Colors that go with maroon

#800000 · warm red · hue 0° · best text: #FFFFFF

Ten combinations ranked by measurable criteria — hue harmony, WCAG contrast with maroon, lightness spread and saturation compatibility. Every pairing lists why it works.

Ready-to-use palette

#800000
#FE828C
#FFFF81
#90EE90
#7BFDC7
#FAFAF9
#800000 #fe828c #ffff81 #90ee90 #7bfdc7 #fafaf9
#800000 #FE828C #FFFF81 #90EE90 #7BFDC7 #FAFAF9
Open in palette generator →Full maroon page →

Best combinations — ranked

#1

Blush Pink #FE828C

· Same hue family as maroon (Δh 5°) — guaranteed harmony
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (4.58:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 43) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
4.6:1
vs maroon
#2

Butter #FFFF81

· Warm/cool bridge (Δh 60°) — adds depth without tension
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.36:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 72) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
10.4:1
vs maroon
#3

Lightgreen #90EE90

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈120°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (7.73:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 61) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
7.7:1
vs maroon
#4

Light Aquamarine #7BFDC7

· Split-complementary angle (Δh ≈155°) — strong but softer than direct complement
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (8.72:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 66) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
8.7:1
vs maroon
#5

Aqua #00FFFF

· Complementary hue (Δh ≈180°) — maximum hue contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (8.73:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 66) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
8.7:1
vs maroon
#6

Pale Yellow #FFFF84

· Warm/cool bridge (Δh 60°) — adds depth without tension
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.37:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 72) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
10.4:1
vs maroon
#7

Faded Yellow #FEFF7F

· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.34:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 72) — clear visual hierarchy
· Similar saturation (100% vs 100%) — both vivid
contrast
10.3:1
vs maroon
#8

Pastel Yellow #FFFE71

· Warm/cool bridge (Δh 60°) — adds depth without tension
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.26:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 72) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
10.3:1
vs maroon
#9

Light Yellow #FFFE7A

· Warm/cool bridge (Δh 60°) — adds depth without tension
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.28:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 72) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
10.3:1
vs maroon
#10

Custard #FFFD78

· Warm/cool bridge (Δh 59°) — adds depth without tension
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.21:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 72) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
10.2:1
vs maroon

Why these and not others

Pairings are scored against hue-harmony angles (0°/30°/60°/90°/120°/150°/180°), WCAG contrast ratio with maroon, lightness separation and saturation/chroma compatibility. Near-identical colors (ΔE₀₀ < 3.5) are excluded — every entry adds real information.

FAQ

What colors go with maroon?

Blush Pink, Butter, Lightgreen, Light Aquamarine and Aqua rank highest for maroon (#800000) by hue harmony, contrast and saturation compatibility. The full ranked list is on this page with the reasoning for each pairing.

What is the complementary color of maroon?

The complementary hue of maroon (hue 0°) sits at hue 180°. The closest named colors on that side of the wheel are listed in the combinations above.

Is maroon a warm or cool color?

Maroon is a warm color (hue 0°). It pairs naturally with warm neutrals and earthy tones.