What Colors Go With Gold? – Our 15 Best Color Combinations

Gold is a color that offers a touch of glamor and sophistication to any room in the home. When it comes to what colors go with gold, you have an open book, as it can effortlessly harmonize with most colors. However, if you are stuck on ideas, we have provided you with a few of the best gold color combinations.

Different Shades of Gold for Color Combinations

When thinking of the color gold, what comes to mind? Others have attributed to gold being associated with wealth, royalty, generosity, and wisdom. Gold is also a positive color that can offer warmth and brings a little luxury into any design.

However, use it wisely because if it becomes too much, it can negatively affect the mood. It can become too garish and send a message of pride and arrogance. As with many colors, you can get a variety of shades of gold from light to darker versions and dull to brighter and shinier options. Amongst all of these should be the perfect gold color for you. Below are just a few examples.

Our 15 Curated Color Combinations With Gold

When looking for the best gold color combinations, the only way to make sure you are on the right track is to have a basic knowledge of color theory. We have all, at some time, learned about or heard about the color wheel. This is how you can determine what colors go well with gold. Besides interior design, you can use this tool for painting and things like graphic design. The color wheel is a visual representation of all colors, and you can figure out what colors work well by how the various colors are positioned and relate to each other. Of course, there are now online programs that can easily give you answers with a click of a button. What colors go with gold?

Navy Blue – Offers a Classic, Refined Contrast

This combination creates a sense of sophistication and luxury in interior design, with the deep, rich tones of navy blue beautifully offsetting the shimmering elegance of gold accents.

Black – Provides a Bold and Elegant Backdrop

Perfect for a modern and chic look, black and gold together offer a striking contrast that exudes opulence and a timeless appeal, making any space feel more glamorous.

White – Creates a Clean, Luxurious Look

This classic duo brings a bright and airy feel to interiors, with gold adding warmth and a touch of luxury to the clean, crisp backdrop provided by white.

Emerald Green – Adds a Rich and Sophisticated Touch

The lush, vibrant hues of emerald green paired with gold create a regal and luxurious atmosphere, reminiscent of old-world elegance and charm.

Deep Purple – Brings a Sense of Royal Elegance

This rich and royal pairing lends a sense of luxury and sophistication, with the deep purple offering a dramatic backdrop that makes gold accents pop.

Burgundy – Offers a Warm, Opulent Feel

Warm and inviting, burgundy and gold together create a cozy yet sophisticated environment, ideal for spaces that aim for a classic and slightly masculine aesthetic.

Charcoal Grey – Introduces a Modern, Sleek Contrast

This contemporary combination balances the cool, understated tone of charcoal grey with the warm brightness of gold, perfect for a sleek and modern interior.

Cream or Beige – Ensures a Soft, Understated Elegance

Soft, neutral cream or beige hues serve as a perfect canvas for gold accents, creating a serene and elegant space that feels both welcoming and luxurious.

Teal – Presents a Vibrant and Unique Complement

The vibrant and refreshing nature of teal, when combined with gold, creates a lively yet sophisticated look, bringing a burst of energy and elegance to any room.

Soft Pink – Adds a Touch of Feminine Grace and Delicacy

This pairing is perfect for creating a gentle, feminine space that exudes warmth and sophistication, with soft pink offering a delicate contrast to the boldness of gold.

Gold and Peach

Just like gold, peach is a warm shade of orange that can work wonderfully together. You can paint the walls and use peach as your main color of choice and bring in gold accents through things like golden frames, lamps, and other accessories. This creates a sweet, yet refined design, especially for a bedroom.

Combination with Complementary Colors like Blue

One of the terms to learn in color theory is complementary colors. When these colors are positioned close to one another, they tend to stand out or form what is known as a contrast in colors. When using this type of color scheme, it is usually best to choose your main color and use any other colors as an accent.

This way none of the colors can become too overwhelming, and you create more of a balanced look. So, where do you find these complementary colors on the color wheel? If you choose a shade of gold, directly opposite this, you will the gold complementary color. In this case, it is a pure blue color. See how they beautifully contrast? So, gold complementary colors can be shades of blue, but also purple, which is part of the split complementary color scheme.

For example, you can go for the royal purple, or navy-blue fabrics or paint, and then bring in the gold element through antique frames and maybe furnishings. You can even use blue-gray tones to create a softer look. Other luxurious combinations can include sapphire blues, turquoise, and cobalt blue.

Cold Combined with Analogous Colors like Green

This color combination for gold falls in the same range of warm colors and can be found in the same area on the color wheel. Unlike complementary colors, analogous colors are easier and more pleasing to look at as there is little contrast and they are, generally all warm colors. When looking at gold, you will see that this includes shades of orange and green. However, it can also include shades of yellow as well as red. Monochromatic colors can also fall into this category, although it has different definition, it offers similar effects. 

This color combination is obtained by one single color, gold, and then combines with various shades and variations of the same color as shown above in the first table.

Triadic Color Combinations for Gold

This is another color combination for gold that provides more contrast and can be seen as a triangle shape with equal sides on the color wheel. Our chosen shade of gold has magenta and cyan as its color combination. Again, this brings in shades of purple and blue that make good gold color combinations.

Neutral Colors like Greige

Gold is associated with the fine metal that is mined from the earth and is an organic material. So, metallic gold is the perfect choice for brightening up a room that has neutral and nature-based color schemes. The best way to do this is to use warm-toned, deep neutral colors like olive green, dark beige, or even charcoal and chocolate brown. A warm white is also a perfect match for gold, for example, ivory, ash white, or chamois. 

Remember, that many gold finishes can vary in color, so always consider the color undertones when choosing paints, fabrics, and other accessories. Below is an example of metallic gold with greige, which is a warm color mixture of gray and beige.

Using a Gold Color Palette in Your Home

When working with the color gold, it is best to use it as an accent color, to prevent it from overpowering the senses. As we have seen, the best color combination for gold includes using shades of blue, purple, other shades of gold and yellow, and various shades of orange, as well as green. So, there are quite a few choices available to you. 

The color is also ideal for any room in the home, so it is quite a versatile color to add to any color scheme.

Gold Paint for Walls

You might want to be a bit more daring and try using gold to paint the walls. Instead of all the walls, consider adding a gold accent wall. It would make a wonderful focal point in any room and will not seem too overbearing. You can go for a paint with a metallic sheen or a matte gold for a room that already contains a few other metallic features. If you do not want to go for gold paint, try adding texture and patterns with wallpaper instead.

Living Areas and Kitchens

You can bring in gold by bringing in gold door knobs, picture frames, lamps, cushions, patterned rugs, paintings, golden chandeliers, or beautiful gilded mirrors. Gold furnishing or cabinets can also bring in luxurious color. Any of these ideas can also benefit any other space in the home. Gold is a warm and inviting color, perfect for the kitchen. The color helps reflect light, so is ideal for kitchens that have poor natural light. 

Again, you can add gold accents such as gold drawer pulls and other kitchen fixtures, or gold flecked marble tops.

Bathrooms

Add that bit of added extravagance by including gold in the bathroom, especially if you combine it with neutral colors like white. You can also go far out by using a gold bath, or bring in touches of the color, for example, gold taps, towel rails, candle holders, the shower head, golden mirror frames, or bring in other gold bathroom accessories.

Bedrooms

A bedroom needs warmth and light, and gold can help with this. Gold also lends itself to a more sophisticated and cozier environment. The room does not have to be painted in gold; all you need is to bring in a few items. One way is to bring gold in through fabrics and upholstery or furniture. Bring in more gold lighting, like a golden lamp or candles. Create a focus piece by using a golden headboard. 

Then, of course, there are cushions, throws, and the bedspread that can also have elements of gold.

Tips for Using a Gold Color Palette

Gold is a warm color that brings in a positive and calming effect, which is why cooler colors like blue help to balance out the warmth. However, any color combinations should balance.  Here are some tips to help you create the perfect gold color palette.

• To create a more modern look, consider using matte gold color in the bathroom and kitchen areas.
• An easy way to add a touch of gold to space is to use gold lighting.
• Frame artwork in gold, you can use a simple matte gold frame finish or try a wooden frame with gold leafing.
• Create interest by using different shades of gold or mixing them with different wood tones.

• Adding gold accent pieces is the easiest way of adding gold to a space.
• What colors go with gold when painting a gold accent wall, apply complementary colors to help harmonize the look.
• Luxury textiles like mohair, leather, and velvet or suede can work well with gold and helps to temper the overall look.
• If you are using more than simply a touch of gold, the best color combination for gold is any of the neutral colors.

Gold colors are considered beautiful, intense, and elegant, and can make a powerful statement when used for interior decorating purposes. The color brings in warmth and can help to brighten a dark space. So, the next time you want to bring a bit of classiness to a room, gold might just be the perfect color.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Colors Complement Gold?

There are quite a few shades of gold, so the main colors that complement gold can be found in the blue and purple range of colors. What colors go with gold? Just about any color can work go with gold as it is such a versatile color.

What Color Is Gold?

If you are looking at the mineral of pure gold, it is considered to be an orange-yellow color, which is a pretty close description to most shades of gold. Ultimately, it is also considered a shade of yellow, making it a warm color.

What Room Can You Use Gold In?

Since gold is such a versatile color and works well with most other colors, it can also be used in any room in the home. However, many suggest that you use the gold color as an accent color to prevent it from becoming too overwhelming.

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.