26 beautiful color combinations that'll inspire your next design Royal blue & peach (trending) ... Blue & pink (classic) ... Charcoal & yellow (classic) ... Red & yellow(classic) ... Lime green & electric blue (trending) ... Lavender & teal (trending) ... Cherry red & off-white (classic) ... Baby blue & white (classic) More items... •
Whether you're an amateur designer or a seasoned professional, you know firsthand the incredible impact of color.
Color evokes emotion. It has an influence on our perception — inspiring responses, subconscious or conscious, in the human brain. And due to its influential and communicative nature, color is perhaps the most powerful tool at your disposal as a designer.
With 16.8 million colors to choose from, the color scheme options for your next logo, web, or brand design are just about infinite. Luckily for you, we got you covered. Down below features 26 of the best color combinations that'll inspire your next design — classic and trending color combos alike.
But first, let’s look at color theory and the color wheel
Being knowledgeable of both color theory and the color wheel helps you understand why certain color combinations work so well together. Color theory feeds into color psychology, which digs into how our brains perceive color.
Color theory
Color theory is the art and science of using color. Research has shown that color has a psychological impact on human behavior and thought. For artists and designers, color theory is a collection of rules and guidelines which designers use to communicate with users through appealing color schemes.”
Color wheel
Part of these rules and guidelines make up the color wheel — designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666. Newton intimately understood how color was defined by human perception and how it came together to create eye-catching combinations, resulting in him creating the primary, secondary, and tertiary color categorizations:
Primary colors : red, yellow, blue
: red, yellow, blue Secondary colors : orange, green, violet (created by mixing primary colors)
: orange, green, violet (created by mixing primary colors) Tertiary colors: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet (created by mixing both primary and secondary colors)
Our relationship with colors psychologically and collectively throughout society is what gives meaning to color. And it's that meaning that accounts for iconic and successful branding — like red and white for Coca-Cola.
To get started, draw a line through the center of the wheel. When you do so, you’ll notice that there is a distinction between warm colors (reds, oranges, and yellows) and cool colors (blues, greens, and violets). Warm colors typically convey sentiments of energy, brightness, or life whereas cool colors convey sentiments of calmness, grounding, or serenity.
Complementary color combinations are the colors that sit on opposite sides of the color wheel. Combining these colors creates an effect of high contrast, catching the eye and leaving quite an impact. Examples: red and green, yellow and purple, orange and blue.
Analogous color combinations are every two to five colors that sit beside each other on the color wheel. These color combinations create a sensation of balance and harmony. Typically one of these colors sits in the background, while the other more dominant color sits in the foreground. Examples: yellow, yellow-green, and green; violet, red-violet, and red; red, red-orange, and orange; blue, blue-violet, and violet.
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Triadic color combinations are spaced evenly throughout the color wheel and tend to be more rich or vibrant in color. This color combination is typically dynamic, creating a harmonious visual contrast that pops when combined. Create a triangle on the color wheel and you'll find your 3 triadic colors. Examples: red, yellow, and blue; green, orange, and blue-violet; red-orange, yellow-green, and blue-violet.
Understanding the universal perceptions and relationships of colors is key to being a great artist or designer. It's worth doing more research on the color wheel to further cement your understanding of both the art and science of color.
Pro Tip: See our beginner's guide on color theory for a more in-depth dive into color theory.
26 beautiful color combinations that'll inspire your next design
1. Royal blue & peach (trending)
To start our list, we'll go for a trendy color combination, royal blue and peach. These two colors form a triadic combination, with the royal blue creating a bold sensation, balanced perfectly with peach's playfulness. This color combo is ideal for logo design or as accent colors for a web template or design.
Hex codes: Royal Blue #00539CFF, Peach #EEA47FFF
2. Blue & pink (classic)
Combining blue and pink creates a nice balance. Where pink often has a softer, spring-like pastel aesthetic, blue has hints of maturity — creating duality in the color combination.
3. Charcoal & yellow (classic)
Charcoal and yellow (or black and yellow) is one of the most frequently used color combinations. These two colors wonderfully complement one another due to their high contrast. This combination would work well for logo design or a branded product label.
Hex codes: Charcoal #101820FF, Yellow #FEE715FF
4. Red & yellow(classic)
Next on the list is the bold and vibrant color combination, red and yellow. This complementary color combo is the embodiment of cheer. Reimagine this classic ketchup and mustard color pairing with a modern, pastel take by changing the tints from red to coral.
Hex codes: Coral #F96167, Yellow #FCE77D
5. Lime green & electric blue (trending)
Lime green and electric blue convey energy and youth. When combined, these two bright colors work particularly well for logos and in fashion design.
Hex codes: Lime Green #CCF381, Electric Blue #4831D4
6. Lavender & teal (trending)
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Lavender and teal is the quintessential color combo for all things aesthetically pleasing. This mature yet playful combination is often used in baby products marketed to parents due in part to their harmonious, earthy nature.
Hex codes: Lavender #E2D1F9, Teal #317773
7. Cherry red & off-white (classic)
Cherry red and off-white is truly classic. This color combo gives you a fantastic duality and works well in both digital and print mediums.
Hex codes: Cherry Red #990011FF, Off-White #FCF6F5FF
8. Baby blue & white (classic)
Another classic color combo known for its duality is baby blue and white. This serene combo communicates ease and trustworthiness, invoking the feeling of looking up at the sky on a sunny morning. Baby blue and white are the perfect color combo for brand colors in the healthcare, childcare, or non-profit industries.
Hex codes: Baby Blue #8AAAE5, White #FFFFF
9. Hot pink & cyan (trending)
Cyan can be a tricky shade of blue to pair, but the hot pink and cyan color combination really works. It’s bubblegum pop meets cyberpunk dystopia — a twist on the classic baby pink and baby blue. These bright, high contrast colors embody an excitement that is ideal for an alternative take on more playful brands. Think vape juice labels or scene/punk branding.
10. Peach & burnt orange (trending)
Peach and burnt orange create an analogous color combination. The balance of these two colors is perhaps their best quality — making them ideal colors for lifestyle, event, or interior design brands.
Hex codes: Peach #FCEDDA, Burnt Orange #EE4E34
11. Light blue & dark blue (classic)
While muted to some, the light blue and dark blue color combination isn't to be overlooked. This monotone pairing inspires professionalism and trust — making the combo great for insurance agencies or banking.
12. Sky blue & bubblegum pink (classic)
Next, we have a beloved classic— sky blue and bubblegum pink. The playful and bright bubblegum pink paired with a cooling and cheerful baby blue communicates a wholesome adolescent joy. This color pairing is ideal for parenting brands, childcare logos, or children's fashion, products, or toys.
13. Mustard, sage, & forest green (trending)
In stark contrast to the above-mentioned cotton candy colors are the rugged and earthy mustard, sage, and forest green. These three colors come together to form the ultimate earth-tone color palette. These colors are perfect for natural brands and suitable for logo design, web design, product design, and packaging.
Hex codes: Mustard #E3B448, Sage #CBD18F, Forest Green #3A6B35
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Photo: John Tocci
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