Three Vivid Color Schemes to Emulate for a Home that Exudes Grandest Luxury and Elevated Wealth
Lake and Walls, a creative design studio that specialises in interiors, architecture, and furniture, offers a fresh take on home decor with rich colour combinations. To create a harmonious and vibrant atmosphere, it is essential to balance dominant and accent colours, consider tonal intensity and contrast, and anchor the palette with a neutral or unifying element.
Teal, Purple, and Taupe
By using taupe as a grounding neutral, the exuberance of teal and purple can be effectively balanced. These colours can be used as accents on walls, furnishings, or decorative pieces to create a rich, harmonious contrast. This combination works particularly well in spaces where a blend of vibrancy (teal and purple) and calm (taupe) is desired [3][2].
Dark Green and Deep Brown
A strong, earthy, and grounded palette is created by pairing dark green and deep brown. Dark green can be used for walls or large elements to envelop the space, while deep brown can be found in wood finishes, furniture, or textiles. Anchoring the scheme with a neutral that has subtle undertones (such as taupe or warm beige) helps to avoid the space feeling too heavy. Adding metallic accents like aged brass or bronze can provide warmth and transition points within the palette [5][4].
Burgundy, Coral, and Golden Yellows
According to designers, burgundy can be used on large surfaces (even walls and ceilings) to unify and deepen the space. Introduce coral as a vibrant accent and golden yellow through smaller decorative elements (such as velvet cushions, metallic hardware, warm lighting) to add brightness and elegance. Using the lightest tone (golden yellow) as the dominant colour and deeper shades as accents softens the drama while retaining richness [1].
General Tips for Coordinating Rich Colours
- Anchor your scheme with a dominant neutral or subtle undertone colour to harmonise stronger hues.
- Use proportional balance: large areas can be in darker or richer tones, and smaller accents in brighter or complementary colours.
- Consider texture and material choices (such as velvet, metallics, wood finishes) to add depth and transition between colours.
- Pay attention to natural light, which can shift the perception of warm and cool undertones throughout the day, affecting the overall harmony.
- Mixing warm and cool rich colours carefully, avoiding too much contrast that fragments the space, instead aiming for a rhythmic visual flow via related tonal registers [5][1][3].
By thoughtfully balancing these elements, rich colour combinations can create sophisticated, dynamic, and inviting interiors.
Other Favourite Rich Colour Combinations
- Olive green and brown offer an organic imprint to a room, while brown provides a modern, sultry backdrop.
- Amanda Sinistaj, the founder of Ellwood Interiors, states that these tones are not meant to whisper; they are meant to be heard, felt, and remembered. Bringing in burgundy velvet or mohair on the chairs or accents, and letting ivory come in through soft textures like plaster ceilings, linen panels, or vintage lampshades is recommended when decorating with this colour combination.
- Another favourite rich colour combination is burgundy with coral and golden yellows. Introducing golden yellows through decorative moments like velvet cushions, metallic hardware, and warm-hued lamp lighting is recommended.
Rich colour combinations can be daunting pairings to pull off, but high risk often yields high reward. Tash Bradley, director of interior design at Lick, recommends colour-drenching the space with these colours to create a rich, cocooning atmosphere. Brass or a lighter neutral like Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee paint colour brings in a layer of freshness and quiet luxury.
For a dramatic look, using oxblood on the walls in a dining room or sitting room is recommended. It's worth thinking about how to coordinate paint colours throughout your home so that it feels considered, balanced, and beautiful.
Tash has given colour consultations on over 6,000 projects across the UK, EU, and US, and has authored a book called "Master the Art of Colour". Oksana Zavarzina, founder of LakeandWalls, loves pairing emerald green with a deep brown of a similar tone for a classic take on a rich colour combination. This colour combination is part of the Soho House palette, specifically using Teal 03, Purple 03, and Taupe 03. The colour combination of dark teal, plum purple, and taupe is a scheme that feels romantic and considered, designed for creating atmosphere.
Red and yellow together can be a chic combination with the right tonal mix. Greens and browns are classic colours that won't go out of style. These rich colour combinations are not meant to be subtle; they are meant to make a statement and be remembered.
- Incorporating taupe as a neutral base allows the vibrancy of teal and purple to be effectively balanced and creates a harmonious contrast within the living room or interior spaces.
- Rich earthy tones can be achieved by pairing dark green and deep brown, creating a grounded ambiance, with dark green on walls or large elements and brown found in wood finishes, furniture, or textiles.
- For a dramatic yet inviting living room, use burgundy on large surfaces like walls to unify the space, and introduce coral and golden yellows as accents for brightness and elegance, balancing the rich colours with subtle undertones.
- When decorating with olive green and brown, bring in burgundy velvet or mohair on chairs or accents, and let ivory come in through soft textures like plaster ceilings, linen panels, or vintage lampshades to maintain a harmonious blend.
- For an organic and modern yet sultry kitchen or interior space, consider pairing olive green and brown, with brown offering a contemporary backdrop while olive green provides a natural imprint.
- To create a cocooning and luxurious lifestyle within the home, consult the Soho House palette for inspiration, specifically using deep teal, plum purple, and taupe for a romantic and considered colour scheme, designed to evoke atmosphere.
