12 Colors That Go with White in Interior Design

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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If you are out for color matching, you might want to consider white. This color is popular, universal, and can be combined with other colors without any problems. Moreover, it goes a long way in making a place look sophisticated, attractive, and luxurious.

White also introduces light, which enhances the qualities of the room. However, one must remember that excessive use of white on the walls could create a feeling of too much space and give a clinical vibe. Having said that, what colors can be paired with white?

It depends on the look that one wants to create. White can be used to maintain a cool and simple color scheme or it can be combined with other more popping colours for high energy designs.

Next, it is time to take a look at the colors that are best paired with white.

12 Colors That Go with White

1. Pair White with Red

Together, white and red colors are enlivening. These two colors are popular in portraying a romantic vibe and complement each other quite well. The red color offers a dramatic feature in a room, drawing your attention and making any place appear alive, classy, and personalized.

Image Source: furniture.com

In the image, the living room has white walls and red sofas, a bold and eye-catching combination. What do you think of the color combo?

2. Pair White with Black

Black and white are probably the most classic colors there are. While the combination could be edgy and vulgar, it is possible to make the look more gentle. To get the most out of this black-white combination, we suggest using a 70/30 design. Select one of the above colors as your base color and paint a room that is 70% of that color. Next, incorporate pops and accents of the other hue into the scheme.

Image Source: decorilla.com

For instance, if you have white walls, the rest of the space can be equipped with dark furniture to determine the space and highlight the modern and fashionable look, as it is presented above. As such, when these two colors are used together, they provide a unique, timeless appeal.

3. Pair White with Gold

Gold is most often bright and eye-catching, so it sets the tone of opulence and sophistication. But if not well matched, it might end up looking a little cheesy. This is why white is the best color to mix with gold: it enhances its shine while looking classy.

Image Source: sumanfurniture.com

It would look great if it were a clean white background with gold touches. This goes for white fixtures, furniture, and curtains. A few gold pieces, like a mirror, a vase, or decorative cushions, will suffice for casual decor. However, be careful not to overdo the white color so that you can achieve the right proportion in space.

For example, what does the bathroom decor in the picture above look like?

4. Pair White with Pink

If you are trying to achieve a soft, feminine, and pleasant aesthetic in your space, pair the white color with pink. A white room, whether it is a deep or light shade of pink, will immediately become alive and feel amazing. And the good thing is that this color scheme is suitable for any space.

Image Source: homedesignlover.com

For instance, the white walls are paired with bright pink sofas and other accessories in the image, making the room look stunning.

Furthermore, consider painting your walls a brilliant pink, then temper it with plush white carpeting. If it is a bedroom, you can also use white bedding.

5. Pair White with Yellow

Yellow is usually best used as a small splash of color in components such as bedding and accessories; a lot of yellow can be considered too much of a good thing. So, a white and yellow color combo is the way to go if you want a space to feel cheerful, bright, and lively at the same time. Also, note that though a yellow color scheme brings energy to any room, including white will serve to ground the space.

Image Source: housebeautiful.com

We recommend pairing white color with light yellow because a darker shade might feel overwhelming when used in large amounts. However, as seen in the above image, you can pair a medium to dark yellow tone if white is more prevalent in the decor.

6. Pair White with Beige

If you are looking for a darker neutral shade, you can always count on beige. For an elegant yet modest design, beige and white are a great color combo. Besides, beige is perfect, especially if you don't want to add a too-light color or too dark to the white but need something to help balance the space.

Modern Living Room Interior Design 2013

Image Source: decoist.com

So if you are into simple and minimalistic design this color combo will come in handy. It is also advisable if you have a limited space and wish to make the best of it. It can be safely stated that rooms painted in lighter colors look considerably bigger and more spacious. Nevertheless, if you want, you can provide some color with a pinch of color.

Since beige is warm, it will not make your space look too cold and sterile, which is an advantage. What you will have instead is a relaxing atmosphere, where you will be welcome to relax and take a break. Take a look at the above picture, for example.

7. Pair White with Gray

Gray is one of the best neutral colors that can be easily coordinated and is best combined with white to make the room look good. Therefore, if you are a fan of simple design, combining white and gray would be appropriate. Although it is not as daring as the black and white color scheme, it is very fashionable.

Image Source: homesandgardens.com

Keep in mind that gray and white are not technically colors because they are achromatic. That means they do not have a distinct hue. Consequently, you can use practically any color in the mix. Besides, you can choose an accent color for your space.

Gray comes in different shades ranging from charcoal to light gray, and they all look great with white. The higher the contrast, the more eye-catching the look. Check out the image above.

8. Pair White with Brown

Brown is usually a warm and deep color that brings comfort, stability, and elegance to an interior. When combined with white, it gives a positive, natural, warm, and rich appearance to the room. As a color, both the light and dark shades of brown will be prominent in a white colored room.

Image Source: sunset.com

You can incorporate brown into your space through wooden tables, floors, plants and wooden artworks. How awesome does it look in the image above? It is perfect for achieving the right mood that will make you feel as comfortable as possible.

9. Pair White with Orange

Though orange may not be your first thought when considering colors that go with white, try it out. Orange is a bold, vibrant color that creates an exciting and dynamic environment. And so it works well when paired with white to make a stronger statement.

Furthermore, orange will give your room an energetic and bold vibe. On the other hand, white will soften and balance the intensity of orange. Keep in mind that how you use it will affect how it creates definition and style.

10. Pair White with Green

Green is seen as a relaxing color. It creates a dynamic and pleasant atmosphere and makes a space appear bigger and more refreshing. Due to these effects, green is an excellent option for adding a splash of color to a space while keeping things grounded.

Image Source: homedesignlover.com

This color scheme and decor, as illustrated in the image above, excellently show how to make the color green work in an inviting white set that blends the open, bright space with pleasing and alluring natural tones of green.

Moreover, green is also a great color to use if you want to create a natural atmosphere, such as if you love indoor plants.

11. Pair White with Blue

Combining white and blue is always appealing and timely ranging from modern to contemporary and from classic to nautical. Also, the combination of the deep and enticing blue with white makes the color even richer. White will stand out against this royal blue and both will look beautiful and regal.

Image Source: decoist.com

The combination of deep blue and white looks great and will certainly help create a powerful and eye-catching image. This is exhibited in the image above whereby the color combination is both comfortable and stylish. Furthermore, these two colors blend so well that other colors like red, green, gold, gray, and metallics can easily be incorporated.

12. Pair White with Purple

Any shade of purple is complementary to white, as white and purple are on opposite sides of the color wheel. However, the shade depends on creating various moods and feelings. For example, shades of purple, such as lavender, can be used to set a romantic and dreamlike mood. On the other hand, dark shades of purple, such as plum, are formal and royal in appeal.

Image Source: designcafe.com

In the image above, the neutral and bright white is complemented by rich purple colors like lilac or mulberry to make the room look elegant and beautiful.

In addition, this choice of colors looks very tasteful and elegant when matched with white. However, when mixing white with purple, it can give a more vintage look if the purple used is of the right shade. Bear in mind that the color scheme belongs to the bedrooms category.

Things to Consider When Pairing White with Other Colors

1. The Atmosphere

When searching for the living room color ideas, use a lighter shade to bring the joyful and friendly feeling to the room.

2. Lighting

The intensity of the lighting that is used in the room can also determine how the colors are perceived. For instance, if the given room is well lit, the colors may seem to be more saturated. On the other hand, painting the area in dark colors will make the room appear smaller and quite enclosed.

3. Contrast

It is important to avoid using colors that are too similar as it will not be as effective as opposite colors. For example, putting white with a blazing red or yellow will give a strong contrast while putting white with hot pink or blue will give a subtle contrast.

4. Texture

The manner in which the colours are applied can also come into effect. For instance, white and having a matte surface will not be as eye-catching as white with a glossy surface.

5. The Other Colors in Your Room

The fact that a color complements white means that the color will not necessarily complement the other colors in the room.

6. Tone

However, the best way to find a color that complements white is by considering the shade of the color to be used. For instance, when white is combined with bright colors, this will make the appearance more lively while when white is combined with low-intensity colors, this will make the appearance more gentle.

7. Balance

There are few things that need to be considered while using white with other color and one of them is the balance of the color. Take a look at the color wheel. For instance, if one color is too overwhelming, it can make the other colors look dull by comparison.

Featured Image Source: designingidea.com

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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