When searching for colors that go with navy blue, options are vast and varied. Navy blue is a versatile hue that suits most color schemes and decorating styles, and the deep blue is valued for its classic-meets-cozy look. It cause bright colors to pop, and complement interiors boasting coastal, classic, and contemporary character. Although navy blue’s benefits are many, it is a very dark color that should be balanced so it doesn’t overwhelm and create dreary, closed-in room designs. Black-shaded hues like dusty purple, hunter green, and maroon share navy’s intensity and are likely to fade when paired with the dark-blue hue. Luckily, you’ll find plenty of colors that go with navy blue, including mustard yellow, bright pink, cherry red, and even metallic gold. Here’s how to decorate with a navy blue color scheme.
Navy Blue and Orange
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The color wheel can be a helpful tool for determining what colors go with navy blue. For a complementary color scheme, look to blue’s opposite on the wheel: orange. The fiery hue introduces warmth that balances the cool depth of navy blue. Establish a bold, colorful look with a medium-tone shade of orange, such as tangerine or papaya, that will stand up well against its dark counterpart. Lighter shades like coral or cantaloupe make beautiful accent colors in coastal-style rooms.
Navy Blue and White
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Stacy Zarin Goldberg
White is a classic high-contrast partner that sets off the deep hue and gives navy a lively lift. Juxtapose navy blue furniture, decor, or cabinetry with a backdrop of crisp white walls for an energizing effect. Alternatively, you can balance dark, inky blue walls with white furniture, fabrics, and breezy sheer curtain panels. In addition to cool snow-white, off-whites and creams also make fine partners for navy blue.
Navy Blue and Brights
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Lighten up navy blue by introducing vibrant colors that suit your design preferences and evoke an energetic mood. Layer in terra-cotta, lime green, lemony yellow, orange, and coral to give off a happy, welcoming aura. Cultivate garden-inspired cottage looks by introducing flowery fabrics sporting touches of navy blue, leafy green, cornflower blue, daffodil yellow, and carnation pink. Refresh formal spaces by accenting navy blues with Kelly or emerald greens, golden yellows, and raspberry reds. If you’re stumped on what colors go with navy blue, find inspiration within colorful fabrics or wallpaper patterns. Look for designs that combine navy blue with other colors in a manner and ratio that appeals to you; then, use that pattern’s palette as the basis for your navy blue color scheme.
Navy and Neutrals
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To create peaceful spaces, look outside for calming colors and earthen textures that complement navy blue. Nature-inspired elements such as rich wood furniture, straw-hued wicker and rattan accents, leather upholstery, warm neutral paint colors, and concrete-gray accents partner perfectly with navy blue hues. Pick neutral accessories and materials that are lighter or much darker than a room’s navy blue finishes and furniture to emphasize color differences and lend distinction to each element. No matter which colors you pair with navy, use contrast to avoid a muddied-up palette and supply resting places for the eye.
Navy Blue and Mustard Yellow
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Create a dynamic color scheme by pairing navy blue with a much lighter, brighter color. Shades of yellow, including soft butter yellow and rich mustard yellow, offer warmth and brilliance that stands out vividly against the cool, deep tones of navy blue. Use this color combination for an energizing effect in living spaces or bedrooms. Choose fabrics and materials with subtle differences in patterns and textures to layer in extra interest within a navy blue and yellow color scheme.
Navy and Sky Blue
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Various shades of blue come together to form serene color schemes that remind us of clear blue skies over broad expanses of water. To design a successful monochromatic color combination, use a paint chip for guidance. Select your desired navy blue color first (which will likely be the darkest shade on the swatch), then incorporate lighter tints of the color throughout the space. Depending on your shade of navy, muted, dusty-blue shades or true blue hues can create attractive compositions. For a more tropical look, choose green-tinted colors, such as aqua and turquoise, to pair with navy blue.
Navy Blue and Red
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This all-American pairing is a classic color scheme for interiors. Combine red and white with navy blue to decorate patriotic country-style spaces and playful nautical-inspired kids’ rooms. Vibrant cherry red or scarlet accents can also provide striking contrast against navy blue in modern or eclectic designs. This look works well for busy areas like kitchens, entryways, and living rooms. Pairing navy blue with more muted shades of red, such as salmon, rich burgundy, or brick red, can help set a sophisticated tone that’s ideal for formal dining rooms.
Navy Blue and Gold
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Similar to yellow, gold makes a brilliant complement to navy blue. Incorporate the color into your navy blue room with metallic gold accents or gold-toned wood finishes on floors, furniture, or trim. This radiant hue is especially helpful for lightening up dark navy blue colors to ward off a gloomy look. A large gold mirror on a navy blue wall, for example, will reflect light around the space to create an expansive effect.
Navy Blue and Kelly Green
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Erin Kunkel
A touch of navy goes a long way in a room full of Kelly green. With the vibrant shade of green covering everything from walls to trim to built-in cabinetry, integrating complementary colors like navy blue on furniture and accents is integral in creating visual interest. Pops of orange on the seating and pink flowers also help break up the uniformity of the room color.
Navy Blue and Cool Wood Tones
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Chad R. Mellon
To complement the richness of navy, try using cool-toned woods like white oak or maple in your lighting and furniture. Wood warms up a room without much effort. Here, light wood on the bar stools and floating shelves brightens the room while offering the cozy texture of natural materials.
Navy Blue and Pink
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Brie Williams
Pink has an unfair reputation as a childish color, but when paired with a classic color like navy blue, it instantly matures. The two playful shades work beautifully together, even if they aren’t true complementary colors. A pink painting, throw pillow, or area rug are all great ways to tie the cheery color to a navy room.
Navy Blue and Apricot
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David A Land
Orange and navy go hand in hand, and so does orange’s close relative: apricot. Apricot and similar tones like peach work great as wall colors that serve as a contrasting backdrop to the richness of navy blue. Apricot is lighter and airier than true orange, so if you’re looking for a low-key version of the classic orange and navy combo, apricot paints and wallpapers paired with navy rugs, pottery, or mirrors will do the trick.
Navy Blue and Cream
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Stacy Zarin Goldberg
To create an elegant coastal feel, try a navy and cream duo. Warmer than a traditional bright white, creamy shades of white add a layer of coziness. Take it a step further and use a patterned wallpaper with a cream-colored background, then pair it with a navy blue board-and-batten wall treatment.
Navy Blue and Sage Green
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Lisa Romerein
For a calming space, look to this colorful kitchen that features a muted shade of green on the cabinetry. Sage green and navy blue are both cool colors that bring a sense of serenity to any space. Utilize the soft green as the main color in a kitchen, whether on cabinetry, wallpaper, or paint, then pair it with navy blue accents like tile.
Navy Blue and Amber
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Anne D. Schlechter
Pairing multiple leather materials together, such as a warm amber sofa and dark navy leather chairs, is an easy-on-the-eye way to mesh two furniture colors while maintaining a cohesive look. Place the furniture pieces parallel with each other to make it clear that the colors are separate yet complementary. Try the same concept with pieces of art in each hue or with one as a wall color and the other incorporated through accents.
Navy Blue and Coral
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Edmund Barr
Brighter than apricot and more pink than a bold orange, coral is the ideal way to add summer style to navy furnishings. Something as simple as a coral throw pillow can turn a neutral navy outdoor furniture set into a cheery oasis. The same idea works indoors, too; swap out pillows or rugs for coral versions in the warmer months for easy seasonal decor.
Navy Blue and Copper
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Jay Wilde
If you decide to incorporate navy into your home with painted built-ins or kitchen cabinetry, copper finishes on hardware and hinges can brighten up the look. Copper and navy create a glamorous color palette when used together, plus the warm metal balances cool blue paint colors. Try using the shiny accents on matte navy cabinets to make the copper pop even when used minimally.
Navy Blue and Dusty Rose
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Annie Schlechter
Dusty rose is a muted version of pink that pairs well with navy. Here, a gray and navy living room is broken up with subtle hints of the soft pink via throw pillows. A coffee table book and flower arrangement with shades of dusty rose have the same effect.
Navy Blue and Chrome
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Brie Williams
Just like gold and copper, silver or chrome finishes make for a stunning contrast among a sea of navy blue. Bathrooms present multiple opportunities to use metallic accents, including mirrors, showerheads, cabinetry hardware, and faucets. Chrome is a classic fixture finish and pairing it with a dark navy blue wall helps accentuate its clean look.
Navy Blue and Plum
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David A Land
While plum and navy blue are both dark colors, the two work well together when done right as they are analogous. Make sure to use the deep shade of purple sparingly to avoid a room that’s too dark. Instead, add shades of plum and navy with throw pillows, draperies, or blankets.
Navy Blue and Gray
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Annie Schlechter
While navy and gray are similar, the dark colors pair well together when they feature the same undertones. A charcoal wall with warm undertones complements this bedroom’s deep navy bedding, nightstand, and headboard. Just be careful not to use too much of either color; a white comforter and lampshade provide relief from this display of dark colors.
Navy Blue and Warm Wood Tones
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Brie Williams
Rich red or orange wood tones like cherry, mahogany, and oak are great solutions for warming up your living space. Navy cools down a room, so having warm wood in the room’s trim, furniture, or ceiling will make the space more homey and welcoming. Try using both wood and navy in a bright neutral room, like one with crisp white walls.
Navy Blue and Cornflower Blue
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David A Land
Darker than sky blue and lighter than navy blue, cornflower is somewhere between both. The soft blue color is a gentle contrast against navy without introducing an entirely new color to this bedroom’s palette. A navy wall is a great background for showcasing cornflower furniture or decor. Add one small pop of a bright color like yellow or green and make sure to use plenty of white to break up a sea of blues.
Navy, Black, and White
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Adam Albright
A common design “no-no” is mixing navy and black, but this rule was meant to be broken. A black-and-white pattern can work as a neutral contrast to navy. Try using black and white in an area rug, curtain, or wallpaper while pairing it with a focal point of rich navy furniture or cabinetry.
Navy and Lemon Yellow
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John Bessler
Lemon yellow is one of the cheeriest colors you can choose to liven up a room, and it’s a great partner for a deep navy blue. Brighter than mustard yellow, lemon yellow is a powerful color to use throughout a room, so a little goes a long way, even if the room is mainly navy. Yellow flowers, coffee table books, and throw pillows all add a splash of sunshine to an ocean-like navy room.
To hear more about what colors go with navy, check out our new podcast, The Better Buy, where Julia Marcum of Chris Loves Julia shares why she chose a bold shade of blue for her new family room.
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