yellow. For a more harmonious combination, consider shades of purple and pink. White and gray, among other neutral colors, also go with lilac.

Does Lilac Go With Silver?

Like metallic gold, silver can also work well with lilac. If you have to choose, lilac will work best with silver. However, the decision depends on personal preference and where you want to use these colors together.

Does Black and Lilac Work Together?

Black is also considered a neutral and will work well with lilac. Black and lilac create a more striking combination than lilac and white, however, all three colors can be used to create a more balanced look.

Does Every Skin Tone Suit Lilac?

Most skin tones will suit the lilac color. Lilac is just as versatile to wear as it is to use in other designs, as it does not create too much contrast and will not wash out paler skin tones.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.