Black and red are classic colors that pair beautifully together. When selecting an additional color to go with black and red, there are a few key factors to consider to create a cohesive and stylish color palette. Thinking about the overall mood and look you want to achieve can help narrow down color choices. Considering color theory principles like complementary colors and color temperature is also important. With some thoughtful planning, you can find the perfect third color to complement your black and red color scheme.
Consider the Overall Mood and Look You Want
The first step is to define the overall aesthetic, mood, and look you want your color palette to create. Here are some examples:
– Elegant and luxurious – Metallic accents like gold or silver go nicely with black and red for an opulent look. Soft neutral tones like champagne can also class up this bold duo.
– Edgy and punk rock – Adding white gives black and red an edgy, graphic feel. Other bold brights like electric blue or neon green inject punk rock vibes.
– Romantic and feminine – Blush pinks, mauves, or soft whites provide a romantic contrast to sultry black and red. Pastel purples or blues also have a dreamy effect.
– Retro and vintage – Mustard yellow, olive green, burnt orange or brown have a retro look next to black and red. Sepia tones or cream also give a vintage vibe.
– Goth and vampy – Deeper shades like burgundy, plum, deep purple or forest green enhance the dark, vampy effect of black and red.
– Neutral and minimalist – Shades of gray, beige or cream allow black and red to stand out while keeping the overall palette neutral.
Defining the mood helps determine if you want clashing brights, earthy neutrals or soft pastels with your base black and red.
Consider Color Theory Principles
Color theory provides guidance on combining colors harmoniously. Two key principles to consider when adding a third color to black and red are complementary colors and color temperature.
Complementary Colors
Colors opposite each other on the color wheel are complementary colors. They create maximum contrast and vibrancy when paired.
The complements of red are greens. Forest green, olive green, and emerald green all pop beautifully beside black and red.
The complements of black are whites or tints like cream, eggshell, or silver. These add lightness and sophistication with black’s darkness and red’s boldness.
Color Temperature
Color temperature refers to the warmness or coolness of a color. Warm colors like red, yellow and orange energize. Cool colors like blue, green and purple calm and soothe.
For black and red, you can go warmer by adding yellow, orange, gold or terra cotta. This ramps up the energy.
Going cooler with pastel blue, mint green or lilac offsets the intensity. This creates more relaxation.
Balancing color temperatures results in harmony. For black and red, aim for one warm and one cool color.
Consider Personal Preferences and Purpose
Your own tastes and the specific purpose of your black-red-plus color scheme inform the best choice.
For fashion, pink is a top pairing for its feminine flair. Gray keeps things versatile and wearable.
For home decor, beige and brown create an earthy feel. Aqua or navy give a fresh modern edge.
For graphic design, bright yellow pops on screens and white provides contrast.
Think about colors you’re naturally drawn to and the emotions you want to evoke in the specific context. This helps select hues with personal significance.
Review Options by Color Family
It can help to go through color families systematically to consider options to pair with black and red:
Neutrals: White, cream, beige, tan, gray
Yellows: Yellow, gold, amber, mustard, ochre
Oranges: Orange, terra cotta, rust, peach, coral
Pinks: Pink, mauve, blush, rose, salmon
Reds: Red, burgundy, oxblood, wine, maroon
Purples: Purple, lilac, lavender, plum, eggplant
Blues: Blue, navy, teal, turquoise, cobalt
Greens: Green, olive, emerald, mint, sage
Browns: Brown, tan, chocolate, coffee, bronze
Seeing all the options together makes it easier to visualize pairings and narrow down choices by color category.
Consider Combinations for Formal vs. Casual Settings
Whether a look is intended for formal or casual settings impacts the color combinations that work best with black and red.
For formal occasions:
– Black, red and white is a classic formal palette.
– Metallic accents like silver, gold and bronze add elegance.
– Royal colors like purple, navy and emerald green work for black tie events.
For casual settings:
– Black, red and denim blue is a relaxed weekend palette.
– Earth tones like brown, tan and beige create casual flair.
– Pink, peach and mint add fun for daytime looks.
Bolder brights like neon yellow or green suit casual contexts more than formal ones. Softer pastels like lilac tend to work better for dressy occasions. Consider the formality of the event when selecting hues.
Make Sure All Colors Have Visual Impact
Since black and red are already high contrast colors, the third color should also be bold enough to hold its own. Pale or washed out tones can get lost instead of complementing the other two colors.
Bright, saturated versions of colors tend to stand out best with black and red:
– vivid blue instead of baby blue
– cherry red rather than peach
– emerald green over mint
Don’t be afraid to use pure pigments of colors for maximum vibrancy. Soft muted shades can sometimes fade into the background.
Use Different Saturation Levels
Varying the saturation levels, or intensities, of the three colors helps create visual interest in a color scheme.
Having black as the darkest shade, red as a bright mid-tone, and pale pink as a light accent color adds dimension.
You can also do a deeply saturated color like crimson with black, balanced by a less saturated hue like mauve or slate gray.
Playing with different saturations avoids having all three colors compete at the same intense level. Allow each one to shine through.
Consider Tones and Shades
Adding different tones and shades of your chosen third color provides more depth and contrast.
With red, black and blue for example, you can use:
– Dark blue – balances black
– Medium blue – complements red
– Light blue – contrasts both
Or with red, black and green:
– Dark emerald green – sophisticated depth
– Bright lime green – energetic pop
– Pale sage green – refreshing accent
Tones and shades of a color let you expand the possibilities.
Use Accent Colors Strategically
Rather than featuring the third color equally with black and red, use it strategically as an accent.
Pops of a third color in small doses can be striking:
– A blush pink scarf with a black and red dress
– Gold accents on black and red marketing materials
– Teal glasses with a black and red outfit
Accent colors make the secondary hues extra impactful. Don’t be afraid to experiment with unexpected accent colors too.
Build a Cohesive Color Story
Treat your three colors as a palette and build connections between them to tell a color story.
Using red, black and blue? Try deep oxblood red, charcoal gray, and navy blue for rich cohesion.
With red, black and yellow? Go for cherry red, jet black and amber yellow for vibrant harmony.
When the hues relate via tone, shade or the same color family, they work together seamlessly.
Use Different Textures and Finishes
Varying the textures of each color adds visual interest to a three color palette. Consider glossy, matte or metallic finishes.
For red, black and green:
– Satin black – smooth sheen
– Matte emerald green – flat and muted
– Glossy crimson red – shiny and bright
Mixing up textures stops the combination from becoming flat and one dimensional. Play with metallic accents, glossy coatings, silky fabrics and more.
Sample Palettes with Black, Red and a Third Color
Here are some specific color palette examples that look great with black, red and a complementary third color:
Black, Red and White
Elegant, timeless and versatile for any occasion. The high contrast makes these colors pop.
Black, Red and Gold
Luxurious and glamorous. Metallic gold adds richness and shine.
Black, Red and Pink
Feminine and romantic. Blush pink provides a soft contrast to edgy black and red.
Black, Red and Purple
Regal and lush. Deep purple has a luxurious vibe.
Black, Red and Blue
Retro and rock n roll. Navy or cobalt blue gives these colors a bold edge.
Black, Red and Gray
Subtle and refined. Different shades of gray create sophisticated depth.
Conduct Color Tests
When narrowed down to a few top color combination choices, conduct some tests to decide on the best fit.
Make sample boards, collages or digital mock-ups combining black, red and potential third colors. Seeing options together helps evaluate visual impact.
Try out test fabric swatches, paint strips or colored papers. Assess colors in the actual materials you plan to use for the most accurate representation.
Do color tests in different lighting. Colors can look different in warm incandescent, cool fluorescent or daylight lighting conditions.
Run drafts of designs in each color scheme. Seeing colors interact in context on marketing materials, products or apparel is key.
Conclusion
Black and red make a bold color pairing that comes to life with the right third accent color. Consider the overall mood, color theory principles, personal preferences, and formal vs. casual contexts when selecting an additional hue. Be strategic in using the third color for maximum impact through tone, shade, saturation and texture. Test out combinations to find the one that tells the best visual story. With an thoughtful approach, you can develop the perfect color triad to showcase black and red in the best light. The color palette possibilities are endless!
