Green is a versatile color that can be paired with a wide range of hues. But with so many options, how do you choose accent colors that truly complement green? Understanding color theory principles such as complementary, analogous, and triadic schemes is key. Certain shades inherently create harmony and allow green to shine. Consider contrast and color psychology as well. With the right accent colors, you can make any green color palette pop.
When deciding what colors go with green, start by looking at the color wheel. The wheel provides visual guidance on complementary colors, adjacent shades, and triadic combinations that naturally look good together. Leverage these principles to pick accent colors that make green ‘pop’ beautifully.
Complement Your Green with Vibrant Purple Hues
On the color wheel, purple sits directly opposite green. This makes it a complementary color that creates a striking, high-contrast combination. Vivid purples make green ‘pop’ and stand out. Try pairing emerald greens with bold eggplant purples for an eye-catching scheme. Or use lime green with lilac purple for a softer look.
Rich royal purples also strongly complement forest greens. This color scheme is commonly used for luxury hotel branding and invites a sense of elegance. Likewise, pair sage green with pale mauve for a soft, romantic vibe. There are endless ways to combine green and purple for unique, complementary color harmony.
Complementary Red-Green Color Schemes
Like purple, red is also a complementary color to green. When used together, the high contrast makes both colors appear more vibrant. Red and green are classics for holiday designs because they just ‘go’ together so well. Try Christmas green with cherry red for a festive combo. For a retro diner look, pair mint green with fire engine red.
In nature, red flowers and green foliage are common complementary pairs. Reflect this in your home by combining forest green walls with crimson red pillows and accents. Or create an exotic look with emerald green, scarlet red, and touches of gold.
Energetic Orange Accents for Green
Orange is another vibrant complementary shade for green palettes. Combining green and orange creates a fun, energetic vibe perfect for kids’ spaces. Try lime green with tangerine orange for a joyful, playful color scheme. Or combine olive green with terra cotta orange for an earthy bohemian aesthetic. Use muted orange pumps or pillows to add a colorful accent to a sage green sofa.
Cool, Calm Green and Blue Color Schemes
On the color wheel, blue and green are analogs or adjacent colors located directly next to each other. This creates a peaceful, harmonious combination. Aquas, teals, and turquoises blended with greens evoke refreshing watercolor palettes. Navy blue and hunter green together create a sophisticated, masculine look.
To make green walls pop, try painting the trim teal or navy blue. Or adorn a mint green room with accents in shades of sky blue. Use duck egg blue and sage green for a trendy, spa-like bathroom. Combine pale blue-green with lime green for a Caribbean coastal color scheme.
Sunny Yellow Accents for Green
Like blue, vibrant yellow is also analogous to green. Combining green and yellow creates cheerful, uplifting palettes reminiscent of spring. Try freshening up olive green with bright lemon yellow accents. Or pair lime green and daffodil yellow for a playful, retro Mod style. Mustard yellow also complements sage green nicely.
In nature, green leaves and yellow flowers often appear together. Reflect this in your home with accents like yellow window treatments against emerald walls. Place golden yellow pillows on a hunter green sofa for a pleasant contrast. Yellow and green create happy energy and are easy to coordinate.
Create Color Harmony with Violet
Violet is one of the tertiary colors on the color wheel, meaning it combines a primary and secondary shade. Specifically, violet contains aspects of red and blue. When paired together, green, violet, and a third color such as orange or red form a triadic harmony. The evenly spaced colors create a color scheme with great visual balance.
Use vivid violets as an accent color for green to add dramatic appeal. Combining forest green with plum purple creates an elegant, regal ambiance. Pairing chartreuse green with lilac purple yields a more playful, whimsical feel. Add eggplant purple to a scheme of sage green and brick red for triadic tranquility.
When combining green with accent colors, consider the following tips:
- Aim for enough contrast between colors for visual accessibility.
- Draw inspiration from green plant and flower combinations in nature.
- Use lighter accents with deeper greens and darker accents with pale greens.
- Avoid matching green tones, which can look drab and monotonous.
- Consider color psychology, with red for excitement, purple for sophistication, yellow for cheer, etc.
Start with color theory as a guide, then modify and personalize the color scheme for you. Follow your intuition to create color schemes with vibrance, flair and visual appeal. Our top tips will help you choose accent colors that make green schemes ‘pop’ beautifully!
