The visual plays an important role in the promotion of a product, a brand, a website, a book… And presenting a perfect fusion between two or more colors can strike at first glance. Choosing colors that go well together is part of a good strategy to seduce your targets. Do you want to grab the attention of your audience? Offer a perfect harmony of colors on your site or your graphic creations? Here are some color combo ideas and a list of 18 tools to help you create the perfect set for your next design.
Color wheel: how do you know if colors go well together?
Do you know the color wheel ? This notion is the basis of a successful color association.
“A chromatic circle is an ordered representation of colors, used in painting, dyeing, industrial design, fashion, graphic arts. The colors follow one another in the order of those of the rainbow, the closure being effected by a transition from red to violet passing through crimson.
A chromatic wheel generally presents the colors in discontinuous form, with equal arcs of circles being devoted to each of the shades. It happens, rarely, that the whole disc is used to present the mixtures varying either in saturation or in intensity. »
To make good color associations, it is essential to understand how the color wheel works.
If the tools that we are going to present to you below generally do the work for you, it remains an interesting basic notion to know in terms of color association.
What colors go well together?
The color wheel is made up of:
- 3 primary colors (red, yellow and blue)
- 3 secondary colors (which are obtained by mixing the primary colors: green, orange and purple)
- 6 tertiary colors (obtained by mixing primary and complementary colors: blue-green, red-violet, etc.)
All these colors are then divided into two color typologies, warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and cold colors (blue, green, purple).
Each type of color can be associated with a message. While warm colors are generally used and associated with energy, brightness and action, cool colors are generally associated with peace, calm and confidence.
The colors that go well together are generally the opposite colors in the chromatic circle (the complementary ones), the analogous colors (similar) or the triadic colors (we tell you more about them right after).
PS: if you have an eye and are comfortable with math, you will realize that everything is only a multiple of 3 in the colors, hence the well-known rule of the 3 max colors associated in mode and interior design in particular.
How to combine colors together?
To find the right color combinations that go well together, there are 3 distinct but complementary approaches:
- Pair complementary colors : These colors are usually located opposite each other on the color wheel. This technique is ideal for creating a strong contrast.
- Associate similar colors : these colors are located close to each other on the chromatic circle, they are generally only variants close to the main color and often allow to generate interesting hover effects.
- Match triadic colors : Triadic colors are located equidistant from each other on the color wheel. This type of association is usually quite bright and energizing because it creates contrast while maintaining visual harmony and unity.
What colors don’t go together?
Contrary to the recommendations above, the colors that do not go together are all color combinations that do not follow any of the 3 approaches listed above (complementary, analogous or triadic colors).
For example, combining 4 colors in a harmonious way is complex. The risk of missing its associations is therefore much higher if we do not choose the approach of analogous colors in this specific case.
18 tools to combine colors well together in design
1 – Color Hunt
A color highlighting website, Color Hunt is one of the newer tools offering its users countless palettes to create colors that look great together .
You can see which palettes got a lot of likes and use them for your new design.
2 – Coolors
URL: https://coolors.co/
A color generator considered ultra-fast, Coolors meets all the expectations of designers.
With an attractive and very intuitive interface, the proposed tool is also available on mobile applications for Android and iOS. Coolors has a bank well endowed with an array of pretty palettes.
3 – Seeds
URL: https://www.design-seeds.com/
If you are looking for color palettes that go well together, are modern, and can be useful both in design, interior decoration or even to dress harmoniously, this site should satisfy you!
You will find harmonious color palettes according to the seasons and many other criteria, a must have in your favorites bar 😉 .
4 – Adobe Color CC
URL: https://color.adobe.com/en/create/color-wheel
Known before as Adobe Kuler, it is a tool that will let you know how to combine colors starting with simple basics.
With an Adobe account, it is possible to save the palettes created, and even share them with other people.
5 – DeGraeve.com: color palette generator
URL: https://www.degraeve.com/color-palette/
If you are looking for a generator of harmonious color palettes that go well together, all from a simple image downloaded from a website, this online tool should satisfy you!
6 – 0to255.com
URL: https://www.0to255.com/004f6f
In one click on any color, this site allows you to discover all the shades that go perfectly with the selected color to make a harmonious gradient for example (very useful for stylish reports and analyses).
7-Sip
URL: https://sipapp.io/
This application offers the possibility of generating color harmonies based on photos .
Available for Mac and iPhone, Sip allows artists to name their creations, organize them as they wish, and above all, share them. A pro version exists and offers limitless export options.
8 – Colordot: Color by Hailpixel
URL: https://color.hailpixel.com/
To your mice! This generator offers the possibility of working on a blank interface, of scrolling the slider to change the color, the saturation, the luminosity… You will thus create the marriage of colors which will suit your style and your taste.
9 – Palletr
URL: http://palettr.com/
It is the color generator of the famous site 500px. With Palettr, you will know how to combine colors and play with them. This tool differs by its choice of palettes by theme.
10 – Cold
URL: http://colrd.com/
With a search tool, Colrd has above all a gradient generator.
It offers artists and designers a good number of novelties, palettes and patterns.
11 – Toptal
To generate a set of colors that go well together, choose Toptal . The site makes it easy to export your palettes in PNG, LESS or even SCSS formats.
12 – Colr
URL: http://www.colr.org/
Here is a site that will provide you with everything you need.
You base yourself on a random image that you will download or choose from Flickr to generate your palettes. On Colr, several thousand color combinations will be offered to you.
13 – Cohesive Colors
URL: https://javier.xyz/cohesive-colors/
Are you looking for a tool that can create rather homogeneous color palettes? Cohesive Colors is for you. As its name suggests, this application is used to generate colors and make them more consistent and harmonious.
14 – Mudcube Color Sphere
URL: https://galactic.ink/sphere/
Here is a large pixel generator created by Mudcube! You will therefore be able to achieve an image with more precise color shades. You can then download it in .AI and .ACO formats.
15 – Color Scheme Designer by Paletton
Paletton invites you to generate magnificent color palettes thanks to their many and very varied color proposals.
With this generator, you can also automatically start a randomization to get your palettes.
16 – Color Lovers
URL: https://www.colourlovers.com/palettes
Well over a million color generators are made available to a large community of Color Lovers . Within this community, you will have the opportunity to gain more experience on color matching.
Color Lovers will show you sets of colors that go well together as well as a huge selection of patterns and shapes…
With more than 4 million color palettes referenced on this site, it’s a real gold mine but navigation is not the easiest, especially with advertisements, due to the fact that it is placed rather at the end of the article.
17 – Color Combos
URL: https://www.colorcombos.com/
In order to get a set of colors that go well together, opt for Color Combos, an easy-to-learn app where you can start without any basics. It is a tester that aims to better balance the configuration options of your palette.
18 – Color Hunter
URL: http://www.colorhunter.com/
Color Hunter provides designers with a library of palettes to generate colors that go well together .
It is also possible to upload an image you liked and produce a new palette with it.
(Yes the site is old school but it is still very useful, so it has its place in this list).
As you will have understood, there is no shortage of free online tools to help you generate color palettes that go well together and especially to obtain the hexadecimal codes if you are a graphic designer or web designer.
If you have other similar quality resources to share with us, do not hesitate to let us know on our social networks so that we can add them to this list.
10 ideas for splendid color combinations to charm your audience
1. For a vintage style
Try the palette formed by jade, purple, red and sea foam to have a retro design.
2. To evoke masculinity and strength
Black and mustard go well together to express modernity and strength.
3. For a majestic and feminine design
Here are three colors that go well together : sapphire, mauve and dusty blue. This palette is the signature of elegance and femininity.
4. To give way to serenity
Create a pastel color palette to evoke a magical mood. Use salmon, navy blue and green foam.
5. For a simple but serious look
Beige, amber and black brown are colors that go well together for a warmer look.
6. To seduce the taste buds
Designs in the food industry should use a natural color palette like the combination of sage green, duck blue, sepia and beige.
7. For more provocation
Here is a special youth palette: Yellow-green, forest green and olive green. In addition, these are colors that go well together .
8. For a festive and joyful look
Use these four colors to convey your optimism to your audience: red, yellow, cyan, and bright purple.
9. For a luxurious shade
How to combine colors to have a young and luxurious effect? Combine a palette with a striking contrast between shades of pink and brown.
10. To inspire confidence
An ideal combination to generate an energetic and reassuring design: navy blue, mango, orange-red and almond beige.
Color Combination FAQs
How to be sure that the color combinations of a website are effective?
When it comes to creating a visually effective website, choosing the right color combination is very important! A good color scheme should fit into your website’s overall message and brand identity, while being aesthetically pleasing.
To make sure your site’s color palette is effective, you need to consider the emotions you’re trying to evoke in your visitors . Different colors can create different feelings, whether it’s happiness, comfort, excitement, or something else entirely.
It’s also important to research how different color combinations can impact the usability and readability of your site.
Also, be sure to test several variations before deciding on one, to ensure that your users have a positive experience on your site thanks to a strong, pleasant and consistent color scheme.
Cold colors or warm colors: which to choose?
When it comes to choosing a color, one must assess the desired atmosphere and use the color temperature to determine which one will work best.
Cool colors typically include blues, greens, and purples, while warm colors include reds, oranges, yellows, and some shades of pink.
Cool colors tend to evoke feelings of serenity, cleanliness and calm ; they also often give a feeling of simplicity and clarity whereas warm colors can create a more welcoming and energetic atmosphere as they are associated with emotions of excitement and positive energy.
When selecting a color scheme, it is important to consider all of the available options and choose the one that will be most appropriate for the purpose of choosing that particular color.
Which tool should I choose to help me match the right colors together?
Depending on the type of project you’re working on and your design preferences, you may find the tool that best suits your needs:
- If you work on web designs or graphics, Adobe Color CC is a great resource because it lets you choose and create custom color palettes.
- If you need help selecting shades that complement each other, an online color wheel can guide you in your choices.
- For more advanced projects, like painting the walls or selecting clothing fabrics, you’ll find physical color swatches and fan decks at most major hardware or fabric stores.
And if you are looking for the name of a tool to assist you in color association, look at the 18 proposals that we have listed for you in this article. Who knows, you might find your happiness there?
What are the trending colors in 2023?
The color trend for 2023 will be all about taking risks and embracing bright, bold hues.
The Pantone color of the year 2023 is an intense turquoise called “Placid Blue” which serves as a bridge between the vibrant tones of the previous year and the softer pastel tones that are making a comeback.
Shades of yellow, from pale lemon to rich mustard to classic canary, are also popular choices; they signify joy and positivity while being surprisingly versatile.
Gray continues to be a staple in home decor and fashion, and it is also appearing in many other products this year.
Finally, neutral cream tones are always in style. With so many different color options there is sure to be something to catch your eye in 2023.
