Research shows that seeing the color blue can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the system that helps calm you down, making it a great color choice to include in your life and within your home.
More specifically, royal blue conveys various feelings depending on what other colors you match it with. Keep reading to uncover what colors go with royal blue the best.
Royal blue is a versatile color, almost as versatile as neutral-toned colors. If you want to play it safe but still have lots of color in your space, choose royal blue and pair it with one of the neutral-toned colors.
What Colors Go With Royal Blue in 2024?
Ground Picture/Shutterstock
Many people are offended by bright, daring, bold, or harsh colors such as yellow, red, orange, lime green, or neon colors. But it would be challenging to find someone who detests royal blue.
Royal blue is a deep, lovely color that reminds people of the sky or the ocean and works well in family homes, given its agreeableness.
We’ll now explain why our suggested colors work well with royal blue and what style they will work best for.
1. White
White goes with everything, which is why it’s one of the most popular colors in interior design and décor.
You’ll create a clean and serene look when you pair royal blue with white. This color combination is perfect for anyone who wants a light and airy feel in their home.
You can use this color palette in any room, but it’s especially well-suited for bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms.
In terms of where to place the white, painting the walls white is a common move because it makes the room feel spacious and open.
White is also a nice accent color, used for linings, pillows, and decorative pieces like plant pots and sculptures.
2. Beige
Like white, beige is a versatile color that goes with almost everything. Pairing royal blue with beige will create a calming and serene atmosphere, perhaps even more so than white, because the contrast won’t be as jarring.
When pairing royal blue with beige, we recommend using royal blue as the staple color and beige for accents, or vice versa.
If you use beige as the accent color, the room will have a darker, more sultry vibe. Alternatively, if you use royal blue as the accent and beige as the main color, the room will look brighter, more spacious, and perhaps a bit more modern.
Both of these choices are appealing in their own way. It all depends on what look and feel you are going for in that specific room.
3. Tan
Tan is a beautiful color alone; it truly brings out the “royal” in royal blue when you pair the two colors together. This color palette gives off an old-world, regal vibe and would be perfect for anyone who loves classic style.
If you choose to use this color combination, we recommend using royal blue for medium-sized pieces like sofas and chairs and tan for large areas like walls and carpets, as well as smaller pieces and accents like frames and lamps.
4. Gray
Gray may seem like a dull color at first, but when you pair it with royal blue, it becomes a lot more glamorous and classy. This color combination is perfect for anyone who loves a modern-industrial look with a touch of luxury.
When using this royal blue and gray together, it’s best to incorporate a few other shades of gray. If you only use light gray, the contrast will look unsophisticated. And if you only use dark gray, the room won’t look as dynamic or interesting.
Using multiple shades of gray on furniture and fixtures with large areas of royal blue will look excellent. You can add elements of white for striking highlights and an even more dynamic and intentional look.
5. Black
Black goes with everything, which is no secret. But what you may not know is that black can make the royal blue look even brighter and more vibrant.
If you want to create a striking or dramatic look, we recommend using black as the base color and royal blue for accents.
You can use this color combination in any room, but it tends to work best in living rooms and bedrooms—or any room where you want to feel rested and grounded.
In terms of where to place the black, the black walls are common because they make the room feel more intimate, cozy, and refined.
If you are nervous about your room looking like a dungeon or cave, you can instead choose a very dark royal blue or only paint one of the walls black.
Alternatively, you can use black for large pieces of furniture like sofas and coffee tables and use royal blue for smaller pieces and accents. This color palette is perfect for anyone who loves a classic, elegant look with a touch of drama.
6. Green
Green is the color of nature, so it’s no surprise that it goes so well with royal blue — the evening sky color. This color combination is perfect for anyone who loves a natural, earthy look.
If you use this color palette, we recommend using different shades of green and blue to create an interesting and dynamic look.
Otherwise if you’d prefer to keep it simple, opt for a darker green with royal blue. You can use royal blue for large pieces like walls and furniture and use different shades of green for smaller pieces and accents.
7. Dark Orange
Standard orange color is a bit risky as a staple odor choice in your home. It might look a bit kitschy and melodramatic for some tastes.
However, using a deep, dark orange color as an accent in a royal blue room can look outstanding in a unique and memorable way.
A living room with a royal blue wall, gray flooring, a dark gray couch, and alternating dark orange and royal blue pillows on the couch will look simultaneously fun and mature.
This look appeals to young adults buying their first homes and apartments who don’t want to seem too old school but also want to be taken seriously.
8. Mustard Yellow
Last but certainly not least on this list of colors that go with royal blue is mustard yellow. Similar to people, opposites tend to “attract” when it comes to colors.
Royal blue and mustard yellow are on opposing ends of the color wheel, making them the perfect match. These complementary colors work together in a similar way as dark orange and royal blue but may come off a bit more muted and mature.
This color palette is perfect for anyone who loves a unique, modern look with a touch of whimsy and pizazz.
We recommend using royal blue as the main color, such as for large furniture pieces and walls. Then, you can incorporate mustard yellow into tables, pillows, and art pieces.
Things to Consider
YKvisual/Shutterstock
It’s crucial to consider a few general points when deciding which color you want to use with royal blue. These include:
- Make sure you understand your overall design objective and the feel you wish to create before selecting a color to match.
- In general, you’ll want to ensure the colors you select are within the same color “family” as royal blue. Don’t choose any neon colors, for example.
- If you’re stuck, consider the furniture and décor pieces you know you want in the room and base your design on those items.
- Royal blue is lovely, but don’t overdo it. If everything in the room is royal blue, the room may soon look static and strange.
- Look up pictures of royal blue rooms on Google images or Pinterest if you need help getting inspired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground Picture/Shutterstock
Although royal blue is an accommodating color, it can still be tough to figure out how to pair it with different colors. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions on this and related subjects.
Can you mix different shades of blue together?
Yes, you can mix different shades of blue. We recommend it! Mixing different shades of blue creates a more dynamic and unique look.
Make sure you understand the overall feel you want to create before mixing and matching.
What colors are complementary with blue?
Many colors are complementary to blue, and the specific ones depend on which shade and tone of blue you are using.
Standard blue goes well with standard orange and yellow. Royal and royal blues tend to go well with dark and mustard orange. Sky blue goes well with pale yellow, and so on.
What color goes well with royal blue for a wedding?
This article discusses home décor more than anything, but royal blue is also a common color choice for weddings and other special events. Royal blue goes well with yellow for weddings, especially spring weddings.
You can then incorporate different colors in the “yellow” family, such as mustard yellow and pale yellow. You can even use gold for a more regal, elegant, and formal theme.
Does royal blue go well with light blue?
Royal blue looks great with light blue in general, but we recommend using a darker royal blue if you want to incorporate light blue into the room.
A darker blue like royal will create more contrast and intrigue. But of course, it truly depends on the overall look you’re going for. Royal blue and light blue might be nicer for a summer house on the lake, for example.
Does pink go with royal blue?
Yes — pink can go with royal blue, especially pastel pink. Pastel pink and royal blue offers a fun, flirty, and eventful appearance that’s hard not to feel overjoyed.
This color combination isn’t the most popular within the home but works well for dinner parties, baby showers, and other friend and family gatherings.
What color makes blue stand out?
Blue is a popular color, in part because it has the potential to stand out regardless of what color you pair it with. That said, we recommend using a light color if you want blue to stand out.
Royal blue, for example, looks best when paired with a light color like pale yellow, off-white, or light gray. Light colors tend to make blue “pop” more than any other color.
So, What Colors Go With Royal Blue?
Now that you know what colors go with royal blue, you can better decide how to incorporate this beautiful color into your home or special event.
Remember to have fun with it and experiment to see what works best for your preferences.
Happy decorating!