Guide to Warm and Cool Paint Colors | Benjamin Moore (2024)

FAQs

What colors can be both warm and cool? ›

A great example in nature of a warm and cool color spectrum is a rainbow. Purple and violet are created by blending the cool tone of blue with the warm tone of red. Although these colors lean towards the cool side of the color wheel, if a sufficient amount of red is added, violet can be perceived as warm.

Warm colors—yellow, orange, red and combinations therein—breathe energy, positivity and a sense of sunshine into any room. Cool colors—green, blue and purple—evoke relaxation and calm. Neutrals like white and gray can also lean warmer or cooler depending on their undertones.

Warm colors tend to create an atmosphere that's cozy or energetic and cool colors often appear fresh and soothing. Look at the lighting. How much and what type of natural light a room gets can have a big effect on the undertones that come out of a color.

These pairs include blue and orange, red and green and violet and yellow. You'll get maximum contrast and impact by combining those. Just the tiniest pop of a warm color in an otherwise cool setting adds instant drama and changes the overall perception of the space from mellow to exciting.

If you have a preference for warm or cool colors that's okay just make sure to add at least a few items in the opposing set of colors. I love the combination below–blues and grays with a punch of orange and a touch of brown to balance the cool colors. Finishes can also give off a warm or cool tone.

Regardless, the general idea is the warm colors are Red, Orange and Yellow; and the cool colors are Green, Blue and Magenta (Figure 2). Figure 2: The classic color wheel divided into Cool and Warm halves. Compare “yellow” to “blue” and it's easy to see yellow is warm and blue is cool.

As a rule, neutral colors such as white, black, grey are considered neither warm nor cool. However, a color may appear to lean more toward one side of the spectrum, depending on its undertones. For instance, a cream color with a yellow undertone will appear warm, while a grey with blue undertones may seem cool.

Cherry, true red, ruby, or raspberry are perfect examples of cool bright reds. Cranberry is a more muted cool red, and there are many cool, deep, sultry red options, from wine, to blood red, and scarlet. If you can spot a hint of orange, coral, or an earthy aspect to the red, it's likely NOT cool.

Reds are overall a warm color, but within that color family you can have cool reds (leaning towards purple and blue) or warm reds (leaning towards orange and yellow). Purples are considered neither cool or warm overall, it depends on the hue: a blueish purple is cool, a reddish purple warm.

The interior palette is roughly divided into two groups of color: warm and cool colors. Reds, yellows, oranges and beige are warm. Blues, greens and grays are cool.

What are the 6 warm colors? ›

Warm colors: red, yellow, orange, gold, beige, creamy neutrals, brown and tan.

Whilst olive green is a great neutral colour to work with, olive is a warm colour in its undertone which means it works well with other warm colours. Warm shades of blues such as cobalt blue are an ideal match for olive green.

"A well-balanced room will have a combination of both warm and cool tones, though not necessarily an equal amount of both," Henderson says. "Don't keep all your cool tones on one side of the room and your warm tones on the other. Pepper the colors around the room for a cohesive look."

Cool Color Receeds and Warm Colors Advance

A fantastic trick to add more depth to your artwork is using cool and warm colors next to each other. This will create a visual effect in which the warm colors advance - or appear closer to the viewer, and the cool colors recede into the background.

“Shades of blue or green are known to have a relaxing effect—perfect for creating a serene feeling at home,” says Nicole Gibbons, interior designer and founder of the paint company Clare. “Everyone has their own preference on relaxing colors, but soft, cooler colors seem to feel right for most,” adds Yeo.

Unfortunately, combining warm and cool colors isn't as willy-nilly as that but it doesn't have to be impossible either. It just takes looking beyond the temperature of the colors you combine. Basically, you want to create a balance between the warm and cool colors you mix.

If you're about to start decorating, you might find it helpful to take a look at a colour wheel first. You'll notice that the wheel is roughly divided between two groups of colour: warm hues and cool hues. Reds, yellows, oranges and creamy colours are warm, while the blues, greens and greys are cool.

Purples are considered neither cool or warm overall, it depends on the hue: a blueish purple is cool, a reddish purple warm. If in doubt, check the tendency of the color on the color wheel. Blues are overall considered a cool color, but there are blues that lean towards purple or red – those are considered warm.

In conclusion, pink is generally considered a warm color due to its hue and saturation, as well as its psychological effects.