How To Pair Colors Strategically like Designers

I was riding the London underground one gloomy day and had a revelation – it was darker inside that train than a haunted castle at midnight! (Ok, I’m exaggerating for a dramatic effect!) I’m not talking about a lighting malfunction. What truly astonished me was the sea of people dressed in shades of black, gray, white, and other chilly neutrals. Perhaps it was just the winter blues influencing fashion choices, but seriously, talk about blending in with the shadows! It’s literally “the 50 shades of grey”! In my opinion as a designer, color is what makes the design. I am going show you how to pair colors strategically like designers.

Colors have the ability to enhance!

I’d like to conduct a little experiment here. Look at this window display below.

We see only muted neutral tone. While the collection is very grungy in its style, it doesn’t seem fun to look at. Moreover, the presentation might not attract enough eye balls as it desires. Now, look at this one with other colors.

It’s bright and beautiful, it’s also still very neutral at the same time. While you might think this isn’t your style but color palette catches your eyes, and it seems very appropriate and interesting for a window display.
When we see a colorful peacock, we’re mesmerized by its beauty. However, when it’s a plain black crow, we hardly pay attention. I believe there’s a genius designer and creator behind our colorful and wonderful planet. Designers often take inspiration from nature’s colors. So, why settle for being a crow when you could be a stunning peacock? You could even be a blue jay, a macaw, or anything else you fancy!

The Color Wheel

Once you know how colors can make things look better, it’s important to know which colors work well together and which ones don’t. While I don’t want to bore you with color theory, the color wheel is a useful tool for understanding how colors relate to each other. The pie divides into primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors.

Primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. They are so original and you can’t create them by mixing other colors.
Secondary colors are green (blue + yellow), orange (red + yellow), and purple (red + blue). Mix two primary colors together and you get a secondary color.
Tertiary colors are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. For example, red-orange and yellow-green are tertiary colors.

How to pair colors strategically like a designer.

You might have heard the term complementary colors, they are the colors opposite to each other on the color wheel, like red and green (think Christmas time!) or blue and orange (a lot of logos are in this color combo!).

Analogous colors are colors next to each other on the wheel, such as blue and green or orange and yellow. It feels like the colors are naturally blending into the next colors on the wheel. This approach can create a harmonious and calming effect.

If you are so specific and only want to use one color, then start thinking about different tone, tints and/or shades etc., it’s called monochromatic. This approach can result in a subtle and sophisticated aesthetic, with the focus placed on the interplay of different values within the same color family.

Last but not least, regardless of the path you choose, it’s generally best to stick to a maximum of three colors in each combination, unless there are specific design requirements. The addition of a third color often leans towards a more neutral tone.

It’s a colorful world.

It is really important and useful to understand these color relationships, because you can apply them in many parts of your life, like choosing clothes, decorating your home, or making presentations at work. When you have cracked the code of color combinations, not only you are pairing colors strategically as a designer, it’s like having magic power to make everything you touch look amazing, just like a fairy godmother.

Let me know which approach is for you and what are some of your favorite color combos!