Versus Paint: Colour Combinations You Never Thought Would Work

We’ve all been there. You spot an incredible room on Pinterest, save an olive-green dining room on Instagram or stop scrolling for a burgundy-and-blue interior that somehow looks completely brilliant.

Then it’s time to choose paint for your own home… and suddenly beige feels very reassuring.

The problem isn’t that homeowners don’t love colour. It’s that unexpected combinations can require a little imagination – and quite a lot of confidence. According to the team at Versus Paint, some of the most memorable interiors happen when colours that shouldn’t necessarily work together turn out to be perfect partners.

Here are five combinations worth taking a chance on.

Burgundy + Powder Blue

Rich, moody burgundy and delicate powder blue might seem like opposites, but that contrast is exactly what makes them work. Burgundy brings warmth and depth, while blue introduces freshness and lightness. Let the deeper shade take centre stage on walls, then introduce powder blue through cabinetry, trims or an adjoining room for an elegant counterpoint.

Olive Green + Lilac

Olive green has earned its place as a contemporary favourite, but pair it with muted lilac, and things become much more interesting. Earthy green grounds the palette while lilac brings an unexpected softness. Texture is particularly effective here, helping the two shades feel layered and connected rather than overly contrasting.

Chocolate Brown + Blush Pink

Chocolate brown is back – and blush pink might just be its perfect companion. The richness of brown keeps blush from feeling too sweet, while pink brings warmth and softness to the deeper shade. The combination feels comforting, sophisticated and surprisingly timeless.

Terracotta + Cobalt Blue

This is where things get a little more energetic. Terracotta brings all the warmth of Mediterranean interiors, while flashes of cobalt blue introduce a crisp contemporary edge. The trick is proportion: allow terracotta to dominate and use cobalt for smaller moments such as shelving, artwork or decorative details.

Forest Green + Coral

The Real Secret? Confidence

The success of an adventurous colour palette isn’t simply about choosing the right two shades. It’s knowing which colour should lead, which should play a supporting role and how texture can soften the relationship between them.

This is where Versus Paint brings another dimension to the conversation. Its boutique-inspired textured finishes turn colour into something more tactile, allowing light and movement to continually change the way a surface is experienced. Venetian Stucco can give burgundy extraordinary depth, for example, while Natural Stone Spray introduces an organic softness to olive green. Combined with curated Plascon colours, the possibilities become far less intimidating and much more fun.

It’s an approach perfectly captured by the partnership’s philosophy: Colour by Plascon, Texture by Versus.

And Versus Paint has something else in the works. The brand is teasing an upcoming project designed around that familiar question: “Could that actually work in my home?” Details remain under wraps for now, but colour lovers should keep an eye on the brand’s social channels to see what comes next.

A proud sponsor of the SA Style Awards, Versus Paint offers its textured finishes and curated colour palettes at selected Builders Warehouse and Leroy Merlin stores nationwide, as well as its Factory Store in Wynberg, Johannesburg, where consultations are also available.

Because perhaps the next great room isn’t calling for another shade of beige. It might simply need an unexpected colour combination – and the confidence to give it a go.