Olive green is a dark yellowish-green color that often symbolizes peace, harmony and rebirth, making it a popular choice for home decor. Olive green can be used to create a soothing, cozy and stylish space, offering an earthy vibe that feels naturally welcoming. When it comes to decorating ideas, the colors that go with olive green can help you design a timeless look in your home.
If you want contrast and visual interest, you can pair olive green with complementary colors like red, purple, brown, blue and orange. For a more natural look, olive green goes well with neutrals such as beige, gray and white. As a sophisticated option, this versatile shade can look good with several colors to suit any room.
With so many different combinations, it can be tricky choosing the right color scheme for your bedroom, living room, bathroom and walls.
To inspire you, we’ve compiled this guide on the best colors that go with olive green. From blue to brown, explore these complementary colors to find trendy combinations that pair well with olive green.
Colors That Go With Olive Green
White
White is a clean and classic color that instantly makes any space feel open and airy. From bedrooms to living rooms, white can offer a bright and breezy aura that will complement olive green, which often has more of a dark and moody vibe. Meanwhile, olive green has an enchanting earthiness that infuses a white room with warmth and keeps it from feeling too stark.
The combination of olive green and white is exceptionally well-suited to the transitional interior design style, which fuses elements of traditional and contemporary decor to create a space that is refined yet relaxed. A transitional living room might feature simple white walls, a streamlined sectional sofa in olive green, and a William Morris-inspired patterned area rug that incorporates both hues.
Black
Black is a daring and dramatic color that is perfect for people who aren’t afraid to make a bold first impression. You may think that olive green won’t play well with black, because both hues are similarly deep and dark. However, these very characteristics make this color palette highly harmonious in maximalist interior decor with its “more is more” philosophy. If you find this color palette intriguing, start by taking it for a spin in the bedroom.
In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, dark colors have a restful quality that may actually improve your sleep. When selecting black paint for the walls and ceiling, look for formulas with a matte finish instead of eggshell or satin for a slightly softer look.
Layering in olive green textiles in the form of velvet drapes and a tufted headboard can also lend an organic feel to the space. Finish the look with a black beaded drum chandelier that adds texture while illuminating the space.
Pink
Pink is a pretty and playful color that often has a dainty and ethereal feel to it. These qualities put it in direct opposition to olive green, which feels more rootsy and grounded in comparison. Although pink and olive green are quite dissimilar, they can bring out the best in one another. There is a richness to olive green that makes pink feel more substantial, while pink has a whimsical, youthful appeal that gives olive green a fresh and fun flair.
Pink and green are both staple hues in the boho color palette. For a carefree kitchen with a bohemian vibe, balance out olive green lower cabinets with pale, blush pink walls, then style out the space with gold hardware and a geometric tile backsplash. Tie the room together with a patterned rug containing pops of pink and olive.
Taupe and Beige
Taupe and beige are two separate colors that are often confused for one another, but these choices are two different shades. Beige is a pale, sandy brown hue that is primarily categorized as a warm color thanks to its yellowish undertones, while taupe is a darker blend of gray and brown that can shift from warm to cool depending on its undertones. While these hues are more nuanced and distinctive than they initially appear, both pair beautifully with olive green.
When choosing whether to incorporate beige or taupe into your color scheme, it’s essential to establish what kind of mood you want to create. In a casual and approachable dining room, a beige rug and curtains will enhance the inherent warmth of olive green walls. Keep the look lived-in and cozy with distressed wooden furniture and vintage botanical prints. If you prefer a formal dining area, taupe wainscoting and an antique brass chandelier will make olive green walls feel more elegant and upscale.
Orange
Orange is a vivid and vibrant color that is guaranteed to grab attention with your olive green decor. While this flamboyant color isn’t often used in contemporary design, it was frequently found in home decor between the 1950s and 1970s. When used alongside olive green, orange has a retro charm that is irresistible to devotees of vintage style.
The orange and olive color combo is particularly effective in midcentury modern design, which relied on a color palette that was bold yet earthy. Pieces like an olive green button tufted couch with tapered legs and an orange sunburst wall clock exemplify the old-fashioned oomph of this style.
Red
Red is an attractive and commanding color with the ability to stop people in their tracks. Even in small doses, this brash hue can make a huge stylistic statement. People often shy away from using red and green together in interior design, as the color combination can feel too reminiscent of holiday decor. However, the pronounced yellow undertones in olive green subvert that classic Christmas color palette.
Because red is such a stimulating and energizing color, it’s best to avoid using it in the bedroom. You’ll want to incorporate it into rooms like the kitchen or dining room where people are most inclined to gather together.
Decorative features like a Moroccan-patterned backsplash in olive green and rusty red hues add punch, personality, and pizzazz to an otherwise ordinary kitchen. Simple Shaker-style cabinets in the same olive green hue seen in the tilework will tie the space together while still letting the unusual tiles shine.
Brown
Brown is a rich and earthy color that creates a sense of reliability and stability in the home. Because brown is a neutral color with a lot of depth, it holds up well against the warmth and brightness of olive green. When used together, brown and olive green have a cozy and comfortable vibe that is evocative of nature.
This color combination is ideal for people looking to create a serene and soothing sleeping environment. Ground a bedroom with deep, chocolatey brown paint on the walls and warm wood furniture with visible wood grain, then bring in olive green through textiles like bamboo bedding, raw silk curtains, and a plush hand-knotted wool area rug.
Navy
Navy is a chic and sophisticated shade of blue that introduces an element of elevated elegance to your decor. This dark blue hue is often used alongside white, as the crisp contrast between the colors has a timeless and tasteful feel. Pairing navy with a more unexpected color will help you see this staid shade in a whole new light. Olive green gives navy a modern edge, while navy blue can take olive from ordinary to opulent.
If you love the idea of having a colorful living room but worry about making it too over-the-top, navy and olive green are the perfect color palette. Look for a sleek and modern sectional sofa, and have it upholstered in olive green velvet with a subtle sheen. This will create a gorgeous tableau when juxtaposed against matte navy blue walls. A vintage-inspired navy blue overdyed rug with a faded olive Persian pattern will unite the two hues and give the space a luxe yet lived-in look.
Burgundy
Burgundy is a potent and powerful color with an ageless allure. This deep reddish-brown hue with violet undertones is reminiscent of a glass of red wine, and that resemblance actually inspired its moniker. The color is named for the Burgundy region of France, which is world-renowned for its wine production.
Burgundy is an excellent alternative for red in home decor, as its blue undertones cool down the brashness and brightness of a true primary red hue. The intensity of this shade makes it the perfect foundation for a striking, statement-making bedroom with a touch of gothic romance.
Olive green satin sheets look lavish against extravagant burgundy walls and add a touch of warmth to balance out the more dominant reddish-purple color. To amp up the glam factor, use peel-and-stick wallpaper with a large-scale floral print to create a feature wall that incorporates both hues.
Gold
Gold is a glitzy and gleaming color that can make any room feel posh and polished. Adding gold to your home can make your space feel upscale and expensive, but it’s best to use this metallic color in small doses. Overusing this high-gloss hue can quickly take your decor from glamorous to gaudy. Olive green and gold are tremendously compatible colors, as the yellow undertones in olive are a wonderful complement to gold.
Because olive green is such a warm and welcoming color, it works particularly well in the kitchen where family members are most likely to congregate together. Humble and unpretentious olive green cabinets will feel more upmarket with modern and minimalist brushed gold hardware.
Carry that same finish throughout the space in other elements like a sleek, contemporary gold pendant light. You can also incorporate gold more subtly by installing a backsplash made from Calacatta marble, which has unique gold veining running through it.
Mint
Mint is a light and lively shade of pastel green with a fun and fresh flair. Though mint is often described as icy, it also has a bright and airy quality that makes it feel very verdant and springlike. This dichotomy makes mint a fun and versatile color to experiment with when designing a space.
Because mint and olive are variants of the color green, they’re an excellent duo in a monochromatic color scheme. In interior design, a monochromatic room will feature various shades and tones of a single color to create a space that is simple on the surface but possesses a subtle complexity. Bring these hues together in a sunroom that is flooded with natural light so that all the nuances are highlighted to their best advantage.
Cream
Cream is an irresistible and inviting color that evokes a clean and serene feeling when used in interior decor. This luscious and buttery hue is the result of mixing white and yellow, and it contains the best aspect of hues. A cream-colored room has the airy aspect of white without the starkness, as well as the cheerful quality of yellow without the intensity. Thanks to their shared yellow undertones, cream and olive green are a cohesive and complementary color combination.
Because olive and cream are both neutral, they work well in smaller spaces like a powder room. An olive green wooden vanity creates a cool contrast against creamy walls. A potted olive plant is a clever way to introduce a touch of greenery into an otherwise simple space.
Yellow
Yellow is a vivid and vital color that brightens your mood as much as it does your home. This effervescent and exuberant hue is suggestive of springtime and sunshine which enhances its endearing appeal. Because olive green has yellow undertones, these two colors are eminently compatible. Olive green and yellow are both powerful colors and can battle for dominance when used together.
The best way to handle this potential clash is to introduce them both as accent colors in a room with a more neutral foundation. Keep dining room walls white or cream, then use furniture and decor to layer in the bolder hues. Look for midcentury modern dining chairs upholstered in olive green and a geometric patterned area rug that uses different tones and shades of olive and yellow. Finish the space with a sunny yellow abstract art framed in olive green.
Purple
Purple is a moody and mysterious color that gives homes a rich and regal feel. For centuries, purple has been associated with wealth and royalty which makes it feel sumptuous and luxurious when used in interior design. Olive green on the other hand tends to have a more rustic and modest look. When used together, purple transforms olive green into a more elevated and less unassuming hue. Conversely, olive green makes purple seem less formal and more accessible.
Olive and purple can both have a lot of depth to them, making them a fantastic foundation for a bedroom color palette. For a distinctly dramatic look, pair dark aubergine walls with an olive green ceiling. Look for olive green bedding with a purple botanical print to amp up the maximalist mood even more.
Turquoise
Turquoise is a beautiful and unique color that can take your decor to the next level. As a color name that doesn’t really identify a single option, the term “turquoise” actually describes a variety of shades that are derived from mixing blue and green pigments together. This hue can lean more towards blue or green depending on your style and can lend your home a bespoke, custom feel. Turquoise and olive green are frequently seen side-by-side thanks to a process called oxidation. When exposed to the elements, metals like copper and brass will age and develop a crusty bluish-green patina called verdigris.
If you like your home to have a vintage vibe, consider incorporating this unusual color combo into your decor. An abstract damask-patterned wallpaper in turquoise and olive with hints of gold will have a purposefully faded aesthetic that adds character to a bland home office space.
You can source ornate furniture like a desk, chair, and hutch that are in need of some love, and give them new life with chalk paint in a lighter shade of olive. The chalk paint will lend the furniture an intentionally-distressed feel while enhancing its existing embellishments.
Gray
Gray is a smart and stylish color that is highly favored among interior designers. This achromatic color has risen in popularity over the past decade, as many homeowners find it possesses a modern edge that is lacking in other neutrals like beige and taupe. On its own, gray runs the risk of making a home feel a bit cold and institutional. However, it quickly becomes more inviting when coupled with a warmer hue like olive green.
Gray and olive can look extraordinary as part of a modern masculine bedroom. Olive walls can mitigate harder elements like gray concrete floors, while deeper green bedding makes a minimalist gray upholstered bed much more enticing. Set the tone by softly illuminating the space with an iron sputnik chandelier rounded off with smoky gray glass spheres.
Aqua
Aqua is a bright and breezy color with a casual, coastal charm. Like turquoise, aqua is a blend of blue and green, but these colors differ in that turquoise offers medium depth, while aqua is paler and more low-key. For many of the same reasons, these characteristics make aqua and olive a great color combo.
Coastal cottages often employ aqua as a major part of their color palette. Incorporating a darker color like olive green can make an ethereal and ephemeral shade of aqua feel more substantive. In a coastal cottage living room, add pops of olive green into the inset shelves of pale aqua built-ins to make more of an impact. Carry that color into the rest of the room by finding aqua upholstery fabric with thin olive stripes.
Tan
Tan is a neutral color that can best be described as a pale tone of brown. Its name was inspired by the tanning process which is used to turn animal hides into leather. Like olive green, tan has yellow undertones that give it innate warmth. An olive green and tan color scheme is benefited by the connection created by its shared undertone.
Tan and olive are both hallmark hues in a classic Craftsman color palette. If you love the simple artistry of Craftsman architecture, recreate the look by adding olive green wainscoting to tan walls in your living or dining room.
Blue
Blue is a pleasant and peaceful color that promotes a sense of tranquility and well-being. Green and blue are often used in bedrooms as they are considered to be some of the calmest and most relaxing colors. Darker colors are better suited than lighter ones, as they absorb light instead of reflecting it. This promotes a restful and restorative environment that will have you waking up refreshed.
Sapphire blue is a few shades lighter than navy, and its super saturated hue makes for a striking vignette when coupled with olive green. Look for medallion-patterned bedding in green and blue hues to lend a Moroccan mystique to sapphire blue walls.
Bronze
Bronze is an earthy yet elegant color that adds an old-fashioned flair to any home. As metallic hues, bronze is similar to gold and copper. The difference is that gold is yellow and copper is reddish-orange while bronze is a metallic brown. Bronzes creates a subdued and understated feel, and can be used in larger quantities.
Small spaces are the perfect spot to experiment with daring colors and finishes. Transform your powder room into a glam getaway by painting the walls olive green and installing metallic brown floor tiles. Take this look to the next level by installing three-dimensional PVC tiles with an oil-rubbed bronze finish to the ceiling for an art deco feel.
Maroon
Maroon is a dusky and distinctive color that can make your home feel succulent and sumptuous. People often use the terms burgundy and maroon interchangeably, but they are actually two unambiguously different colors. Whereas burgundy is a cool color that is created by combining red and purple, maroon is a warm color that results from blending red with brown.
Maroon and olive green both have a very classic appeal and work incredibly well together in vintage homes. Select a textured floral wallpaper with maroon blossoms, and paint doors, trim, and wainscoting a distressed olive green. Fill the space with antique furniture made of dark woods like mahogany and cherry and finished with maroon velvet upholstery.
Mustard
Mustard is a fresh and funky color that serves as a slightly toned-down alternative to a more straightforward, primary yellow. This unmistakable shade is created by mixing yellow with red or orange which deepens the shade without losing any of yellow’s attention-grabbing allure.
Olive green and mustard yellow are similar in that both are captivating and cozy colors. These dynamic hues are especially engaging in a feisty family room. A plush, overstuffed mustard-colored sectional sofa provides comfy sitting and pops out against olive green walls. An olive ikat rug with a punchy mustard pattern unites the two hues and creates a sense of cohesion.
Peach
Peach is a zesty and vivacious color that can make your home feel lively and lighthearted. From muted and pastel to saturated and vibrant, peach comes in several variations. You can use yellow, red, white, and pink pigments to customize your ideal shade.
Olive green and peach work beautifully in a bohemian-inspired bedroom. Paint walls a paler peach hue, then incorporate darker shades of peach in textiles like knit blankets and geometric patterned pillows. An olive green beaded chandelier will gently illuminate the potted plants and succulents that are a prerequisite in boho decor.
Complementary Colors For Olive Green
According to the color wheel, red and violet are complementary colors for olive green. To make this dark shade pop, you’ll want to match olive green with hues of burgundy, maroon, cherry and lavender, giving the color energy and brilliance. From your living room to furniture, these beautiful colors will complement olive green to create a stunning finish and effortlessly chic decor.
What Color Goes Best with Olive Green?
The most popular colors that go with olive green include red, navy blue, black, dark brown, orange, tan, gray, burgundy, aqua, mustard yellow, gold and pink. These versatile olive green color combinations can pair well to create a relaxing, inviting and classy look, elevating any space with modern and stylish decor.