Burgundy is a shade of red that has rich, deep tones. Burgundy is a very warm color that can be used to make a room feel more welcoming and inviting.
The warmth of burgundy also makes it perfect for cozy spaces such as a living room with a roaring open fire or an intimate dining room. Burgundy can also feel sophisticated and romantic, depending on which color scheme you use it with.
If you are considering incorporating burgundy into your color scheme, then there are a handful of colors that can really help to set this shade off, as well as some that should be avoided. Different shades that work really well with burgundy include olive green, navy blue, and pale gray.
Green
As burgundy is a red shade, green is the opposite color on the color wheel. There are many variations of red that can clash next to green, and as such, you have probably heard the old phrase ‘red and green should never be seen.’
However, as with most things, there are exceptions to this rule.
One of the exceptions is burgundy, as the rich tones of this color look all the more luxurious next to a deep green. This is depicted in this bedroom with burgundy walls and deep forest green bed sheets, which is an example of how these two rich colors can create a sumptuous, decadent style.
Burgundy and emerald green are commonly paired in old English grand estates, so this combination now brings about feelings of tradition and grandeur.
Burgundy and deep green work well in a formal setting with dark wood accents, such as in a dining room.
However, you can also make burgundy feel more modern in a contemporary interior by pairing it with a fresh mint or sage green. These lighter shades of green will add a playful feel to a burgundy room and tone down its formality.
Gold
Burgundy is a nice complementary color that goes with gold for a classic style that works well together in interior design and in fashion. In the room pictured here, subtle gold accessories on a burgundy wall help to achieve a sophisticated look.
Bright red shades can look cheap next to gold, while burgundy has a deep warmth that works perfectly with gold, highlighting its richness. On a burgundy wall, you can accent with gold metal decor items such as a gold-framed mirror or gold plant pots.
You could also include a feature wall of gold wallpaper in a burgundy room if you feel that having every wall painted in burgundy will be too intense.
Burgundy and gold are often considered a more traditional or even old-fashioned color pairing, suitable for vintage-style interiors.
While these colors look great in traditional settings, they can also look sleek and modern in the right space. Choose contemporary gold touches in a burgundy room to achieve this, such as tables and chairs with gold hairpin legs.
White
If you want to introduce burgundy into a room but are unsure if it is too dark a shade for your space, consider pairing it with white. Use white as the primary color and burgundy as an accent color. In the bedroom shown here, despite the fact that burgundy is only used across a small amount of space, it reads as the dominant color because it stands out so well against the white walls.
White walls make a great blank canvas for burgundy sofas or soft furnishings accents.
Using burgundy on the floor is a great way to ground a white room, and this can be achieved by using burgundy carpet, a burgundy rug, or hardwood or laminate flooring in a burgundy tone.
Gray
Burgundy is a color you might not immediately match with gray, but it can look incredibly stylish and have a luxe appeal when done right. Avoid pale grays with burgundy; instead, be bold and opt for deep anthracite.
In this room, burgundy is the accent color used with dark gray walls, making a modern room feel classy and elegant.
For an opulent look, paint walls in a dark shade of gray and add burgundy accents in richly textured fabrics, such as velvet burgundy drapes and burgundy faux fur throws.
The burgundy red’s warmth will help tone down cool shades of gray and make them more comfortable to live with. Adding touches of gold alongside burgundy and anthracite gray will also add to the sumptuous look.
Black
Burgundy is a great color that can go together with black for a classic combination in a range of styles.
Here, a contemporary look is achieved with a black wall and a burgundy sofa.
Oriental-themed rooms work well with this pairing of colors but remember also to incorporate a neutral base color to prevent these two warm colors from becoming overwhelming.
Ideally, you will want to select a white or beige for the walls and then add in burgundy and black with soft furnishings and decor items such as table lamps, cushions, and photo frames.
Using burgundy and black with white or another pale neutral shade can look modern and warm. If you want to take a minimalist route with your interior but are worried that the space will look cold and unwelcoming, select burgundy and black to retain warmth in the room.
Beige
Beige is a common color used to paint the walls of residential rooms, and people often select beige sofas to keep a neutral theme. However, you may find all that beige makes a space feel boring and void of character.
In this room, simply adding a burgundy couch to an all-beige living room has completely transformed the atmosphere. It is now a stylish space with a bold personality rather than a flat, bland room.
Avoid boring beige spaces by selecting an accent color to splash around the room with throw cushions or lampshades and curtains.
Burgundy is a very safe color to use as an accent shade with beige because it is warm and deep and, therefore will make a room feel welcoming and cozy.
It is a popular color chosen for accenting a beige room because it makes an impression without being too loud or bold.
The rich tones in burgundy make beige feel warmer and create a comfortable vibe that encourages relaxation, making this color combination perfect for lounges and bedrooms.
Mustard Yellow
Mustard is a color that provides an undeniable contrast to burgundy. It is a warm shade opposite purple on the color wheel and helps to bring out the purple elements of burgundy. In the dining room shown here, the burgundy-stained furniture and the burgundy rug really stand out against the vibrant shade of yellow.
Use a lighter shade of mustard accents in a burgundy living room to create a stylish, contemporary vibe.
Brown
The burgundy and brown color combo has similar hues, so they go together nicely. Instead of creating contrast, they create a seamless color palette in a room and allow all components of the room to merge together. In the room shown here, brown and burgundy make for a traditional, tonal style.
Brown and burgundy together are ideal for formal rooms such as an office or library because the color combination creates an intense yet traditional feel.
The best way to use brown and mahogany together is to have burgundy walls and select wooden furniture in a deep brown shade, such as walnut. You could also use other brown accents, such as a brown leather chair with a burgundy cushion.
Navy Blue
Navy blue and burgundy are popularly paired together in fashion, usually with an element of denim, such as navy blue jeans with a burgundy shirt. This color combination has a warm heritage vibe and is commonly seen in wooden lodge-style properties, but it can also be used for more glamorous styles.
In the living room shown here, a velvet navy blue accent chair looks opulent against a burgundy wall, and this is further emphasized by the gold metalwork.
Checked cushions or bed sheets with navy blue and burgundy running through them will make a statement in a cabin with wooden walls, or paint walls in white and use burgundy and navy blue accents.
Both of these colors are rich, so they can look too intense to balance them out when paired together without a neutral color. Choose white or a very pale shade of gray to counteract the richness.
Royal Blue
Burgundy is a color that can seem quite formal, but if you want to make it more casual, you can pair it with royal blue. This bright and cheerful color tones down the warmth of burgundy and provides a subtle contrast.
In this image, the royal blue chaise longue adds vibrancy and character to the burgundy wall.
To keep the space informal, you should start out with a neutral color, such as white or off-white. Paint the walls in a neutral color, or choose white bed linen and white flooring. You can add in aspects of blue and burgundy, such as layered blankets, cushions, and lampshades.
Purple
Burgundy and purple are both rich colors, so you may not immediately think burgundy will go together with purple, but actually, when used in moderation, they can make a space feel warm and inviting.
You might have seen these two colors used together before in rugs or wall tapestries from the Middle East, and these types of items would look good displayed in a room with plenty of neutral-colored components.
Consider adding a purple and burgundy oriental style rug or a burgundy sofa to a room painted white, and pick out shades from the rug in other decor items, such as purple candles and artwork containing burgundy elements.
Best Burgundy Color Schemes
Most interior designers agree that the best color schemes use three colors. Here, we explore some of the best burgundy color schemes and explain why these color palettes work so well.
Burgundy, pink, and off-white
Using burgundy and pink together makes for an analogous color scheme since pink does contain a large amount of red, and the off-white will help to ensure the room isn’t overwhelmed by these largely similar colors.
Set a dusky pink sofa against a rich burgundy wall for a shade contrast, and opt for off-white soft furnishings to break up the colors, such as a cream faux fur throw and a cream rug.
Burgundy, mauve, and navy blue
Burgundy is a deeply warming color, while mauve and navy blue are both cool, so they create balance when used in the same color scheme. Burgundy, mauve, and navy blue make for a mature yet slightly playful color palette that would work well in a formal living room, a dining room, or a bedroom.
Burgundy, teal, and cream
Teal is a vibrant shade of blue-green that will contrast against the deep and dark burgundy, while cream can be used to prevent both of these colors from becoming too intense. This color scheme in a home library or living room creates a warming yet calming atmosphere.
Burgundy, terracotta, and brown
Burgundy, terracotta, and brown are all warm colors. A color scheme made from entirely warm colors like this will make for a cozy and inviting room, so it’s a good option for a snug or living room. Use heavy terracotta curtains on a dark burgundy wall to frame the windows with warmth, and opt for brown leather sofas to encourage a rustic style.
Burgundy, olive green, and gray
Burgundy and olive green are a match made in heaven. They contrast each other beautifully since red and green are directly opposite on the color wheel. However, the contrast isn’t too intense because both burgundy and olive green are muted examples of their true hues. Gray helps to set off this color scheme.
Is Burgundy a Modern Color?
The burgundy color has been known as such since the 1880s. This shade of dark red was named after a type of red wine produced in the Burgundy region in France. Interestingly, the French refer to this color as ‘Bordeaux,’ which is another type of French wine.
Burgundy is sometimes confused with maroon, but it is a distinctly different shade with more brown hues. By comparison, burgundy has a more purple-red look to it, with fewer brown pigments.
Burgundy was a hugely popular color in the 1990s, widely seen in fashion. Though its popularity has waned somewhat ever since, it still remains a solid color choice in both interior decor and clothing design.
You can use burgundy in a modern color scheme by pairing it with khaki or olive green, and it can also look contemporary when used with different shades of pastel pink, such as blush or millennial pink.
