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classic-colour-pairings

Classic Colour Pairings


Some fashions are meant to go together: the little black dress and high heels, Italian suits and silk ties, oxford shirts and pullover sweaters. The same is true of home fashion. Some colour combinations—blue and yellow; green and pink; purple and brown; red, black, and white—are longtime partners that show no sign of splitting up soon.

These colour combos have staying power for several reasons. They tend to be complementary on the colour wheel and are soothing to the eye. They’re also naturally comfortable together; most are found in nature. Many classic colour combinations are also linked to iconic images in culture. Blue and yellow? Vintage china patterns. Green and pink? English gardens. Purples and browns? Autumn flora and fauna. Red, black, and white? Diners.

Though these classic combinations may be here to stay, they’ve been updated this year.

Take blue and yellow. Some of the top blues aren’t “true blues” but instead are blue-greens that are hard to pin down. Are they teal? Turquoise? It’s hard to say, because these new blues have depth and complexity. They also pair well with the full range of yellows on the market, including sunny yellows, which remain some of the most popular colours in the palette.

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Gotta Have Hue
DR124-3
Blue with yellow
undertones

Beyond Beautiful
DR123-4
Blue with yellow
undertones

A little Bit of Soul
DR115-0
Blue with yellow
undertones

Yellow Tail
B20-4-0848-0
Bright Yellow​

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Purples and browns likewise are becoming more complex, both now influenced by grey. These new purples are beautiful complements to charcoal and graphite, as well as to metallic versions of those colours.

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Brushstroke of Genius
DR139-0
Purple with blue
undertones​

Joie de vivre
DR123-4
Purple with red
undertones​

Place of Dust
D37-5-0539-0
Cool grey with purple
undertones​

Rugged Beauty
NPC5-3
Charcoal complement

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Greens and pinks, meanwhile, are everywhere, in permutations that include sage and salmon, celery and apricot, and lime and rose. These combinations are especially popular in fabrics and upholstery—retail stores are filled with floral patterns in these colours—and look both classic and modern.

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Object of My Affection
DR79-4
Orange with yellow
undertones​

Sprout
DR106-0
Green with yellow
undertones​

Elegant
DR78-0
Peach with yellow
undertones​

Caribout Lichen
NPC34-0
Green with yellow
undertones​

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Japonica
FD053-0
Pink with yellow
undertones​

Prom Dress
NPC34-0
Green with yellow
undertones​

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And what about red, black, and white? They, too, are a little more complex these days, with red leaning toward orange, black toward grey, and white toward cream.​

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Sizzle
DR76-3
Red with yellow
undertones​

Little Black Number
DR60-3
Black​


Love Letters
WB002-0
Yellow undertones

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Inspiration is always handy

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