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Livingetc
Livingetc
Olivia Wolfe

These 'Ancient' Color Pairings Still Feel Just as Luxurious in Interiors Today — They're Powerful, Enduring, and Softly Nostalgic

Image of a white living room with a red side table and a pink rug. There is a metal fire place and a silver side table by the large gray sofa.

As someone who studied fine art in university, I find it especially intriguing how color is defined throughout history. The reds and yellows used in the earliest cave drawings, the blues dotted through ancient temples and Renaissance paintings, and the golds and purples of kingdoms past. Slowly, certain hues and color pairings started to signify power, family names, and emotional meaning. And many of these ancient color pairings remain key combinations in contemporary interiors.

Today's color trends are heavily invested in self-expression, identity, and well-being. And drawing inspiration from historical references builds a palette that is story-rich and style-sure. For instance, red-and-white, silver-and-gold, and blue-and-yellow are some of the oldest color combinations, yet we've seen each of these pairings in modern trends lately. They take on a fresh identity while retaining their historical influence.

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