What Color Goes With Red

There is no doubt that red is one of the loudest and most vivid colors on the spectrum. From angry to warm, to bright and happy, it is capable of setting all kinds of moods. Before using the red color all over your home, you should understand what color goes with red and how red can affect the interior of your home.

Red is a color that can be difficult to decorate with but works like a charm when it’s done correctly. It is a vibrant color that can be used in nearly any room of the house. Combining it with the right colors is crucial to preventing it from overwhelming your space. Here are some examples of colors that can go well with red, whether you intend on painting an entire room or simply adding a few bold accessories to your space. Learn what color goes with red by reading this article. Take a look.

What Color Goes With Red: 20 Combinations

1. Red and Purple

beautiful room decoration
Credit: Diane Deaton Street

Red and purple are complementary colors that are found at opposing ends of the color spectrum. They are not likely to be associated together. However, these colors deliver quite a punch when combined. The key is selecting the correct shade. It is important that these colors belong to the same tonality. These combinations can be used as accent colors on a neutral background to make them really stand out.

It is important to note that the wall colors in this room do not compete with one another but complement each other. This is due to their similar saturation, so when you juxtapose them, they appear balanced.

2. Red and Turquoise

drawing room decoration
Credit: Angela Wator

If you want to embrace your bold side, consider red and turquoise the perfect combination. The two colors on their own have a strong presence, but when paired together, they balance each other. An unexpectedly soothing room is the result of this pairing. It makes red look great with the tertiaries. With this color scheme, red feels like a coral reef swimming in the turquoise water. There are sea-colored chairs and red floral wallpaper in this dining room, which creates a charming yet quirky feeling. With white accents and trim, these two colors will be able to diminish their intensity a little.

3. Red and Green

decorated room with red
Credit: Nancy Mitchell

It’s only natural that red and green would pair well together since they’re complimentary colors. Several shades of green are used in this space to avoid it looking like a holiday card. Take advantage of your green thumb if you are looking for a simple way to incorporate these colors into your home or office.

4. Red and Blush

decorated drawing room with red
Credit: Natalie Jeffcott

You can often feel like you are living inside a Valentine’s Day card when you are in pink and red rooms. Consider substituting a blush or millennial pink for bubblegum pink to give this color combination a modern edge. A blush pink backdrop acts as a neutral ground, allowing the red sectional to take center stage in this home.

5. Red and Light Yellow

decorative reading room with yellow
Credit: Adrienne Breaux

It’s no secret that yellow and red can’t handle subtlety. Despite their similarity in color, these two colors compliment each other well due to their opposites. In this living room, the color scheme of red and yellow brings warmth and energy without overpowering the senses. These colors are combined with neutral beige and white hues.

6. Wine Red, Glossy Black, and Gold

dressing table decoration
Credit: Paul Dyer

Enjoy a glamorous look for your home by pairing deep, wine-inspired reds with glossy blacks. When it comes to deep reds, it’s all about how much of a purple color shows through. Purple is here contrasted rather than intensified instead of being downplayed and emphasized. A Bordéaux-toned cabinet and a painted black cabinet complement each other nicely, and the red almost becomes neutral in this combination.

7. Red and Beige

bedroom
Credit: Margaret Stepien

Add some beige to the mix if you would like to tame the fiery quality of red. To break up the strong hue of red, we like to pair it with warm neutrals. On its own, beige is a bad thing because it’s boring. Red, on the other hand, can offer a very nice contrast when paired with blue. Additionally, it’s calming in comparison to bright, white colors. Taking this oversized map as an example, the subtle texture of the map complements the red walls of the bedroom above, taking you to the countryside in France.

8. Red and Fuchsia

kids room decoration
Credit:homedit.com

Use similar hues that give the room depth to achieve a layered, monochromatic look. The red and fuchsia tones on this pink and red layered bedroom finish with a sophisticated feel that blends well.

9. Red and Orange

dining table decoration
Credit: Getty

The colors orange and red make everything more dimensional, so almost all orange shades work well with red. Colors like orange, which are close to the monochromatic technique, also appear close on the color wheel.

10. Red and Black & White

beautiful home decoration
Credit:homedit.com

When it comes to black and white, it’s hard to go wrong. As an accent color, red goes well with black and white. It’s the most classic combination and is timeless. Here’s an impressive kitchen with white walls, contrasting black and white cabinets, patterned window treatments, and contrasting floor tiles.

11. Red and Creamy White

red room decoration
Credit: homedit.com

You can combine creamy whites with striking shades of red, just like this stunning living room! Despite its vibrant, cherry red color, the creamy white mellows it down with ease and sophistication.

12. Burgundy and Lilac

guest room decoration
Credit: Erin Williamson

It may sound like a mess to combine red and purple. But when paired graphically, the colors actually complement each other well. Let violet and scarlet or lilac and burgundy stand out in your space by pairing them together.

13. Red and Chocolate Brown

dining room decoration
Credit: homedit.com

Choosing red to decorate a room is not the first thing that comes to mind when considering red, but this red and chocolate brown combination works quite well. Not only is this space feminine and chic, but it is also charming and full of life.

14. Red and Natural Wood

kitchen decoration
Credit: blackburnarch

Natural wood colors are incredibly versatile, as well as stained wood colors. In this farmhouse-style kitchen, you can see how well they pair with red and other accent colors. Concrete countertops provide a contrast between the red cabinets and the wood backsplash that prevents the red cabinets from clashing.

15. Red and Almond

decorated dining table
Credit: homedit.com

An almond-covered room would look fantastic with red accents. With a red accent, this is a very traditional tone but also a very family-friendly pair.

16. Red and Blue

bedroom decoration
Credit: robinsnestinteriors

Generally speaking, blue is a soothing and relaxing color, making it a good fit for a bedroom. Combining a solid color like this with another vivid color, such as red, can look beautiful. As far as the rest of the color scheme goes, it’s good to keep it neutral and simple.

17. Red and Light Gray

travel spot decoration
Credit: homedit.com

Choosing the color red is also a good choice for the home’s exterior as it pairs well with neutral tones such as light grey, which is a bit more mellow than plain white. Other light neutrals, for instance beige, can be utilized to enhance certain design elements and distinguish different areas within a house.

18. Red and Brown

beautiful room decoration
Credit: Thekitchenspecialist

You may think brown and red don’t go together, but that isn’t always true. Wood, bricks, and granite, for example, all rely on this color in a variety of ways, and there are many different shades of brown as well. Ceramic tiles, wood panels on the ceiling, and granite countertops make this kitchen look warm and inviting.

19. Red and Ivory

what color goes with red
Credit: tylarkins

When red paired with ivory or beige and dark-stained wooden furniture in a more traditional manner like this dining room, a darker and much more subdued shade of red can look really nice. It’s a classic combination that gives the red a royal vibe.

20. Red and Light Pastels

what color goes with red
Credit: gilbertsonphotography

It pairs well with soft pastels such as mint green, grey, and light blue, as red is such a vibrant and powerful color. It is possible to add character to a room with subtle differences in multiple shades of red while still allowing red to remain the main accent color.

Final Words

It should come as no surprise that red is a difficult color to decorate with. Even the deepest shades of red have a strong presence.   Thankfully, many interior designers have taken on the task of decorating with red and have left us with a plethora of red home décor inspiration to sift through.  The tireless efforts of these designers have provided us with answers to questions such as what color goes with red. Many of you have already benefited from their effort. It’s only a matter of combing through their work and learning from it.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top