Today we are going to talk about colors that go well with the color purple and how we can figure out the best purple combinations fast and easy! From complimentary to secondary and everything in between… let's talk purple today!
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What Is Purple?
I am going to talk A LOT about purple today and colors that match with it, but first let's do a quick look at purple itself.
Purple is a 50/50 mix of red and blue.
So purple of course “goes” with red and blue because they are part of its color properties.
But on a color wheel, between red and purple or blue and purple are other shades of purple, like magenta and violet.
Complementary Colors To Purple
So if we think of purple being those 3 (“real purple”, magenta and violet), then the three colors that go with purple will be directly across from them on the colour wheel, they are purple’s complementary color. These colors complement purple and high contrast when paired with it!
Chartreuse, yellow and peachy orange.
If you think about it we see these color combinations all over the place like in these purple and yellow logos…
Or in these home decor items….
Photo by Debra Kling Colour Consultant – you can see this interior designer used a darker purples paired with bright yellow walls. This gives an overall effect of bright colors even when using
Colors That Match Purple
So while we can swing around on the color wheel to pick colors that are complimentary (opposite), we can also think about colors that will match purple.
Those kinds of colors tend to be on the some side of the color wheel as far as being warm or cool colors.
- Red Purple is a warm color
- Blue Purple is a cool color
So if you think about colors that go well with those, you would think about the warm undertones or cool side of the color wheel!
Purple “Goes” With Everything
So if you can match purple with colors across the color wheel AND you can match purple with the same colors on the warm and cool sides of the color wheel, doesn't that mean purple can go with anything? YES!
Here is purple with all the colors of the rainbow!
Now you may say that is cheating because those are different KINDS of purple with more or less red or blue thrown in, but in actuality you want to find the color of purple that works best with what you are trying to match!
Here are the color wheels with the kind purple we are looking at…
Purple Color Schemes
You can see how a purple color combination pairs with complimentary, split complimentary and secondary colors! This purple is the perfect color purple that is the pairing of red and blue, sometimes called a royal purple.
Magenta Color Schemes
As you know, there are different shades of purple, like this more vibrant purple looking color! If you used a purple combination with lime green it would for add a pop of color and make a bold statement! (this is my favorite purple colour combinations!)
Violet Color Schemes
Now if you are pairing violet with it's different colors, you have strong colors that would be the ideal choice for a bright design or something for children.
Additional Resource! If you like color theory (or colour theory as our British friends say) make sure to check out the free resource, Playing With Color!
Purple Complimentary Colors In Nature
If you are struggling figuring out what purple combinations you like, check out nature.
Flowers are full of purple from the soft lavenders of wisteria to rich jewel tones magenta of pansies. Seeing colors that work together in nature can give you an idea of what kinds of color combinations you might like!
How To Pick The Right Purple For You
There are so many fun colors of purple in the world, dark purple, light purple, purple pink, red purple, purple blue, how do you pick the one that is right for you?
A great way is to know if you are warm or cool purple kind of gal. I don't like red-red-purples at all but my favorite purple is a magenta because it pops and it's complimentary is chartreuse (lime green) which is one of my favorite color combinations in my mixed media pages.
BECAUSE they are complimentary colors, they jump off the page. If you wanted it to be more muted you would use colors closer together on the color wheel or use more pastel colors!
What Colors Go With Purple Wrapup
If you are trying to incorporate more purple color palettes into your life, look around yourself! Are you drawn to deep purple walls or do lighter shades of purple make you smile?
Is purple living room furniture your jam or would you rather wear more bold colors and statement pieces and keep your home more muted with pale lavender walls?
There are a million different color combinations that you can choose from, pick one that you love and try it out for a while. Pick a new sweater, paint color or pillow and see if you love it!