Best Colors That Go With Red

April 1, 2023

Red is a bold and bright color in the spectrum. Color psychologists and interior designers often claim this blazing, spicy tone oozes energy and grabs attention. However, adding red to your home’s design might occasionally be more difficult than said. Before you consider incorporating the color into your house, you must understand which colors go with red and how they might affect the interior of your space. 

So, What Are Some General Guidelines For Color Matching?

According to expert designers, there are three primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.

The primary includes yellow, blue, and red. The secondary hues result from mixing the primary colors, including orange, purple and green. Moreover, tertiary colors are formed, including red-violet or blue-green, when secondary and primary colors are blended.

Colors that complement each other are directly opposite on the color wheel, like orange and blue, yellow and purple, and green and red. Consider advice from professional experts on selecting complementary colors that go with red. For instance, according to interior designers, you should not mix red with many dominant colors if you want it to be the standout hue in your space as it’s a very dominant and strong color. Instead, go for colors like white, gray, and black.

 Alternatively, avoid colors like lime, coral, and peach as they will clash. Instead, consider intense colors like orange, dark green, and canary yellow. The following is a color guide that provides contrasting colors that go well with various shades of red, including:

  • Primary red- tawny-orange, black, yellow, green, white, and blue
  • Raspberry red- black, damask rose, and white.
  • Tomato red- sand, gray, cyan, creamy-white, and mint green
  • Cherry red- light-orange,pale-yellow, beige, azure,pale-yellow, gray, and sandy.

You can generally pair red with white, timber finishes, gray, metallics, shades of blue, pink, navy, cream, and black, depending on the red tones you are considering.

Colors That Go with Red

1. Pair red with purple

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Red and purple sit oppositely in the color wheel, so it’s only natural to think you can’t pair them. However, this unusual combo can pack a powerful punch. Remember that it all comes down to selecting the appropriate colors. According to experts, it’s important to ensure that the tonal ranges of these colors match. 

Additionally, accentuate these colors on a plain background to make the pair stand out. For example, tomato-colored walls work harmoniously with reddish-purple area rugs rather than competing. When you place them together in a room, the look balances because they have equal saturation. 

2. Pair red with navy and white

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According to interior decor experts, white, blue, and red are classic combos, but knowing blue and red are primary colors, the effect can be extremely loud when paired side by side. You will find that many flags are dark navy blue, red, and white because of a reason; this combination is naturally harmonious. 

Pairing a dark navy blue with a primary combo results in an elegant look. If you incorporate this combo, it’s appropriate that you use it in a way that prevents your space from becoming too patriotic. 

So, ensure that you keep things simple. Experts say that you should stick with solids and emphasize the interaction of glossy textures and matter to prevent the color from looking very on-theme. Incorporate a graphic pattern like stripes to push this color combo in a clear Americana direction.

3. Pair red and green

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Naturally, red and complementary colors would pair nicely in your home. Aim to incorporate several shades of green in your combo to prevent your space from looking like a holiday card. Moreover, use your green thumb when using this color mix into your space. 

Consider using a variety of plants to ensure that the contrast formed by the greenery is not too disturbing. The pair produces a deep level of contrast depending on their saturation level.

4. Pair red and orange

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You will find that the best design ideas occur when you pick a lane and choose to stay in it. According to experts, red is a unique color since it has the longest wavelength and the least amount of energy. These light waves are measured per their wavelength and energy. 

Therefore, red stands out when paired with complementary hues close to it in the color wheel, like orange. You can pair red with various shades of oranges and tints of neutral hues if you want a cool and modern look.

5. Pair red with blush

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The red and pink combo often gives the impression that you reside inside a valentine’s day card. Swap out the bubblegum pink for a millennial pink or soft blush to give this color scheme a contemporary, cool edge. For example, the soft blush serves as a neutral background in an eccentric home, allowing the red seats to be the center of attraction. 

6. Pair red with turquoise

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Red and turquoise is the ideal color scheme for anyone who wants to embrace their bold side. These two strong colors stand out on their own though when paired together, they neutralize each other to make your space vibrant yet calming. 

All tertiaries indeed look great together red. An example is a quirky-feeling midwestern Victorian dining room with subdued sea-colored wallpaper and red flower furniture. You can add white accents and trim to reduce the intensity of these two strong colors. The two colors create a bold and beautiful statement in your home.

7. Pair red with beige

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We recommend adding beige to the mix if you want a way to control the fiery red. Matching red with neutral colors like beige balances the intensity of its color. Although the beige reputation of being a dull color precedes it, it can provide the correct amount of contrast when paired with red. 

In addition, it’s a more calming color than pure white. Finally, the pair brings out a rustic charm when incorporated into a space. For example, the soft texture of a map complements the appearance of a red wall in a library.

8. Pair wine-red with black

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Consider giving your space an opulent vibe with a mix of wine-inspired and glossy black. According to home designers, deep reds can be challenging depending on much of the purple tint peeks through. 

So instead of accentuating the purple color, you can opt to contrast and mute it. For example, black cabinets can go well with Bordéaux, although a red kitchen island can balance this combo.

9. Pair red with black and white

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The red, white, and black combo is a classic retro combo that is more than a mystery. It’s a color scheme that’s more dependable and exudes a cute vintage vibe. The timeless mix makes the red color stand out in the room. All shades of red blend flawlessly when paired with black and white. It’s not a must that red be the main color for it to make a statement. 

You can choose to add a cherry-colored bench to your home to make a statement. Moreover, you can also add a few accents with the red color to some items or select one larger red item to draw attention to it.

10. Pair red with yellow

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We all know that yellow and red are not for their subtlety. However, since these colors sit at the same end in the color wheel, they might complement one another. According to experts, when red and yellow are paired together, they add a sunny statement, adding energy and warmth into your space without overwhelming the eye. 

Of course, you can also complement this pair with neutral colors like white and beige. Use gentler shades of each hue to make your living space look soft and pleasant.

Tips for Choosing Colors that Go with Red

1. Less is more

A dash of red can enhance or lift your room, whether on a large or small scale. If you want a more neutral color scheme, consider adding a flash of color, for example, by placing a red object in your space like a red mid-century chair or a book casing.

2. Make a bold statement with red

Pair red with white or any shades of gray if you consider making a bold statement. If not, then use red sparingly and complement it with a black backdrop, linen, or muted greens.

3. Choose red only if you genuinely adore the color

Before incorporating any color into your space, you should always ask yourself what you are comfortable with if you enjoy it, are smitten with the color just recently, and if you would enjoy waking up to the same color every single morning.

4. Use red for decorative objects

You can enjoy the subtle use of red in vases, artwork, books, or other decorative objects. Also, you can have fun rearranging these objects around your space when you consider mixing things up.

5. Use red as an accentuated color

Go for an orange-based firecracker red if you want to use red as an accent color. Alternatively, choose a much more subdued, blue-based red when employing more red in your space.

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