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100 color combinations and how to apply them to your designs

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When it comes to design, finding the perfect color combination can be your winning secret to having an eye-catching creation. You could say, it’s one of the most important steps in creating a polished look.

The truth is, color makes a design come alive. It can attract attention, set a mood, and even influence our emotions and perceptions.

But without any design inspiration or design principles to follow, it can be hard to come up with a winning color combination from scratch.

After all, how are you meant to know if it really looks good, or helps communicate the purpose of your design? Whether you're designing a poster, logo or business card, the color combination plays a key role in how it's perceived.

So we’ve done the hard work for you—giving you 100 color combinations inspired by nature, food and drink, travel, and everyday items. But before we go into the designer-approved color combinations you should use, let's cover the basic color combinations most designers use.

Types of color combinations

Different color combinations evoke different moods or tones by using color theory and color psychology. Below are some of the most popular types of color combinations used.

Complementary color combinations

Complementary color combinations are colors that sit opposite each other on the color circle. Complementary colors provide feels of energy and vitality to the viewer.

Triadic color combinations

A triadic color combination is a combination that uses three colors. They are equidistant on the color circle, making the shape of a triangle. Using this type of color combination can create feelings of peace and harmony for the viewer of your design.

Analogous color combinations

An analogous color combination is a combination of 2 to 5 colors that sit adjacent to each other on the color circle. It creates a smooth and pacifying feeling for the viewer and designers often opt to choose muted hues within these combinations.

Tetradic color combinations

The tetradic color combination is a scheme that includes one primary and two complementary colors. It also uses one additional color that highlights accents. All four colors are distributed evenly around the color wheel, causing there to be no clear dominance of one color.

Nature

01. Fresh & Bright

Fresh greenery and colorful blossoms make springtime a welcome sight after a long winter. This color palette features bright shades of green and coral that will make your design pop. These types of colors might be used for a spring- or summer-season event poster or perhaps an advertisement that wants to come across as fresh and youthful.

02. Subdued & Professional

Red and blue are some of the most common colors that businesses use for branding, and for good reason. Red says “confident and powerful,” while blue says “calming and trustworthy.” This color combination offers a little bit of both, with slightly desaturated shades that aren’t overpowering. To the conservative blue and gray hues, the brick red shade adds a burst of extra color that is still professional. This would work well in any corporate context or for a more “serious” design project.

03. Dark & Earthy

Desert landscapes are full of dramatic contrasts, and so is this color scheme. For an unexpected color combination that is more toned down than bright and garish, try this pairing featuring shades of plum and reddish-orange.

04. Crisp & Dramatic

Iceland’s natural beauty is legendary, and this palette tries to capture its dramatic contrasts. The warm, grayish undertones of the top two colors contrast nicely with the cooler greens. A range of lighter and darker shades makes it easy to combine any two or three of the colors and have them still complement each other.

05. Cool Blues

Monochromatic color schemes (made up of the various tints, tones, or shades of one color) are extremely versatile. While this palette may not qualify as monochromatic according to the technical definition, for visual purposes, it creates a similar effect. With a color as multipurpose as blue, this combination could be used just about anywhere.

06. Outdoorsy & Natural

If you have a brand or need a design that emphasizes natural or “green” qualities, a color palette featuring greens and browns is a logical choice. Rather than your typical dull shades, this color combination brightens things up with a splash of lime green.

07. Watery Blue-Greens

Another winner for any brand looking to emphasize its eco-credentials. This moody combination of watery greens has a subtle sophistication.

08. Primary Colors With a Vibrant Twist

Bright colors have undeniable eye-catching power. These primary colors are ever-so-slightly muted, giving the palette a unique touch.

09. Refreshing & Pretty

Crisp turquoise hues set off bright yellow and bubblegum pink for a palette almost reminiscent of Easter candy. If the pink makes the palette too “girly” for your design’s purposes, just leave it out and opt for the top two aqua shades plus the yellow for a bright, clean combination.

10. Playful Greens & Blues

The bluish shades at the top and bottom of this selection have gray undertones, which makes them almost neutral — a great foundation for playing with more daring tones like the lime green.

Need color inspiration for weddings? Read more about it: 25 perfect wedding color combinations.

11. Fresh & Energetic

The almost neon shades of blue and green balance out the other two more conservative colors and add a bright freshness that gives the combination some kick. This kind of scheme might work well for a fitness brand or any design that needs to balance a businesslike feel with an energetic vibe.

12. Surf & Turf

This landscape features both warm and cool colors in both bright and subdued shades. The beachy, mellow color palette inspired by it draws from those contrasts for a combination that brings to mind relaxing island vacations — just one example of how we can associate color with certain places, moods, or emotions.

13. Autumn in Vermont

These earthy colors have a rustic realness to them, evoking woodsy images. This color combination would be perfect for anyone looking to add an authentic touch to their brand.

14. Icy Blues and Grays

Contrasting warm grays with cool, glacial blues makes for a dynamic color scheme that’s more visually interesting than your average combination of drab blues and grays. If you’re in need of a palette that’s more restrained, instead of opting for navy and dark gray, try these lighter, brighter hues.

15. Birds & Berries

This color palette brings to mind the first moments of Spring, and the newly emerging flowers, buds and berries.

16. Day & Night

This color combination is a perfect example of the power of contrast. The strong, bright hues of the yellow and orange are balanced by the indigo and navy tones, creating an overall effect that is powerful without being in-your-face.

17. Stylish & Retro

The muted shades of this color scheme have a vintage vibe, with the light aqua and gold particularly being colors that were popular in the 1950s and 60s. But that doesn’t mean this combination looks dated. These colors (and the mid-century modern aesthetic in general) have seen a resurgence in popularity and still look stylish.

18. Shades of Citrus

Nothing says "health" more than these varied citrus hues. Orange, yellow and lime green are the perfect choices if you want a color combination that suggests freshness and vitality.

19. Sunset to Dusk

The colors that are seen across the sky as the sun sets and moves towards twilight come in a wide range of peaches and blues, creating a sophisticated palette to make any design unique.

20. Bright & Tropical

A color combination so tropical you can almost feel the warm breeze on your skin. These warm colors have a youthful energy and vitality.

Did you know that colors have meanings? Read more about it here: The history and psychology of colors.

21. Warm Naturals

Think of autumn and the various shades of brown, red, orange and green that the foliage turns into. Use these colors to create a design that is appealing and cozy.

22. Bold Berries

This palette balances out colors from the red and brown spectrum with the yellow and green. It's booth bright and bold, but still soothing and fun.

23. Summer Sunflower

This color combination has an outdoor feel to it, like a summer baseball game: you have the red dirt of the baseball diamond, the green grass in the outfield, the bright sun in a blue sky overhead. However, it’s more subtle (and has more variety of color) than, say, the more obvious greens and browns in #6.

24. Modern & Crisp

Pairing black and white with bright, crisp shades of green makes for a modern palette that is sophisticated without being too serious. Instead of pairing red or blue with your black and white, freshen things up with some green.

25. Timeless & Nautical

A classic combination: neutral navy and ivory play off the red and peacock blue in this combination that brings to mind the ocean and boating.

Food & Drink

26. Neutral & Versatile

Neutral colors like the shades of gray and tan here are very versatile and can be paired with almost anything. A color scheme of all neutrals, however, can be quite nice, too. Depending on how you apply it to a design, it can be upscale and sophisticated (think of branding for a luxury hotel) or calming and comfortable (think the décor of a favorite neighborhood coffee shop).

27. Cheerful Brights

Bold but not overly bright, these colors are eye-catching and sophisticated.

28. Garden Fresh

Orange is often associated with energy, and what's more energetic than these two complementary orange tones? The off-white and pear green colors balance the palette, creating a fresh feel.

29. Summer Barbeque

This color combination is pure nostalgia. It evokes memories of warm summer afternoons, hanging out at the backyard and just enjoying the day.

30. Berry Blues

An effective color combination doesn't need to use wildly different colors, as this palette demonstrates. The different shades of blue are perfectly balanced, and conjures the trustworthiness blue is often said to promote.

31. Lemonade Stand

This cheerful palette of reds, oranges, and yellows will surely perk up any design you use it in. Though lemonade stands are mostly associated with summer, this palette also feels rather like autumn. You can get more autumn-inspired palettes through this article: 5 fall-inspired color palettes

32. Serene & Spa-Like

Calming, spa-like greens and blue—great by themselves—look a little more lively with a splash of raspberry as an accent color. Adding a brighter or bolder accent color to a more restrained selection is a nice technique to liven up a color palette and give it a little extra interest.

33. Fun & Tropical

This happy blend of colors doesn’t take itself too seriously. Have a summer party invitation to design? Maybe a children’s event poster or advertisement? A palette like this one will make it clear where the fun is at.

34. Spicy Neutrals

Shades ranging from light to dark make it easy to apply this color palette to a design. There’s enough contrast that you can choose a background color, a text color, and an accent color or two just from these four.

35. Pastels

Applications for a pastel palette will be somewhat limited — designs having to do with Easter, spring, babies, or tea parties are pretty safe choices. Pastel colors generally come across as pretty and delicate, so you’ll want to make sure your design calls for a similar mood if you want to use a color combination like this one.

36. Bold & Cultured

37. Sunny Citrus

38. Crisp Complementary Colors

Red and green is one of three pairs of complementary (or opposite) colors on the traditional color wheel; others include orange/blue and violet/yellow. When combined, these colors make a striking, high-contrast impression that can be a little jarring if you don’t use them carefully. That’s why, for this palette, the reds and greens have been balanced and toned down (not full saturation like the red and green you see on Christmas decorations) for a fresher twist on a complementary color palette.

39. Warm & Rustic

40. Neon Night

41. Jewel Tones

42. Polished & Inviting

Warm grays with a pop of golden yellow is a combination you’ll see sometimes in interior design and home décor contexts. It’s primarily neutral (and the warmness of the grays feels calming and inviting) but the yellow adds some cheerfulness and energy for an overall palette that’s refined but not stuffy.

43. Fresh Greens

44. Wintery Reds

Reminiscent of winter berries and bare branches against a snowy sky, this combination of colors would make a great alternative to your traditional Christmas or holiday palettes. The rich reds paired with violet-tinged grays feel festive, but sophisticated.

45. Summer Fiesta

46. Chocolaty Browns

Who says brown has to be boring? Add some red and violet undertones, and you have a full, rich color palette that — like these chocolate cupcakes — feels a little decadent.

47. Naturally Elegant

48. Cozy & Warm

49. Violet Sunset

50. Strawberries & Cream

This color scheme works great with this Blood Donation Poster template and this Classroom Job Poster template. Why not give them a try?

Travel

51. Grecian Holiday

52. Bold & Basic

White, black (or in this case, very dark navy), red, and yellow is a very common combination. But with these saturated shades, it certainly isn’t boring. If you’re looking for a bold palette that doesn’t mess around with unusual colors but that still makes a strong, eye-catching statement in your design, this type of color scheme is an easy one to apply.

53. Vineyard Neutrals

54. Modern & Urban

55. Misty Greens

56. Sunkissed Village

Many cliff-hugging villages along the Mediterranean coast are painted in warm pastels. You can replicate that sunny, carefree look with this selection of shades and bring a little of the Italian dolce vita to your design, creating a warm and welcoming effect.

57. Sun & Sky

58. Aqua Blues

59. Urban Oasis

60. Candy-Coated Brights

These vibrant hues look like they belong in a candy store, and they’re sure to give a design some youthful energy. Just make sure that it’s okay that the overall effect of the design is a little “loud,” because like the graffiti they’re inspired by, these colors certainly aren’t quiet; they’re out to make a statement.

61. Muted & Antique

62. Classy & Timeless

It’s hard to replicate a metallic effect with just flat color, but dark blue and gold is a timeless combination that you’ll see on everything from swanky party invitations to the official colors of elite schools and sports teams. To add a little class to a design, try some combination of the two colors. (If you can manage to get your design printed with gold foil accents, even better!)

63. Cosmopolitan

64. Cheerful & Friendly

65. Nightlife

The ink colors that all printers use (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black; abbreviated CMYK) make a striking combination on their own, similar to the neon and illuminated signs of a big city at night.

66. Coastal

67. Maritime Brights

68. Vintage Charm

69. Understated & Versatile

70. Arctic Sunrise

Blue and gray always work nicely together (and you could certainly use the bottom three selections of this palette by themselves) — but the addition of a light coral pink, along with the brighter blues, gives this combination a little extra sparkle.

71. Mediterranean Afternoon

Lunch at an Italian restaurant, anyone? Some of the things most often associated with Italian cuisine — wine, rich tomato sauce, fresh handmade pasta — all make an appearance in this color scheme. Try it out to add some warmth and flavor to a design. The inclusion of a creamy neutral shade balances out the more colorful selections; you can use it as a background or base color and one or more of the others as tasteful accents.

72. Hazy Grays

73. City Sights

74. Retro & Relaxing

75. Green Fields

The only way to know if it will work is if you try it yourself. Give this Modern Green and White Presentation template or this Dark Green Presentation template your own bit of flare.

Everyday Items

76. Distinctive & Unexpected

77. Sleek & Modern

Black, gray, and white are always acceptable, usable colors. But add some cobalt blue, and those run-of-the-mill neutral shades become a backdrop for a modern, attractive palette that could work for any design style, from corporate to trendy.

78. Orange Accent

79. Beyond Black & White

Red or blue might be common pairings for basic black and white, but here, a deeper red along with a brighter turquoise blue gives a fresh twist to a familiar combination.

80. Shabby Chic Neutrals

81. Warm & Cool

82. Industrial & In-Control

83. Autumn Oranges + Complementary Neutrals

This warm and cozy color combination features muted oranges that won't overwhelm your audience.

84. Pool Party

Fun in the sun! This color combination is young and playful. The two blues balance the oranges, ensuring things don't get too crazy at this "pool party".

85. Classic Metallics

If you want a combination that says "tradition" or "trustworthiness", look no further. These classic hues, inspired by metallics, will add a touch of class to your design.

86. Subtle & Versatile

Reminiscent of colors you might see decorating a beach house, this palette is slightly nautical, slightly faded and vintage, but the hues included here won’t box you into a certain style. They’re versatile and subtle: this color combination won’t overwhelm your design.

87. Professional & Traditional

88. Light & Natural

89. Shadowy & Dramatic

Here, the neon red plays off the earthy, muted towns of brown, slate and crepe. This color combination is perfect if you'd like to emphasise one color in particular, while letting the rest of the shades play supporting roles.

90. Golden Afternoon

91. Dark & Handsome

Dark wood, leather, old books — things you might find in an English pub or one of those gentlemen’s clubs you see in old movies. If your design could use some suave sophistication, try out this combination of rich browns plus a lighter, smoky neutral shade.

92. Technology Meets Nature

93. Cheerful Blues + Pink

94. Exotic & High-Impact

95. Back to School

96. Bright & Painterly

97. Urban Living

98. 1950s Kitchen

99. Smoky Purples

100. Trendy & Metropolitan

Fresh & bright: petal, poppy, stem, spring green
Subdued & professional: mist, stone, shadow, autumn foliage
Dark & earthy: cervice, cloud shadow, desert, red clay
Crisp & dramatic: thunder cloud, waterfall, moss, meadow
Cool blues: deep aqua, ocean, wave, seafoam
Outdoorsy & natural: forest green, grass, lime, earth
Watery blue-greens: blue black, cadet blue, rain, greenery
Primary colors with a vibrant twist: sky, sunset, sunflower, grass
Refreshing & pretty: aquamarine, turquoise, canary yellow, pink tulip
Playful greens & blues: blue pine, new grass, reflection, mist
Fresh & energetic: blue sky, granite, pine, fields
Surf & turf: Sandstone, burnt orange, sea, lagoon
Autumn in Vermont: crimson, forest, rust, gold
Icy blues and grays: overcast, warm gray, ice, glacier blue
Birds & berries: lavender gray, branch, berry, yellow feathers
Day & night: dark navy, blueberry, tangerine, daffodil
Stylish & retro: sky, sunglow, mountains, mist
Shades of citrus: orange, yellow, olive green, lime
Sunset to dusk: deep purple, indigo, taupe, blush
Bright & tropical: hot pink, bubblegum, pollen, chartreuse
Warm naturals: bark, seaweed green, bronze, goldenrod
Bold berries: eggplant, strawberry, lemon lime, basil green
Summer Sunflower: blue, leafy green, sunflower, seeds
Modern & crisp: deep green, white, plants, new growth
Timeless & nautical: navy, peacock blue, ivory, candy apple
Neutral & versatile: slate, ceramic, latte, coffee
Cheerful brights: avocado, yellow pepper, aqua blue, tomato
Summer barbeque: green, charred, tasted, tomato
Berry blues: midnight blue, indigo ink, blueberry, periwinkle
Lemonade stand: cherry red, ice, marmalade, orange juice
Serene & spa-like: sage, honeydew, bluebell, raspberry
Fun & tropical: electric blue, banana, watermelon, cantaloupe
Spicy neutrals: cayenne, cinnamon, cream, caramel
Pastels: baby blue, peach, butter, butterscotch
Bold & cultured: fig, apple red, swiss cheese, basil
Sunny citrus: citrus, grapefruit, ruby red, off white
Crisp complementary colors: golden delicious, granny smith, rope apple, red delicious
Warm & rustic: mushroom, onion, red pepper, driftwood
Neon night: caviar, avocado, salmon, black seaweed
Jewel tones: purple onion, ripe tomato, lemon, spices
Polished & inviting: linen, oyster, pewter, lemon tea
Fresh greens: emerald, green bean, light green, cotton
Wintery reds: berry, cherry, chiffon, smoke
Summer fiesta: avocado, cilantro, lox, toast
Chocolaty browns: cocoa, chocolate, toffee, frosting
Naturally elegant: yellow pear, moss green, umber, gold
Cozy & warm: red onion, spicy, parsnip, peppercorn
Violet sunset: stonerground, lapis, salmos, peppercorn
Strawberries & cream: strawberry, papaya, milk, granola
Grecian Holiday: grecian blue, sea, plaster, coral
Bold & basic: night, phone booth red, pearl, flash
Vineyard neutrals: dark, wine, clay, dusty rose
Modern & urban: sunshine, steel blue, bone, coal
Misty greens: forest, evergreen, pine, fog
Sunkissed village: terracotta, honey, biscotti, stone
Sun & sky: cerulean blue, mustard, asphalt, shadow
Aqua blues: peacock blue, deep aqua, lichen, mist
Urban oasis: leaves, bark, marbie, brownstone
Candy-coated brights: orange, fuschia, lemon drop, blue raspberry
Muted & antique: Robin’s egg blue, nectar, tuscan red, olive
Classy & timeless: midnight blue, dusk, golden, bronze
Cosmopolitan: blue-gray, steel, pewter, blush
Cheerful & friendly: dark teal, arctic, white cloud, brick
Nightlife: cyan, magenta, yellow, black
Coastal: powder blue, clouds, sand, palm
Maritime brights: saltwater, lagoon, whitewash, raspberry
Vintage charm: honeysuckle, warm gray, putty, faded roses
Understated & versatile: stormy sea, fog, rust, charcoal
Arctic sunrise: sunrise, blue topaz, cerulean, icicle
Mediterranean afternoon: currant, scarlet, marigold, cobblestone
Hazy grays: blue green, waterway, haze, smog
City sights: fire engine red, light gray, denim, concrete
Retro & relaxing: ginger, light gray, oat, concrete
Green fields: split pea, camouflage, light, grass
Distinctive & unexpected: turquoise, cool gray, brownish purple, orange red
Sleek & modern: blue black, cool gray, white, cobalt
Orange accent: wood veneer, sand dollar, charcoal, orange
Beyond black & white: turquoise, lipstick, grayish white, black
Shabby chic neutrals: metal, kraft paper, newsprint, pewter
Warm & cool: faded navy, punch, ocean breeze, warm
Industrial & in-control: ink, aluminum, paper, ruby red
Autumn oranges + complementary neutrals: pumpkin, cantaloupe, cotton, hot chocolate
Pool party: royal blue, pool blue, orange juice, blood orange
Classic metallics: black steel, paper, gold leaf, silver
Subtle & versatile: blue green, minty, faded red, oatmeal,
Professional & traditional: brick red, gloss white, matte black, medium gray
Light & natural: stone, sage, buttermilk, leather
Shadowy & dramatic: slate, neon red, crepe, brown gray
Golden afternoon: burgundy, oatmeal, cinder, goal
Dark & handsome: mahogany, chestnut, leather, parchment
Technology meets nature: buttercup, silver plate, dark, green
Cheerful blues + pink: soft pink, warm white, bright blue, aegean blue
Exotic & high-impact: onyx, taupe, firework, oceanic
Back to school: wood, pencil yellow, orange, pink eraser
Bright & painterly: ultramarine, watermelon, sunshine, turquoise
Urban living: soft gray, blackish, houseplant, blue gray
1950s kitchen: mint, red, porcelain, fresh blue
Smoky purples: warm gray, dark bluish gray, beige, mauve
Trendy & metropolitan: dark aqua, gold, charcoal, gray