It's time to leave behind some of the old and traditional color schemes, while embracing new and trendy designs. There are certain, timeless color combinations, that are just too good to pass up on.
When it's time to craft your brand's visual identity, the color scheme is one of the first things that a designer has to make a decision on. The color scheme is the key foundation for the brand's touch & feel.
Coming up with a great color scheme as a foundation, can help a designer have a solid basis, when it comes to designing a good, branded design. It certainly helps in preventing having to start all over again, because you wanted to use other colors after all.
While it's not recommended to blindly follow trending color schemes, it's still in your best interest know what's trendy. It never hurts to get some inspiration.
At ContentBASE, we're always staying on top of the latest color trends for promo designs. The color combinations we use range from complimentary combinations to bold and contrasting patterns. This varied offer of color schemes ensure that there's something in our store for everybody.
Still want to design your own promo content? Then keep reading, because we're about to spill the beans on all the best, trendy colors, that are popular this day and age.
1. Peach & Orange
Orange is a common color among many financial and tech companies, since it conveys confidence, vitality, and friendliness. However, this color also exudes a playful mood and this why you will find it combined with neutral or dark colors to create a professional look, that gives off a serious business feel.
But according to Connie Holen from Pixality Design, the tradition of using orange will be left behind, as more and more people will shift to a monochromatic color pairing in the near future. Although, she adds that orange will always be about energy and excitement.
It's quite tricky when you pair it with colors such as white or black. Through pairing intense orange with softer shades, you are free to combine the boldness of orange with more appeal.
In that regard, orange with peach color is the best pairing. When you lay a dark orange color above the peach, it tends to create graphic designs with a welcoming feel to them. These types of designs are popular with modern day brands.
2. Navy & Mint
For quite some time, navy has been a safe choice when it comes to brand design. It gives off a feeling of reliability and trust.
In the modern world of design, this color is on the verge of seeming a bit old school. But, when this color is paired with cooler colors such as mint, it becomes way more vibrant. The mint and navy color pair creates an in-depth contrast, that will look pleasing to the eye.
Navy and mint is a great combination to play around with, as per Kirsten Atkins, a web designer of South And Palm. Additionally, it's also very versatile. According to Kirsten Atkins, you can make it more professional and fun by adding matching fonts and other color pairings to the mix.
3. Beige & Mustard
In the past, when you paired colors like beige and mustard, the outcome would have seemed boring. However, times change. And this color combo is now available everywhere from interior design to fashion runways. Brown hues are a good complement to make a design look even more decadent.
According to Kristen Atkins, mustard is a popular color in recent years, and it will continue to be in the coming years. Considering mustard is a bold color. But when you pair it with neutral colors such as beige or light cream, it creates a good balance.
4. Black & Lime
When it comes to the world of designing, neutral colors will never go out of style. Generally, it's considered trendy to pair them with bright and bold colors for the purpose of injecting personality and also a little bit of fun. Black and lime is a great example of such a color combination that can work very well for your brand.
Greens and blue have traditionally been linked to wellness brands. However, color trends are shifting from the use of complex color combinations to a single color accent, according to Connie Holen. Black is a core color, that is modern and minimal but you can add some energy with the addition of lime, which is an accent color.
Previously, the pairing of black and lime has been known to be prominent for interior décor. This is especially true for houses with retro aesthetics. However, in the near future, they might very well become a base for design and branding. Additionally, you can add a white color in these color pairs to serve as a balance, which prevents them from falling apart.
5. Secret Moss & Bombay Pink
Companies that manufacture paint are a great source of intel in forecasting color trends that will rule supreme in the near future. Secret moss and bombay pink was enlisted by Vaslpar's selection as a very popular, upcoming color combination.
Also, according to Kristen Atkins, the secret moss and bombay pink combo will emerge as a popular one for graphic designers.
Regular pink is on its way out. But bombay pink is more of a muted hue, that somehow borders mauve. In the meantime, secret moss lies between green and gray. When combined, they create a hue with a feminine touch, that is great for focused brands. But when you pair bombay pink with gold, you achieve a luxurious aesthetic.
6. Burnt Orange & Teal
It's not news that teal and orange has been an incredible color combination in recent years. This is especially true in Instagram feeds. And it's ramping up to become even more popular in the coming years, with regular orange making place for an orange hue.
To create a warm balance, the teal hue leans more towards mint green, instead of blue. According to Kristen Atkins, earthy tones still reign supreme. Burnt orange and teal is a great color combo, since they are both complementary colors.
When comparing them side by side, there is no doubt that pairing burnt orange and teal creates a striking effect, that is appealing to the eyes of many. They are great for commanding your viewers' attention, as well as for creating stylish aesthetics. Also, this pair is a perfect combination for food brands, that want to get with the times when marketing their foods.
7. Scarlet & Black
The scarlet and black color combination is often regarded as retro. It is set to have a comeback. This pair is perfect when you want to convey drama and power to your audience. Also, it's a great choice for brands that want to come at their audience head-on, and aren't shy about putting themselves in the spotlight.
According to Kristen Atkins, red is associated with intense emotions. And when paired with black, the result is something that really stands out, which does a great job at capturing people's attention. At the same time, black is neutralizing color for red, making it less overwhelming.
Scarlet exudes a feeling of style and sophistication, in comparison to orange and red shades. Also, this pair is associated with style, luxury, and power. These are all the qualities that most marketing brands are looking for.
Looking for a slightly different touch? Then instead of going for scarlet red, go for canvas red. It combines just as well with black.
8. Electric Blue & Pink
A color combination of blue and pink will not be a new idea to most graphic designers. Over the years, there have been lots of variations of blue and pink pairs. They range from bright aqua and hot pink to baby blue and soft pink. However, this day and age, there will be lots of of electric blue and peachy pink color combinations, according to Emily Ponton from Em.ly Studio.
These two pairs are perfect for brands that go for a subtle, low key presence, rather than wanting to showcase a big attitude. Also, it's a great color combination that expresses vibrancy and fun. This pair expresses a strong image identity in marketing and captures the user's attention from the get-go, while also leaving behind a long lasting impression.
Additionally, Emily Ponton also adds that the electric blue and pink pair is perfect for publishing and retail brands, that want to stand out with regards to their competitors. This pair is also really great for brands that sell products related to children. Blue and pink often serve as standalone colors that signify a child's gender. However, in some instances, the pair can work together to create a graphic style that kids' products in general.
9. Soft Green & White
This is another modern pair, where green is paired with a neutral color. In this case white. In this day and age, soft green and white creates a perfect dynamic duo. It's a lot different from using black and bold lime, which tends to have a more prominent presence. Instead, this combination stays in the background and exudes a sense of zen and serenity.
It's no surprise that this color combination is popular in health & wellness brands. According to Kirsten Atkins, a nice pair of soft olive green with white, creates a natural and clean feel. Therefore, if your goal is to have a minimal design, then this combination might very well perfect for you.
10. Terracotta & Sand
Hues with earthy inspirations still hold a special spot in graphic designers' hearts. These kinds of colors are versatile and have a wide range of applications. You can make a lot of combinations with earthy colors. The end result can be relaxed, romantic, rustic or beachy.
If you are going for an earthy aesthetic that is warm, yet modern, then terracotta and sand would be a good choice for you. According to Emily Ponton, this color combination is very common in wedding ceremonies, event designs, product designs, and branding in general.
The combination conveys an environmentally friendly, sustainable feeling . For that reason, it's a great pick for organic food companies, as well as organic beauty brands, whose products use natural ingredients.
11. Conclusion
In the world of design and marketing, colors play a crucial role, that you can't afford to overlook. It's important to go with color combinations that really match your brand. At the same time, it needs to be unique and, if possible, stand out. A good design will attract attention and keep it for a few seconds.
By using the above 10 trending color combinations as your inspiration, you have already fought half the battle!