Cool color schemes typically consist of colors on the cooler side of the color spectrum, featuring blues, greens, and purples. These color palettes create a calm and relaxing aesthetic. When selecting cool colors for a color scheme, it’s important to consider tone and brightness to create the right balance.
The Meaning of Cool Colors
In color theory, “cool colors” refer to those on the blue, green, and purple side of the visible color spectrum. These hues evoke a cool, calming effect and are frequently used to create a relaxing or professional look and feel. Cool colors remind us of things like water, sky, and foliage.
Some key characteristics of cool colors:
| Blue | Calm, professional, soothing |
| Green | Natural, restful, stable |
| Purple | Mysterious, elegant, creative |
Cool colors have low wavelengths and tend to recede in space. Using them in design creates a soothing, professional look and feel. Rooms painted in cool colors feel larger and more peaceful.
Best Cool Color Combinations
When creating a cool color palette, it helps to stick to a tight color family. Adjacent hues on the color wheel, like blues with blue-greens or purples with blue-purples, work well together. Monochromatic schemes using different tints, tones, and shades of a single cool color also create cohesive palettes.
Here are some examples of pleasing cool color combinations:
Blue and Green
A blue and green color scheme is reminiscent of water and nature. Different shades of aqua blue combined with light greens or teals create a tranquil, relaxing look. These colors work well in bathrooms, bedrooms, and spas.
Purple and Blue
Deep purples and blues together create an elegant, mystical palette. Use different tones of purple with a strong navy blue for dramatic effect. This combination works beautifully in luxury spaces.
Blue and Gray
Different shades of blue combined with gray create a clean, calming palette. Try a pale sky blue with charcoal gray for a soothing but sophisticated look. This combination is versatile enough for living spaces, offices, or kitchens.
Green and Gray
Earthy sage greens paired with neutral grays or slate blues make for an organic yet modern color scheme. The soft greens offset the cool grays beautifully. Use it in dining rooms, libraries, or bedrooms.
Blue, Purple, and Green
Using three cool colors together can create vibrant, nature-inspired palettes. Try a deep teal with eggplant purple and pale mint green for a bold but relaxing combination. This diverse scheme allows for great accent colors.
How Brightness Impacts Cool Color Schemes
Varying the brightness and saturation of the colors in a cool palette has a big impact. Lighter tints of colors tend to have a cool, receding effect, while darker shades feel bold and dramatic. Generally, cool palettes look best with some tonal contrast between light and dark.
Here are a few tips for using brightness in cool color combinations:
| Use soft, pale tints of cool colors (like baby blue or lavender) for a light, airy scheme. The very lightest tints can read as almost white. |
| Accent with some deeper, richer shades of the colors to provide contrast and visual interest. |
| Make one color darker or richer to serve as an accent color and anchor the scheme. |
| Adding small amounts of warm accents like peach, yellow, or cream can help balance very light schemes. |
| Keep darker schemes from feeling too heavy by mixing in some lighter tints. Pale blues or purples offset a navy blue nicely. |
Balancing light and dark shades creates depth and contrast. Don’t be afraid to experiment with adjusting brightness levels in your cool color palette.
Best Cool Colors for Interior Design
When decorating with cool color combinations, it helps to start by choosing one dominant hue as a baseline. From there, layer on accent colors from the same cool family. Some great cool colors for interior spaces include:
Blues
From pale sky blue to rich navy, shades of blue work beautifully in design. Try pairing a soft powder blue with bright cerulean as accents. Deeper shades like navy blue also create drama mixed with lighter blues.
Greens
Nature-inspired greens like sage, mint, and seafoam make tranquil paint colors. Pair subdued mossy greens with more vibrant lime accents. Green is versatile enough for any room.
Purples
Light lilacs and lavenders read as soft and romantic. Vibrant eggplant purple makes a sophisticated accent. Mixing purple tones creates depth and interest. Use different purple shades in bedrooms, living spaces, and offices.
Teal
Teal is a versatile blend of green and blue. Try pairing a muted blue-green with a brighter aqua for coastal vibes. Use teal hues in nearly any space for an ocean-inspired palette.
Gray
While not inherently “cool,” gray is extremely versatile for modern cool color schemes. Mix blues, greens, or purples with light or dark gray shades as the neutral. Gray also balances very light tints beautifully.
With any cool color scheme, tailor the exact shades to your space. Lighter, softer hues suit airy bedrooms and baths, while bolder shades work better in dramatic living spaces. Find the right balance of light and dark for the mood you want.
Using Warm Metallic Accents
Warm metallic accents like brass, gold, and copper pair beautifully with cool color schemes. The warm undertones liven up the palette and add an elegant, glamorous feel. Metallics to try:
| Brass | Adds a vintage flair against blues |
| Gold | Feels rich and luxe with purples or grays |
| Copper | Has an earthy, natural vibe with greens |
When accenting with metallics:
– Use metallics sparingly as accents. They are bold and eye-catching.
– Pair gold and brass tones with darker, deeper cool colors.
– Copper and bronze work better with lighter cool colors like teal or sage green.
– Metallic fixtures, lamps, frames, rugs and small decor pieces are ideal uses.
Keep metallics minimal to avoid feeling gaudy. The right bronze, gold, or copper accents can take a cool color scheme to the next level of sophistication and style.
Cool Color Schemes in Other Design Elements
Color schemes don’t just involve paint and decor choices. When designing a cohesive cool-toned space, consider how these other elements factor in:
Flooring
Dark wood, gray wood, or concrete flooring suit cool palettes nicely. Tile or stone in grays, blues and greens also complements the colors well.
Furniture
Opt for pieces in gray, charcoal, navy, or medium-toned wood. White furnishings keep things light and airy. Metallic accents on furniture tie in boldly.
Textiles
Upholstery, pillows, rugs and throws in cool hues reinforce the palette. Try different blue, green, and lavender tones mixed with neutral solids.
Window Treatments
Sheer white, solid gray or navy, and patterned blue-green drapes all make ideal options for windows. Metallic sheers or blinds also suit cool schemes.
Tie everything together with lighting fixtures in brushed metals, glass, and cool-toned shades. The goal is to make even the smallest details reinforce the color story.
Creating Focal Points in Cool Color Schemes
Don’t fall into the trap of making everything the same muted hue. While cool color palettes are soothing, too little contrast can be boring. Make focal points stand out. Some ideas:
| – Paint one accent wall a bolder shade to anchor the room. |
| – Use a vivid blue or teal sofa or accent chair to draw the eye. |
| – Choose bright, saturated pillows and throws as pops of color. |
| – Hang vibrant abstract art for splashes of deeper hues. |
| – Add bright potted plants, flowers or greenery for organic contrast. |
Focal points don’t need to be huge. A teal pouf, vibrant purple pillows, or eye-catching photography makes a big visual impact against softer backdrops.
Don’t go overboard with competing focal points. Limit yourself to 1-2 per room for the best effect. Thoughtfully placed pops of color elevate cool color schemes from drab to dramatic.
Examples of Beautiful Cool Color Schemes
Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are some gorgeous cool color palettes to inspire you:
1. Light Blue and Gray
Soft powdery blue walls serve as the backdrop for this relaxing scheme. Offset with charcoal gray sofa and ivory upholstery for contrast. Navy and white abstract art creates focal interest.
2. Purple and Green
Deep aubergine purple walls look bold yet sophisticated paired with olive green sofa and chartreuse throw pillows. Brass accents warm up the palette. Dark wood flooring grounds the space.
3. Blue and Seafoam Green
Different sky blue tones on the walls, sofa, and pillows evoke the sea and sky. Pops of seafoam green in the tufted ottoman, rug, and decor provide lively contrast. Crisp white trim keeps the room feeling airy.
4. Navy Blue and Copper
A dramatic navy blue sofa immediately draws the eye against light blue walls. Pops of copper in pillows, frames, table lamp, and greenery create warmth. White kitchen cabinets balance the boldness.
5. Teal and Gray Dining Room
This tropical dining space features seafoam green walls, abstract art, and accents. Gray dining chairs, table base, and window treatments ground the look. White dishes pop against the colors.
Use these stunning schemes as springboards to help you design your own beautiful cool color combinations. The possibilities are endless!
Choosing Cool Colors for Your Space
Ready to try out some cool color schemes at home? Here are some final tips:
| – Take stock of your existing furniture and floors to choose compatible palettes. |
| – Decide the mood you want to create – relaxed, elegant, modern, etc. This guides color tones. |
| – Select one cool dominant color as the baseline. Blue and green are great starter shades. |
| – Layer in 2-3 accent colors from the same family for depth. |
| – Mix and match different materials like paint, fabric, rugs, art for multidimensional schemes. |
| – Add warm metallics sparingly for a splash of richness. |
| – Use lighter and darker shades to create visual contrast. |
| – Add focal points with vivid pops of color through decor items and art. |
Cool color palettes allow you to create peaceful, beautiful rooms. Follow these principles and you’ll have stylish spaces you’ll never want to leave. Enjoy the creativity of designing your own oasis with cool colors!
