23 Colors That Go Perfectly with Purple

Modern minimalist light purple bedroom — Gold a la Mode

If you ask designer Marissa Nelums, purple does not deserve the bad reputation it sometimes has. “In client questionnaires, we ask which colors they don’t like, and I have seen purple come up quite a bit,” she says. “People think it’s too harsh, too bright, and can get gaudy. But, to me, it’s like the perfect dress—the one you can wear with sneakers and high heels.”

Meet the Expert

Marissa Nelums is the principal designer and owner of Chicago-based interior design firm Glasshouse Interior.

Per Nelums, the versatility of the colors extends beyond a limited set of styles and stereotypical gender preferences—fellas, don't be afraid of the shade. Pair plum with teal or navy for a rich, luxurious statement, or go with violet and golden hues to connote royalty and wisdom. Then there’s lilac, lavender, and the lighter ends of the purple spectrum—those can go minimalist, modern, or cozy and country depending on the accents you choose.

“Purple can be subtle, or it can be a bright statement,” Nelums adds. "It’s all about what you pair it with and how you use it."

Ready to reconsider the hue? From the lightest pinks to the deepest blues, we’ve rounded up 23 colors that go with purple beautifully—and included some real-life room inspiration to inspire yours.

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Electric Violet + Muted Silver: Modern & Energizing

Modern home office with purple and silver Rorschach ink wallpaper — Erin Williamson Design

There’s something so invigorating about Rorschach ink wallpaper, don’t you think? When done in a crisp combination of silver and violet, it can serve as a daily jolt of inspiration for an office or workspace. Leave the rest of the surfaces relatively minimal to let the color pairing shine.

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Lilac + Rattan: Playful & Casual

Playful purple children's bedroom — Tyler Karu Design

Earthy rattan dresses down pastel lilac, transforming a traditionally “feminine” shade into something a touch more casual.

For an extra dose of playfulness, layer in graphic pops of turquoise and daffodil.

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Lilac + Medium Blue: Modern Regency

Regency inspired reading nook with blue floral wallpaper and purple chair — Design: Michelle Gage; Photo: Rebecca McAlpin

“While different shades, the blue and purple are both of a similar tone, which creates a beautiful balance,” Philadelphia designer Michelle Gage, the mastermind behind this cozy reading nook, says. According to Gage, the pairing—especially when accented with a vintage portrait—“creates a whimsical and English vibe."

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Violet + Orange: Retro & Fun

Retro orange and purple patterned sitting chair — Erin Williamson Design

While purple and orange together can feel overwhelming—and maybe too literally reminiscent of the 70s if used throughout a space—a strategic splash of the colors perhaps in an art piece or furniture fabric is just the right amount of retro.

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Eggplant + Slate: Calming & Comfortable

Bedroom with grey bed and nightstand and purple watercolor wallpaper — Whitttney Parkinson

The grey undertone of the purple in this watercolor wallpaper tricks the eye into blending it with the slate grey headboard and nightstand. The resulting effect? A peace-inducing cocoon of color designed to calm the senses and lull you into sleep.

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Indigo Violet + Dusty Sage: Casual Yet Rich

Curved indigo couch with a multicolor lumbar pillow — Erin Williamson Design

Like touches of the country look but don’t want to give on your city roots? You’ll get the best of both worlds with a serene sage and a deep purple-blue, which feel low-key but not low-effort when paired together.

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Grape + Chambray Grey: Bold & Eclectic

Bohemian living room with chambray couch, plants, and purple armoire — Twelve 15 Design Studio

Love the bright shade of that armoire? It’s Her Majesty 339-7 by PPG Pittsburgh Paints, which Cincinnati designer Stephanie (Asielue) Beverly of Twelve 15 Design Studio purposefully paired with a cool chambray grey sofa. She notes that the subdued shade of the couch allows the armoire to stand out as an art piece of its own.

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Orchid + Plum: Cool & Contemporary

Minimalist kitchen with bold light and purple cabinetry — Naked Kitchens

Put a dull shine on these two complementary shades of purple and pair them with raw wood for an unexpectedly cheeky—and undoubtedly contemporary—spin on minimalism. Worried about the look veering too austere? Add vintage accents for lived-in warmth.

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Eggplant + Mustard: Modern & Masculine

Living room with purple velvet sofas and yellow accent pillows and chairs — Design: Remix Living; Photo: High Flying Photography

“These two colors work well together because they both represent royalty, luxury, and wisdom, which speaks to the client we were designing for,” Dominique Calhoun of Remix Living says, who created this space for professional football player Malcolm Jenkins.

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Lilac + Poppy: Minimal & Whimsical

80's inspired living room with modular purple sofa — Design: Pieces Homes; Photo: Claire Esparros

What do you get when you combine the curved lines of the 1980s and infuse them with an unexpected combo of soft and bright shades? A space that simultaneously feels modern and retro, feminine and futuristic, and playful and sophisticated. In other words: a multitude of contradictions that shouldn’t work, but somehow do.

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Lilac + Black: Casual Glam

Open-concept living space with black velvet sofa and purple throw pillows — Design: Shannon Claire Interiors; Photo: Laura Metzler

Lilac does wonders when it comes to softening dark shades such as charcoal and black. Add in textures like velvet and linen, and you’ve got a fancy-feeling look that’s still comfortable enough for a marathon night of Netflix.

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Deep Plum + Powder Pink: Cheeky & Playful

Eclectic living room with purple couch and pink console — Naked Kitchens

Purple and pink might have been considered the most “girly” colors of your youth, but the combo can actually skew quite grown up—especially when playfully accented with gold touches and boldly colored geometric patterns.

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Lavender + Ochre: Homespun & Bohemian

Light purple upright piano in a bohemian sitting area — Photo: Jacqueline Marque

The piano area of New Orleans artists Sarah Smith and Jeremy Ballard is a stellar example of the laid-back, go-with-the-flow nature of New Orleans style. With a soft vibrancy to them both, the lavender instrument and glass amber and ochre accents subtly echo the carefree energy of Mardi Gras.

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Light Mauve + Lilac: Cool & Soothing

We’ll never get tired of tone-on-tone decorating—especially when done in serene pastel shades of purple.

Want to copy that wall shade? You’ll be surprised to know it’s not purple, but Script White by Behr, a white with a subtle periwinkle tint.

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Byzantium + Cobalt: Vivacious & Luxurious

Bold dining room with cobalt walls and bright purple velvet chairs — Glasshouse Interior

This Carnival-inspired dining room is the perfect example of all the good that can come from not playing it safe. By anchoring the room in two vibrant jewel tones from the same section of the color wheel, designer Marissa Nelums took a space that can veer cookie-cutter and transformed it into something full of high energy and playful elegance.

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Pale Lavender + French White: Countryside Elegance

Bed with white bedding and light purple bedframe — Katherine Carter Design

There’s something so quintessentially Provençal about this color combination, which evokes lavender fields, old farmhouses, and perfectly crusty baguettes. Okay, that last one might be a bit of a stretch. Employ it whenever you’d like to invoke the rustic elegance of country living, or when you want to add a dose of easy femininity to an antique-inspired design.

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Boysenberry + Blush Pink: Feminine & Sleek

Sitting room with burgundy ceiling and blush pink sofa — Design: Shannon Claire Interiors; Photo: Laura Metzler

Think of burgundy shades like a fine Cabernet wine—though mostly red, the touch of purple brings an undeniable richness to the fold. They pair well with blush because the two colors are at the opposite ends of the light and dark spectrum of pink.

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Purple + Teal: Bold & Ageless

Purple and teal bathroom — Glasshouse Interior

Believe it or not, this bathroom was created for a seven-year-old. Just goes to show that this trusty color combo—which feels rich and luxurious, but in a non-intimidating way—can truly carry you through the years.

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Eggplant + Peach: Cozy & Creative

Bedroom with purple bed and bold peach-colored wallpaper — Renee Sotropa Design

There’s something about this color combination that reminds us of the guest room at a favorite relative’s house. It’s warm and inviting, but still feels unexpected and enriching—just like any long weekend you spend there inevitably turns out to be.

20 of 23

Dusty Mauve + Navy: Moody & Fanciful

Powder room with moody purple and blue floral wainscot wallpaper — Calimia Home

When you think of the colors of a thunderstorm, moody blues and purples come to mind. When used in interior design, these shades can have the same impact on a room as they do on a summer night: they’re awe-inducing, immediately have you taking notice, and throw in a little mystery for good measure.

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Purple + Gold: Classically Royal

Luxe purple living room with brushed brass accents — Glasshouse Interior

If you want purple to take the stage in a high-contrast way, accent multiple versions of the shade with brushed brass. The effect is purely regal, especially when you throw in luxe materials like velvet and faux fur.

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Fuchsia + Ivory: Tropical & Bold

Powder room with large shell sink and purple flower wallpaper — Design: Erika Bonnell; Photo: Stacy Zarin Goldberg 2021

This Fiji-inspired powder room by D.C. designer Erika Bonnell gets its beachy glam from the large shell sink and the bold fuchsia flowers in the silver metallic wallpaper, which pops brilliantly against the neutral colors of the space.

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Eggplant + Jade: Formal Yet Fun

Formal sitting room with blue walls, pink furniture, and purple carpet — Alyssa Rosenheck

This personality-packed formal sitting room of this Austin home feels so much more lively than the stuffy, never-used sitting rooms of the past, right? That’s thanks to the drenched-in-jewel-tones color palette, which includes a bold eggplant rug and vibrant jade green side table.

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