What Colors Go With Purple? – Creating a Purple Color Palette

Renovating your house and wondering what colors go with purple? Purple is one of those colors that we don’t see often enough used in interior design color schemes. Whether it’s the fact that purple is associated with luxury, wealth, and spirituality, or whether it is seen as perplexing because we don’t see it often in nature, is a mystery. However, as with all colors, finding appropriate color combinations for purple makes it a much less daunting color to incorporate in an interior setting. Finding what colors go with purple is a much more manageable task when color theory is considered, which will be discussed throughout the article.

The History and Meaning of Purple

What colors go with purple? To address which colors work well when combined with purple and which don’t, it is important to consider the color psychology behind the color purple. This means that it is also vital to take note of the color psychology behind the colors that purple is made up of. It is a widely known fact that purple is a secondary color, together with orange and green. Pure purple pigment is created when equal parts of red and blue pigment are combined. The more red pigment is added to the mix, the warmer the purple will appear, and vice versa: if more blue pigment is added than red, the cooler the purple will appear. Red is known for its properties of stimulation, danger, and warmth, whereas blue is known for being the opposite of red: calming and cool.

Traditionally, purple is closely associated with royalty and spirituality. The reason for this is that purple was a scarce and expensive pigment to mix hundreds of years ago. Today still, purple is associated with luxuriousness, especially darker shades of purple.

When it comes to nature, the color purple is not easy to come by, unlike colors such as green and blue. Purple does, however, appear in nature when considering expensive rocks such as amethysts and purple jade, flowers like lilac, lavender, jacarandas, and many more. Purple tends to be much scarcer when it comes to popular animals and insects. 

It is perhaps our association with purple being scarce that results in the difficulty in making use of it as a color palette in interior design.

Purple Color Combinations

Purple color combinations can be found by making use of color theory in combination with the color wheel. It should be noted that each shade and hue have its own color code; therefore, different values of the below color theories will apply depending on the shade of purple you are using. In the examples below, a shade of purple will be made use of that is known as “true purple”. True purple is a very bright shade of purple that isn’t distinctively cool or warm in tone. The color theories that we will be looking at include complementary colors, split complementary colors, monochromatic colors, triadic colors, and analogous colors.

Monochromatic Colors of Purple

Any colors that sit along the line that is drawn from the actual color to the center of the color wheel can be considered monochromatic colors of that specific color. In most cases, this means that the hues of the colors remain the same, but the shades differ. Monochromatic color palettes work great in interior design, as they create a sense of rhythm and calm, while still staying true to a specific color scheme. This is a great option to make use of when you are set on only making use of one pop of color in a room, whatever the reason may be. 

The purple color palette that ranges from light to dark purple below, is a great example of monochromatic colors.

Complementary Color of Purple

The complementary color of purple is yellow because yellow sits directly opposite purple on the color wheel. Although these colors are seen as the most complementary of each other, don’t forget that they also contrast each other the most, which means that they should be combined as sparingly as possible when used in their most saturated hues.

Triadic Colors of Purple

Triadic colors form a perfect triangle on the color wheel with 60-degree angles. In the case of the example of purple used in the table below, orange and green are the triadic colors of purple. This color combination is very similar to split complementary colors, the only difference being that triadic color combinations tend to be a bit richer in their hues. 

This combination works well when one color is highlighted throughout the interior, and the other two colors are introduced minimally, with the only goal being to enhance the main color, which in this instance would be purple.

Analogous Colors of Purple

Analogous colors usually result in very fun and playful combinations, as they create a very satisfying rainbow effect. This color combination works well when you want to make use of a variety of colors, but still want to create a cohesive and visually aesthetic interior. Analogous colors tend to have the same undertones, whether they be cool or warm. In the case of the purple used below, its analogous colors lean more toward the cooler side.

Split Complementary Colors of Purple

Split complementary colors are positioned on either side of a color’s complementary color. Since yellow is the complementary color of purple, orange and green are purples split complementary colors, as these are the shades that sit on the right and left side of yellow on the color wheel. 

When combined, this color palette creates an unexpected color combination, yet when the right hues are chosen, they could work very well in an interior setting. 

What Colors Go With Purple?

Taking the above color theories and color psychology into consideration, let’s have a look at a few color combinations with specific shades and hues. Be sure to play around with these pairings, and you will most certainly find a purple color combination that works well for almost any setting in an interior.

Purple and Orange

Purple and orange are considered to be a fun and modern color combination. Most shades of purple lean more towards the cool tones, which makes a rusted orange the perfect combination to offset the cool purple with some warmth in an interior. 

This pairing works best if purple is used as the main color with pops of rusted orange, which can be included in the furniture and décor. 

Purple and Yellow

Yellow is one of the colors that go with purple, simply because yellow is purple’s complementary color when referring to the color wheel. When the correct shade is chosen for these two colors, they can easily transform any room into an interior design masterpiece. Because these colors are both very rich and attention-grabbing, it is best to use darker and/or muted tones. A very deep, dark purple pairs well with pops of muted pastel yellows. For a moody yet cheerful interior, make use of this color combination in the living room or the bedroom.

Purple and Turquoise

This combination works well with their dark hues as well as their light pastel hues. Dark, velvety purple creates a very dramatic ambiance when paired with elements that are rendered in very dark turquoise. The darker version of this color combination works well in an intimate living room setting or a bedroom. 

Used in its pastel variations, a calming environment is created which can work well for the nursery. 

Purple and Cream

A very light shade of purple that borders on pink, screams calmness and femininity, and works particularly well when combined with cream or off-white. This color combination works well when the neutral cream is used as the backdrop with pops of light purple. This specific color scheme is great for a bedroom where a feminine and soft mood is desired.

Purple and Blue

Blue is one of those colors that go with purple without really having to put much thought and resources into it. Combining the richness and luxury of purple with the energy and vitality of blue makes for a spectacular color combination. When working with colors on the cooler end of the spectrum, be sure to pair colors with the same undertones. It would, for example, not be wise to pair a warm purple with a cool blue. 

To brighten a roof filled with such rich colors, be sure to implement some greenery in the form of indoor plants. 

Dusty Purple and Brown

A purple color palette can be overwhelming, but there are certainly options to make purple a bit more palatable. If you are set on incorporating purple in an interior, but you don’t want the color to be the main focus, or you are going for more of a natural color palette, then this color combination is the perfect solution. The purple shade below is a great shade for your walls. The dark brown can easily be introduced through rustic wood furniture pieces, which is a perfect contrast against the contemporary dusty purple.

Hopefully, you now have enough knowledge of the color purple to realize that there are endless color combinations that work exceptionally well with purple, depending on its shade and hue Whether you want to incorporate a sense of royalty that purple so easily evokes, or you relate to the spiritual background of purple, it is worth considering to incorporate into your home for a unique color palette that is a great conversation starter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Best Accent Colors for Purple?

What are the best accent colors for purple? The best accent colors for purple depend heavily on the shade of purple you are trying to match. If you are working with a cool-undertone purple, pair it with brown, cream, blue, or turquoise. Whereas warm purple looks great when combined with orange or yellow.

What Colors Complement Purple?

When it comes to color theory, the complementary color of purple is yellow. However, aside from yellow, there are many other colors that complement purple, depending on the shade and hue of the purple in question. Among these complimenting colors are orange, blue, yellow, brown, turquoise, and cream or off-white.

What Is Purple’s Complementary Color?

What is purple’s complementary color? Depending on the exact shade of purple, the color that sits directly opposite purple on the color wheel is usually some shade of yellow. Although yellow does complement purple when used cleverly in interior design, it can be very straining on the eyes when used in its most saturated shades.

What Is the Best Color Combination With Purple?

What is the best color combination with purple? There are many colors that pair well with purple, depending on the specific shade of purple. According to color theory, yellow complements purple the best, as it sits directly opposite purple on the color wheel. If you are using a bright shade of purple, complement it with a lighter, toned-down shade of yellow, and vice versa.

What Are Good Purple Color Schemes?

What are good purple color schemes? Colors that work well together when paired with purple are orange, yellow, green, blue, and cream. Purple analogous colors also create very striking purple color schemes, especially when it ranges from maroon all the way through to violet, and even blue.

Kylie Deyzel( Interior Designer )

Kylie Deyzel is an interior designer and sustainability enthusiast from Cape Town, South Africa. She has a passion for writing and educating others on various interior design topics. Her favorite interior design topics include interior design theory, interior design history, and most of all: sustainable interior design.

She received her B-tech degree in interior design from the University of Johannesburg in 2018 and has worked at various interior design firms since and had a few of her own freelance interior design clients under her company name binnekant.

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