What Colors Go With Light Blue? 14 Shades That Show Just How Versatile This Cool Color Can Be

This year, it became alarmingly apparent that we've all been using light blue wrong when it comes to our homes. And by wrong, we mean not enough. When working out what colors go with light blue, we ought to be thinking well beyond the classic creams and whites of coastal homes, to combinations far more punchy, like cherry reds and zesty mustards.

Light blue is such an affable shade, and, as Allison Lind, the design director at Seattle-based Allison Lind Interiors, says: "There's just something built into our collective DNA to love that soft happy tone." When used effectively, it can have incredibly calming effects, reminding us of clear, open skies and rolling seas.

But it's way more versatile than we've previously given it credit for. "It's a high-maintenance color upfront, but totally worth the soothing, soft vibes it creates," adds Allison. And while it's been long associated with cottages and beachside homes, we're now seeing it splashed across super contemporary spaces alike.

So, if you're trying to work out whether you can work it into your interiors, we asked designers for the best colors that go with blue in all its lighter shades. Here are the color combinations they recommend.

14 Colors That Go With Light Blue

1. LIGHT BLUE AND RED

Light blue and red has perhaps been the standout color pairing of this year thanks to the 'unexpected red' theory that introduced the idea that, actually, most colors go with red. Sitting on opposite sides of the spectrum, the combination provides a striking contrast and visual impact in a space.

"Nothing beats an allover light blue color palette to create serenity and calm, but keep in mind that the addition of bright red accents can make your space much more interesting," says Brooklyn-based designer Julia Mack, founder of Julia Mack Design. While she recommends introducing textural accents and eye-catching accessories, the living space shown above also proves that committing to the palette with more permanent fixtures also pays off.

2. LIGHT BLUE AND YELLOW

Yellow — in all its varying shades — is a tone that goes in and out of style quite often, but when you use it sparingly and carefully, it can inject energy and brightness into a space. "Yellow is a mood enhancer," says Connecticut-based designer Kellie Burke, the founder and principal of Kellie Burke Interiors. "It is energetic, stimulates the appetite, and when paired with other lighter tones can create a visual balance."

Light blue is certainly one of those lighter colors that go with yellow. In fact, it often helps to dial down and ground the, at times, overpowering visual impact of the bright shade.

3. LIGHT BLUE AND MUSTARD

But it's not just soft shades of yellow that go with light blue. When both tones are used in a more saturated form, you can create a vibrant space with plenty of energy. In fact, light blue being a color that goes with mustard yellow has been referenced repeatedly throughout all iterations of design: just look at the work of Van Gogh.

When designing a space, interior designer Natalie Tredgett says she always thinks about "contrasting with complement." In the space shown above, she drew her inspiration from the tones on the pillow, which she "mimicked on the wall in a soft blue, and then contrasted with vibrant yellow furniture." Although, to the eye, these colors stand out against one another, "their tones complement within the space, and therefore make a great pairing," she adds.

4. LIGHT BLUE AND BEIGE

There are many colors that go with beige, as it's the most warm, inviting, and soothing neutral shade. Colors like light blue, when layered on beige, can help give depth to an interior, create a cocooning effect, or even make space for a third tone to shine.

"Incorporating neutral shades like white, cream, or beige to an interior scheme can create a visual balance with blue," says Ginger Curtis, the founder and CEO of Dallas-based interiors firm, Urbanology Designs. "These neutrals when layered with another soft tone can create a harmonious color palette." Just take the dining space, shown above, as proof.

5. LIGHT BLUE AND BURGUNDY

Burgundy is shaping up to be one of the biggest colors of 2025, and it also happens to be one that goes beautifully with light blue. The combination is a different take on the light blue and red pairing, but in a more sophisticated and elegant palette. As burgundy has a slightly blue undertone (as well as a predominant red and green split), it layers harmoniously with pale blues, which provide a softer contrast to more neutral shades like white and cream.

6. LIGHT BLUE AND WHITE

Light blue and white is a classic pairing, evocative of seaside schemes and postcards of Grecian islands where white sugar cube villages tumble down to the water's edge. This color associations means light blue and white often come together to create incredibly calming schemes. Plus, decorating with neutrals like white is one of the easiest things to do.

"White and light blue is a match made in heaven," adds Nishita Kamdar, founder of Mumbai architecture firm Studio Nishita Kamdar. "The soft pastel shades work very well for beach-side holiday homes or even warm colonial-style homes in the mountains. With interesting contrasting black styling elements, and hints of gold and silver, you can make the combination work very well."

7. LIGHT BLUE AND BROWN

Pale and baby blue shades work beautifully when juxtaposed against tan, taupe or dark wood tones. While there are many colors that go with brown, it particularly complements blue, as the hues sit opposite each other on the color wheel.

"Light blue harmonizes elegantly with subtly muted brown shades that carry a delicate gray undertone," says Kashi Shikunova, director at Yam Studios. "The gray adds some coolness, which helps to create a balanced composition with the light blue."

8. LIGHT BLUE AND PINK

While considered to be one of the most controversial color pairings due to their tendency towards more childish schemes, baby blue is, in fact, one of the colors that go with pink, even in its lighter shades. Although very different hues, they complement one another as the pink warms up the coolness of the blue, while the blue prevents the pink from becoming too vibrant or overpowering in a scheme.

"I love pairing something in the pink family, like raspberry or blush," says New York-based designer Jennifer Hunter, when asked what colors go with light blue. "It adds a pop and fun accent. Light blue evokes a sense of calmness and zen when paired with pink."

9. LIGHT BLUE AND GREEN

The idea that blue and green should never been seen is an age-old adage, but their contrasting nature can make green an interesting color to pair with baby blues (even if they may be clashing colors on the color wheel). Both shades have strong associations with nature, and therefore can complement one another and create incredibly soothing schemes.

"Colors that go together in nature are great to study," says designer Amy Lau, who recommends building palettes for your home around colors that naturally occur together outside.

10. LIGHT BLUE AND BLACK

For a more dramatic contrast when choosing colors that go with light blue, you could always consider black. Since both tones act as neutrals, together they can create a pleasing monochrome color scheme.

"This could be a tricky color combination if not done in the right proportions," says Nishita Kamdar. "If you have a light blue room, black styling elements work well, be it candle stands, votives, coffee table books, or your choice of pendant. I would also introduce an element of green, like plants, to cut the high contrast."

11. LIGHT BLUE AND GRAY

Light blue is amongst the many colors that go with light gray. The two offset each other perfectly, and can create an interior scheme that feels light, open, and breezy. "It's a quintessential neutral color," says Amy Krane, an architectural color consultant and the founder of Amy Krane Color. "A true neutral works well with almost every color in the physical world and it also lacks colorfulness. Together, these two attributes make light gray and light blue the perfect color companions."

When it comes to our homes, gray is most commonly incorporated through our choice of tiles or stone finishes, like the backsplash above that features a gray-veined marble, which is why you so often see light blue kitchens and bathrooms.

12. LIGHT BLUE AND TAUPE

Taupe is a popular earthy hue and one of the top neutral paints to pair with a light blue interior. The shade comes in an number of different hues as well, which can help inspire countless decorating schemes.

"Depending on the temperature of the blue, you can add cold or warm accents, or both, to a room," says designer Kevin Sawyers of North Carolina-based Sawyers Design. In the living room shown above, "The light blue of the walls has a touch of red which makes it work with the rose and taupe accents, whereas the teal accents relate to the blue in the paint."

13. LIGHT BLUE AND ORANGE

According to color theory, blue and orange are complementary shades on the color wheel, which explains why blue is a color that goes with orange in all its varying hues. Using a lighter blue with a more subtle shade of orange helps to balance your space — the orange warms up the cooler tones of the light blue, while the light blue provides a more neutral base for the orange.

"When choosing which shades of orange to pair with light blue, referring back to the color wheel can give you all the clues you need," says Livingetc's news writer (and a trained artist) Olivia Wolfe. "If your blue has subtle undertones of green, then I would recommend a shade of orange that leaves slightly in the red zone. If your blue has a hint of purple, then a more golden orange would make a lovely complement."

14. LIGHT BLUE AND OTHER BLUES

One of the best things about colors is how many different shades they come in. When thinking about pairings, you'd be remiss not to first consider layering different hues from the same color family together — it's a particularly fool-proof way of finding shades that will complement one another. .

In the living space above, light blue walls have been accented with panels of patterned wallpaper in a deeper blue shade, while furnishings in others blues — including teal and cobalt blue — further punctuate the space, giving it both depth and interest, even though it features just one 'color'.

FAQs

What are similar colors to light blue?

While technically different shades, light blue is also often referred to as pale blue, pastel blue, sky blue, baby blue and soft blue. When thinking of complementary colors to pair with all of these colors, the shades we've shared above can realistically be applied across all of them.

What is the best way to use light blue in your home?

One of the best ways to use light blue in your home may actually surprise you: it's on your trims and woodwork. Window and door frames become a feature when painted in light blue, and can make an otherwise neutral room feel more dramatic without being overpowering.

Also, consider going monochromatic with your light blue paint colors, covering your entire space in them. Take it across your ceiling and skirting boards to create an enveloping feel, that's still warm even though you're using a cooler toned color.

Light blue is a much more versatile color than we generally give it credit for. In fact, Patrick O'Donnell, a color expert and brand ambassador for Farrow & Ball, says he has painted light blue walls in most of the homes he has lived in, citing it as a shade that's "fun to play with" in the home.