Colors that go with beige are aplenty as it is a super versatile and easy-to-use neutral. Unlike white, which can sometimes feel a bit cold and clinical, beige has a warm undertone and can imbue a space with softness.
'One excellent way to compile an earth-toned, beige palette is to look to nearby nature for inspiration,' says Sarah Barnard, interior designer, and LEED and WELL AP. 'Punctuations of brighter colors found in nature, from mustard yellows to floral pink hues, can help to introduce vivid moments of color with beige.'
Beige is also a color that goes with grey, and other dark to light tones. To help you understand how flexible this color is, we reached out to the experts who offered inspiring examples. Here are the colors that complement beige best.
10 Colors That Go With Beige
1. Gold
Finding colors that go with gold isn't a difficult task. This versatile jewel tone can pair well with other hues and create a rich, shimmering atmosphere. For a more toned-down, elegant interior, consider a matte-finished gold, or simply use the tone in smaller accessories while keeping the larger palette more muted.
'Gold or even a shiny yellow can create a sunny ambiance, and pair well with neutrals,' says Nadia Watts, founder of Nadia Watts Interior Design. 'This tone not only brings good vibes but also a feeling of warmth without being overpowering.'
2. Black
If you think about it, black and beige are as classic as white and black, except that while white makes for a stark contrast, beige allows the black to look and feel warmer. Instead of a black and white living room or bedroom, you could consider the friendly beige to give the space a more inviting look.
'Not quite stark white but definitely without the dark visual weight of organic browns, beige is that warm background color that provides us with the idea of blank slate and warmth,' says Jarret Yoshida, a Brooklyn brownstone interior designer.
3. Olive green
Amongst the colors that go with olive green, a wonderful and complementary hue is beige. The two colors, reminiscent of nature help create an environment that instantly feels relaxing while also refreshing. With plenty of natural light flowing into the room, you can create the ideal indoor-outdoor environment.
'I wanted to use the calming neutral hues of the desert landscape (with beige tones) to complement the views of the natural beauty of the mountains and Palm Trees of Palm Springs with green,' says Michelle Boudreau, founder of Michelle Boudreau Design.
4. Brown
There's something so rustic and charming about brown — also many colors go with brown, making it a versatile, earthy hue. Pair the color with warm and inviting beige, and create a wonderful tonal story.
'When pairing brown and beige, look for shades within the same color family,' says Sarah Barnard, founder of Sarah Barnard Design. 'Cool beiges work harmoniously with cooler shades of brown, while warmer beiges work best with warmer browns. Because beiges and browns have many overlapping qualities, they may also benefit from higher contrast, with lighter beige tones pairing well with deeper brown tones.'
5. Royal blue
Amongst the colors that go with navy blue is trusty beige that helps create an eye-catching contrast. An accent wall is a great way to add a pop of this color in an otherwise all-beige room. Beige and navy are great together because they're both traditional, classic tones that feel grounded and neutral, but are still full of personality.
'Beige and royal blue is a classic combination, as the two shades are often well-suited to one another,' says Sarah. 'Beige can help warm the cooler tones in blues while offering a softer contrast than brighter shades of white. Royal blue can also help to break up and energize larger areas of beige, making it an excellent accent color in beige-heavy spaces.'
6. Forest Green
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Colors: Forest Green, Dark Gray, Cream, Burnt Orange, White (Multi-Colored)
Amongst the array of colors that go with forest green is beige; a wonderful companion that reduces the somber effect of the richer tone. The two hues offset each other pretty well and help create a cozy, cocooning interior, ideal for lounging, reading or watching television with family.
'Green is a rich, vibrant color that seamlessly blends with many different décor styles and muted tones, especially beige,' says Donna DuFresne, founder of Donna DuFresne Interior Design.
7. White
Beige is a diluted warm neutral; if you take brown and dial it down to its lightest incarnation, that’s beige. This means beige doesn't have that 'sterile' feel that cold whites and grays can have.
If you like muted interiors yet want an inviting ambiance, layer beige with white together. After all, it’s very difficult to pull off an all-white decor without it appearing cold and stark.
'Beige is such a great color to pair with shades of taupe, and white for a well-layered and dimensioned look,' says Brittany Farinas, founder of House of One. Why not create a super light-filled and airy beige living room or bedroom with a peppering of white or cream.
8. Red
Beige is a great backdrop for an eclectic color like red. Since it's warmer than bright white, it doesn't create such a bold contrast, which is a cardinal sin when it comes to creating a calming red room or interior scheme.
If you're worried about the stark look of red even when paired with beige, consider adding one deeper tone to the mix, to ground the palette — perhaps a deep green, for example. There are many colors that go with green and the palette mix might help give more grounding to your interior.
'The neutral tones in beige make it a great backdrop for red; a highly energetic color,' says Sarah. 'Because of red’s ability to activate a space, it works well in small amounts as an accent against a beige backdrop, helping to direct the eye around a room. Softer, deeper tones of red often work well with beige, as they will share similar tones of brown.'
9. Turquoise
Warm, yellowy beiges look great with teals, turquoise, and other yellow blues. One great way to work with beige and another hue are through color-blocking walls, where both shades hold their own yet create an eye-catching contrast. For this, consider painting an arch in beige, in which the wall inside the room is another, complementary hue.
'We conceptualized a layered design full of texture with a variety of classic, modern pieces to create a relaxed, inviting space that marries the home’s roots with its inhabitants,' says Melissa Lee, founder of Bespoke Only. 'The traditional blue and beige combo in colonial homes mixed with a touch of Nordic influence results in a spectrum of subdued, hazy hues that reflect softly by the panoramic natural exposure.'
10. Pink
Pink can be loud, statement-making or subtle, and timeless. The hue, in its varied undertones, can create different effects in an interior; a major contributor to that is also the lighting in the room.
Many colors go with pink, but when you choose the light, soft tones of the color, it can soften the overall look of a space and give it a sweet, more charming appeal. If you're looking to create a more cocooning interior, consider pairing two warm tones together. Beige walls and soft pink furniture, or in this bathroom, a sink, is a great way to conjure a peaceful, endearing interior.
'Beiges pair well with dusty pinks that fall into a similar color family,' says Sarah. 'Because softer pinks can have so much overlap with warmer beige tones, creating contrast is important to help create balance. Lighter beiges with darker pinks or pale, pastel pinks with deeper beige tones can keep the space from feeling overly neutral while maintaining a calming environment.'
Add a peppering of gold or copper to make the entire scheme shine.
What colors go with a beige sofa?
A sofa should be a major contributor to your living room color ideas as the largest piece in the space. While many feel a beige sofa looks staid, it offers up a great opportunity to play with more interesting color palettes in the room.
Several colors go with a beige sofa, including rust, pink, red, grey, black, or yellow. A wonderful neutral that is neither as stark as white nor as plain as cream, the hue with a brown undertone has an inherent warm quality to it.
While paint colors and vivid cushions can help lift a beige sofa, even adding a vibrant rug with a plain beige sofa can create a great vignette.
How to add color to a beige room?
For a lot of people, beige is a 'safe' option, but without a pop of color or contrast you can risk your room appearing bland or lacking in character and soul. This is why adding color to a beige room is imperative, and now you know which colors go with beige, it's all about working out how to add them into your space.
Just like with the 'unexpected red theory', you don't have to flood the room with a color, but simply add small pops or accents of it. This could be through your choice of décor, furniture, rugs, or even a wallpaper. You could choose to paint certain architectural features in the room, such as window sills or baseboards, or even just the door.
Do beige and blue go together?
Yes, beige and blue beautifully complement one another. As shown above, you can pair beige with a wide spectrum of blue hues, from a deep royal blue to a softer and more subtle turquoise. Beige is the perfect highlight for a navy blue color scheme in your living room.
In fact, beige often looks better with blue than white does, as it offsets the shades cooler undertone, adding more warmth and depth to a space. You can also pair beige with various shades of blue in the one room for added definition.
