Earth tones are natural, warm, and neutral colors like browns, tans, mustards, rusts, olives, and beiges. When decorating with earth tones, it’s important to choose accent colors that complement them well. Certain hues look harmonious next to earthy neutrals while others can clash. So what are the best color combinations to use with earth tones?
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Warm Tones
Warm colors are excellent complements to earth tones. Hues like reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks make earthy beiges, taupes, and tans really pop. Warm tones energize and brighten up spaces decorated in muted earth tones.
For example, a burnt orange throw blanket livens up a neutral beige sofa. Terracotta and mustard accent pillows make a tan couch pop. Pale peach walls gently warm up an olive green and brown boho-style living room. A rusty red area rug grounds an earth toned seating area. Soft buttery yellows illuminate a room where creams, taupes, and light browns dominate.
Best Warm Accents for Earthy Palettes
- Burnt orange
- Terracotta
- Mustard
- Rust
- Coral
- Salmon
- Peach
- Buttery yellow
- Gold
These warm secondary colors and mellow tertiary tones work beautifully with earthy backdrops. They provide a subtle vibrancy that really makes neutrals shine.
Cool Tones
While warm colors are energizing, cool colors are soothing and relaxing accents for earth tones. Hues like blues, greens, purples, and cool grays beautifully complement brown and beige palettes. They create a calm earthy oasis.
For instance, a soft sage green accent wallneutralizes a taupe living room. Pale blue and lavender pillows gently accent a mushroom colored sofa. An olive armchair pops against a light blue-gray wall. Deep forest green curtains frame windows in a creamy beige bedroom. Violet flowers in a neutral vase add a pop of color. Cool grays and blues in artwork and accessories offset warm earth tones.
Best Cool Accents for Earthy Palettes
- Sage green
- Seafoam
- Aqua
- Sky blue
- Periwinkle
- Lavender
- Plum
- Orchid
- Cool gray
These cooler secondary colors and tertiary tones create peaceful, relaxing spaces when combined with earthy neutrals. Their inherent tranquility offsets warm earth tones beautifully.
Vibrant Colors
While muted earth tones pair best with soft warm and cool accent colors, sometimes you want to liven things up with some bold, vibrant hues. Primary colors and bright secondary/tertiary colors add dramatic pops of color to earthy backdrops.
A bright crimson throw rug energizes a neutral living room. An emerald green velvet sofa makes a statement against creamy beige walls. A sapphire blue glass vase sparks interest on an earthy wood table. Sunny yellow and cherry red pillows enliven an olive brown outdoor seating space. Bold turquoise and magenta artwork jazz up tan walls.
Best Vibrant Accents for Earthy Palettes
- Crimson
- Cobalt
- Emerald
- Sapphire
- Canary yellow
- Fuchsia
- Lime green
- Cerulean blue
- Magenta
Sparingly adding bright, saturated hues energizes an earth toned space. A little goes a long way though, as vibrant colors can sometimes clash with earth tones if overdone.
Metallic Colors
Metallic accents add shimmer, shine, and visual interest to earthy palettes. Glitzy gold, silver, bronze, and copper elements enliven natural, muted earth tones.
For example, an antique gold floor lamp brightens up a taupe living room. Frosted silver candleholders pop on a wood dining table. Bronze vases provide warmth in a neutral bathroom. Copper throw pillows sparkle against brown leather couches. Mirrored furniture and metallic accessories catch the light in an earth toned space.
Best Metallic Accents for Earthy Palettes
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
- Copper
- Brass
- Pewter
- Nickel
- Tin
- Steel
Metallic elements add luminance and glamour to muted earth toned spaces. Their inherent shimmer makes them excellent accents alongside matte neutrals.
Black and White
Don’t overlook classic black and white, which pair beautifully with earth tones. Crisp white provides contrast and illuminates earthy palettes. Sleek black grounds spaces and defines earth toned elements.
A bright white statement mirror reflects light in a mocha dining room. Black lamp bases ground mustard accent chairs. A white ceramic vase pops against a charcoal gray media console. Black and white photography adds interest to latte walls. Zebra striped and gingham accents in contrasting black and white enliven earthy spaces.
Black ties together and defines all the earth tones in a space. White brightens and provides visual separation. Together, they create balance and interest alongside muted neutrals.
Avoid Clashing Colors
Some colors don’t work well with earth tones, clashing rather than complementing. Avoid combining the following hues with earthy palettes:
- Neon colors
- Bright primary colors like fire engine red and bright blue
- Hues too close to earth tones like khaki, cream, dark brown
- Extremely cool tones like stark white and bright turquoise
These colors either blend in too much with earth tones or create too much contrast. Stick to warm, cool, bright, and neutral accent colors instead for harmonious earthy spaces.
Choosing an Accent Color Scheme
Now that you know what color families work well with earth tones, how do you choose a specific accent scheme? Follow these tips:
- Pick 1-2 accent colors maximum. Too many looks busy.
- Choose accent colors from the same color family for cohesion.
- Make one color dominant and the other secondary.
- Vary shades/tints of accent colors for depth.
- Repeat accent colors throughout the space for flow.
Some examples of earth tone accent schemes:
- Burnt orange + mustard yellow
- Sage green + seafoam
- Terracotta + peach
- Lavender + periwinkle blue
- Gold + brass
- Black + white
Choose accent colors you love that also complement your specific earth tone palette. Whether warm, cool, bright, metallic or neutral, thoughtfully chosen accents make earth tones shine.
Examples of Earth Tone Color Schemes
Here are some inspiring examples of earth tone palettes with beautiful accent colors:
| Earth Tones | Accent Colors | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beige, cream, tan | Sage green, celadon | Soft, airy earth tones with soothing cool accents |
| Chocolate, coffee, chestnut | Crimson, terracotta | Warm rich earth tones with vibrant accents |
| Mocha, umber, sand | Cobalt, navy | Muted earth tones with bold blue accents |
| Mushroom, dove, asparagus | Violet, lavender | Muted earth tones with soft purple accents |
| Khaki, olive, moss | Coral, melon | Natural earth tones with bright pinkish-orange accents |
| Oatmeal, latte, taupe | Turquoise, aqua | Soothing earth tones with vivid cool accents |
| Birch, burlap, sandstone | Lemon, marigold | Organic earth tones with sunny yellow accents |
| Clay, shale, granite | Emerald, jade | Mineral earth tones with bold green accents |
Tips for Decorating with Earth Tones
Here are some top tips for beautifully decorating with earth tones:
- Layer in texture with natural materials like wood, rattan, leather, stone.
- Incorporate plants and dried florals for organic vibes.
- Use metallics like copper and brass for sheen.
- Add warmth with candles, lamps, and fireplaces.
- Display artwork, ceramics, and accessories in accent colors.
- Invest in cozy pillows, throws, and rugs to soften earth tones.
- Frame views to outdoors to connect to nature.
- Incorporate rustic, vintage, or boho elements for character.
Keep things natural and cozy. The goal is to create a welcoming, grounded space when decorating with earth tones.
Conclusion
Earth tones are versatile neutrals that pair beautifully with warm colors like terracotta and butterscotch, cool hues like sage and periwinkle, vibrant tones like emerald and cobalt, metallics like gold and bronze, and classic black and white. Stick to 1-2 accent colors from the same family to make your earth tones really sing. Avoid neon brights and colors that are too similar to the earth tones. The right accents will create a stylish, welcoming, organic space. Have fun experimenting with different accent combinations until you find your perfect earthy palette.