Spice it Up with Taupe House Color Combinations

Taupe falls into both grey and brown tones and takes on additional undertones, depending upon added pigments. What taupe house color combinations work well? It can depend upon the exact shade and other accents in the room.

As a general rule of thumb, taupe has red or green undertones or shades surrounding those on the color wheel. Adding other colors turns it into what is known as greige. Taupe is a neutral color, but it can be warmer or cooler based on secondary hues in the mix. 

If your walls are taupe, you may wonder which of our taupe house color combinations to choose. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

1. Figure Out The Warmth Level of Your Taupe

If your paint color has a lot of red or yellow undertones, it will look a touch warmer. Green and blue undertones offer a cool look. In general, warm tones look best with other warm tones and cools with cools. So, if your paint has a slight yellow hue, choose colors such as orange, red and yellow as accents. For green and blue undertones, stick with greens, blues and purples. 

2. Follow the Trends

Every year, new trends emerge in the design world. Pay careful attention to the color choices designers pick.

One popular combination for several years running has been taupe and teal. Teal has blue and green hints, making it mesh almost perfectly with the grey-tan of your walls. 

3. Look at the Color Wheel

The color wheel gives you some fantastic clues at what shades look best next to each other. You can pick a complementary color residing on the opposite side of the spectrum. For a modern look, go monochromatic and choose shades within the same base color.

Triadic gives you three shades spaced evenly apart on the circle. Tetradic offers four color options. Whatever combination you go with, get samples and see how the hues look next to one another.

4. Study Palettes

Many designers offer their color palette ideas online, so you don’t have to rely on your own opinion to find great ideas. Ready-made combinations save you a lot of time and effort figuring out which color combinations to use.

Sites like Color Hunt show new palettes. You can also sort by trendy and popular choices. Look at random selections for a little surprise fun. The only drawback of this tool is you can’t sort by taupe first, so it will take a little more time to find inspiration.

Pantone offers a color guide tool to help you choose the colors looking best with your room. In addition to the automated tools, they offer color consulting if you still aren’t sure what looks best. 

5. Use Your Instincts

Do you love the pop of blue a new throw pillow adds? If you love the way it looks, trust your instincts. It probably is appealing. Even if others don’t like it, it’s your home, and you have a right to surround yourself with the things you love. Sometimes memories and special objects outweigh design rules.

6. Consult a Professional

Are you still feeling uncertain about which shades to use? Bring in a design professional and get feedback from them. Not only will they have ideas about the colors going best with your particular taupe, but they also have access to unique decor sources.

If you want a room that looks put together, a staging professional is a good choice. They can take items you already own and rearrange them or revamp objects, so they are perfect for your current decor. 

7. Consider Traditional Color Combinations

There are some choices most people go with that may work fine for your room, too.

If your taupe is warm, stick with bright orange and sunny yellow. These shades are bold and eye-catching against the more neutral taupe, but they also pull out the undertones.

If you have a cool taupe, go with blues and greens. Your room will be calming as a result. These combinations work great for a bedroom where you’d like to relax. 

Think Outside the Design Box

Just because most people go with orange or yellow doesn’t mean you have to. Taupe truly is a neutral color, and most taupe house color combinations look just fine. If you adore pink or lilac, go ahead and add those shades. Just be aware your accent colors may pull undertones out of the paint and change the walls’ look. Taupe is an excellent choice for a neutral tint.