20 Sophisticated and Cool Colors That Go With Purple

updated Oct 3, 2023
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Credit: Amy Greene

There’s just something about the color purple that can feel intimidating when it comes to decorating. Designer Kevin Isbell chalks it up to the color’s associations with childhood toys, though it has also long-been linked to royalty.

“Purple gets such a bad rap among homeowners, as thoughts often drift to children’s play toys or giant talking purple dinosaurs,” explains Isbell. “One needn’t pigeonhole the color solely to the playground, however, as purple can be used successfully in all types of grown-up interiors.”

The great thing about purple is that it has quite a wide range of warm and cool undertones, meaning that it can work with practically any color palette, and its wide range of hues means the purple you choose can lean modern or traditional to suit any aesthetic. Here, these 20 inspiring rooms highlight the best colors that go with purple, whether you prefer a soothing lavender or a moody aubergine.

Credit: @homebyheena

1. Lavender and Light Wood: Serene Space

The dining room featured here by @homebyheena is simple yet totally elegant, with light wood furniture that’s echoed by the soft purple hue of the walls. A white light fixture and white vase complete the look.

2. Purple and Teal: Exciting and Fun

This close-up shot from @talesfromthemoneypit sure does give us high hopes for the rest of this pretty purple living room. Of all the colors that go with purple, teal is a fun way to add visual interest without a chaotic vibe.

Credit: Viv Yapp

3. Purple and Pink: Grown-up Glam

Sure, purple and pink sounds like a color combination you’d find in a child’s room. But this maximalist yet elegant living room in London is anything but childish. In addition to the bright pink couch, we love the pop of pink on the ceiling.

4. Lavender and Turquoise: Muted Jewel Tones

Jewel tones are the colors that go with purple that we love the most, like mustard yellow, deep red or even turquoise. This turquoise couch in this Buenos Aires living room looks totally elegant against the lavender wall behind it.

5. Purple and Purple: Monochromatic Majesty

Wondering about colors that go with purple? Why not stick with purple? This tone-on-tone bedroom in California is downright regal with the built-in wardrobe and proves this is a totally effective way to use this fun and funky color in your home.

6. Eggplant and French Blue: European Elegance

This beautiful bedroom designed by Gray Walker manages to feel equally energizing and soothing at the same time, thanks to a color power couple: eggplant and a creamy sky blue. Plus, a mix of contemporary and traditional accents keeps this room fit for a range of design preferences. We love this look in a child’s bedroom as these colors are youthful enough yet fitting for a maturing teen. 

“A soft french blue creates a moody scene with an eggplant tone of purple,” says Walker. “The softness of the blue is energized by the deep purples tossed in as accents. This color story is relaxing with an unexpected twist that gives the space depth and courage.”

Credit: Noz Design

7. True Purple, Black, and White: Modernly Chic

Here, designer Noz Nozawa employs a rich purple with striking pops of bright white and matte black for a dramatic, yet inviting entertaining space for an avid hostess. While there are several statement pieces throughout the room, the purple chairs really make the space sing and could be great inspiration for those afraid of using too much color. 

“Purple is our client’s favorite color, so it felt fitting to feature purples throughout her favorite space to host in and share with friends,” Nozawa says. “By focusing our most saturated purples in smaller chairs at the fireplace, and using more subtle hues in the large area rug, we were able to create a visual hierarchy of attention so the room feels colorful, but balanced.”

8. Lavender, Gray, and White: Soothing Retreat

What better place to incorporate a calming shade of purple than a home office? Luxe lavender curtains look gorgeous paired with the striated gray and white wallcovering, setting a relaxing tone for this multipurpose space designed by Tish Mills. Plus, it offers a beautiful Zoom background for WFH days. 

9. Plum and Mauve: Moody Decadence

Designer Katherine Thewlis proves that a deep wine purple can actually belong in the kitchen, or any space for that matter. Her kitchen transformation is seriously impressive, elevating the color, texture, and overall design of the space with a surprisingly powerful combination of plum and mauve. 

Thewis took a serious (but ultimately, rewarding) risk of going all-out with plum, painting it on the walls, cabinetry, and even turning her fridge purple! However, she artfully balances the rich, dramatic color with glossy mauve zellige tiles, a bright white island, and accents featuring soft curves.

Credit: David Lowe

10. Lavender and Salmon: Funky and Fun

This bedroom in Los Angeles is seriously packing a punch of color with a two-tone salmon and lavender painted wall. We’d seriously dare you to be in a bad mood in this room (especially with the sunlight streaming in).

11. Lilac and Dusty Pink: Old World Glamour

If you didn’t beg your parents to paint your childhood bedroom pink and/or purple, there’s a good chance you had at least one friend who did. Sure, this combo can skew a little saccharine, but when you enlist an understated, dusty pink, this pairing becomes perfectly suitable for grown-up spaces.

“Purple enjoys a long heritage of being associated with royalty, luxury, and sophistication,” says Pierre-Jean Delaye, president of RoomMates Decor. “When mixed with the warmth and excitement that the color pink brings, the combination is perfect for social spaces in the home like living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens.”

The right pink and purple pairing can also work in a bedroom. Take this Argentinian home, for example. On the whole, it has an old world, almost Parisian spirit, thanks to the dusty pink chair, lavender walls, and a charming assortment of framed artwork with quirky matting.

Credit: Mackenzie Schieck

12. Purple and Citron: Sunny Style

Since they are complementary colors, pairing yellow and purple together is an easy, risk-free way to make a bold statement. If you want to bring a poppy, peppy attitude to your home, use an unapologetically cheery citron with your favorite shade of purple. “I love the combination of lavender and lemon, ” says Elizabeth Sesser, design associate at Ike Kligerman Barkley. “It’s sweet and subtle, yet fresh at the same time.”

If you want to add a little “breathing room” between these zingy colors, Sesser recommends white or cream colored accents. This Seattle studio apartment shows just how tan, white, and cream textiles (and walls!) can tone down this power couple of colors.

Credit: Angela Wator

13. Purple and Gold: Creative Contrast

Of course, citron isn’t the only shade of yellow that plays well with purple. If you want to give your home an upscale, slightly artistic flair, consider a warm gold. “There’s something incredibly luxe about purple paired with golden hues,” says designer Marie Flanigan. “Whether a metallic gold or a golden wood, this pairing lets any violet shade be the star of the show.”

With its gold velvet sofa and deep purple walls, this Chicago Victorian is equal parts bold and bohemian. Painting the molding that same shade of purple in this sitting area amps up the drama, ensuring that this room feels like a special little jewel box that’s separate from the rest of the home.

Credit: Ana Kamin

14. Lilac and White: Barely There Beauty

Contrary to popular belief, purple doesn’t always have to be the center of attention. If you want to lean into the hue’s subtly, couple up a light lilac and white. “Paired with a crisp, slightly blackened white like Farrow & Ball’s Dimpse, you can create a space both elegant yet thoroughly modern,” says Patrick O’Donnell, Farrow & Ball‘s international brand ambassador. “This combination could look super smart in a large entrance hall with gray marble flooring. It can also be a good choice for a poorly-lit space where natural light is not in play.”

This San Francisco studio used Benjamin Moore’s Orleans Violet—a light, pinkish violet—to get the job done. This option warms up the walls without detracting from the apartment’s charming woodwork and French doors. Lilac can be a great choice for anyone who likes color but doesn’t want a supersaturated look. It still provides just the right amount of contrast to white moldings, which is the easiest way to pull off this color combo.

15. Purple and Chestnut: Vintage Vibes

Want to incorporate a dark neutral into your space but nervous pitch black will appear too dramatic? Opt for a light, yet versatile, chestnut instead. “The earthiness of brown mixed with purple makes it more livable and less pungent,” says designer Fran Keenan. “Purple makes brown furniture feel young again.”

Need some proof that brown can make purple sing? Apartment Therapy’s own House Tours editor Adrienne Breaux hits all the right notes in her New Orleans home, where purple walls (and purple bookshelves!) helped her create a lived-in library look that’s grounded by a pair of neutral chairs and a gorgeous, chestnut colored wooden fireplace.

16. Purple and Red: Royal Treatment

Combining purple and red can give your home a dose of opulence—minus the sticker shock, of course. “It’s a high-energy combination, reminiscent of royalty, relics, and stained glass,” Keenan adds. The best part? Any shade of purple or red will suffice, so this is a pretty versatile pick for spicing up your interiors.

While this Moroccan home uses a vibrant violet and varying shades of poppy, you could use aubergine and maroon to riff on this combo and create a moody, luxurious look. Any shades in these two families will work well together.

17. Purple and Sage: Eye-Popping Energy

Turns out purple and green don’t always have to look like your favorite childhood dinosaur—or the Joker from Batman, if that reference is more your speed. The secret lies in the shades of these colors that you choose. “The deeper and more saturated the hues the better; avoid light and bright purples and greens, as they can feel more juvenile,” says Havenly’s Heather Goerzen. “There’s a distinct vintage vibe to this palette, yet breaking up the colors with rustic woods and black elements keep it feeling current and relevant.”

This indigo purple room in Miranda Lake’s home might include a quirky dinosaur, but the look is anything but childlike, thanks to weathered wood accents in the perfect shade of sage. You can try this quirky, jewel-toned combo anywhere you want to make a statement.

Credit: Chinasa Cooper

18. Purple, Navy, and Green: Classic Crowd Pleaser

Navy is the perfect way to make purple appeal to the masses. Since navy and purple are right next to each other on the color wheel, it feels only natural to place them side by side in your home. If you want to brighten up your room and still use these somewhat darker shades, take a cue from this downtown Manhattan apartment. All you need to balance out purple and navy is a few key light accents and plenty of vibrant leafy greens.

Credit: Rikki Snyder

19. Barely There Lavender and Light Blue: Serene Sanctuary

Want to turn your home into a soothing oasis? Pair your purple with shades of aquamarine or light blue. “When we think of the color purple, blue instantly comes to mind,” says designers Janelle Hughes and Kim R. Williams, co-owners of KJ Design & Mortar Styling. “The pairing of the two hues creates both a calming and serene palette that reminds us of the depths of the ocean with its kaleidoscope of colors and the calmness of the sea.”

This Brooklyn apartment offers a masterclass in subtle, soothing shades. Whisper-light purple walls mix with white bedding topped off with a blue throw, creating a harmonious place to get a good night’s rest.

Credit: Amy Greene

20. Purple and Purple: Monochromatic Masterpiece

Why settle for one shade of purple when you can enjoy a few? Mixing and matching a few shades of purple makes a punchy statement without feeling overwhelming. “There are so many beautiful shades of purple, and they pair well with cool tones,” says Elizabeth Rees, founder of Chasing Paper. “Our favorite is pairing darker shades with lighter ones, such as a deep plum with pale lavender.”

Blogger Jewel Marlowe mastered this look by adding a vivid violet trim and matching mat to her bathroom, which also has lilac walls. To break up the varying shades visually, take a cue from Marlowe and add white or soft grays to the mix as well.