Oh, pewter. The dark silver look of this metal makes it a favorite among fans of modern yet dramatic looks, not to mention fans of vintage looks too. Pewter is a gorgeous metal that can work its way into any kitchen or bathroom. Even pewter doorknobs can look great. But what colors can work with pewter? It can be hard to pair this metal if you don't know what to look for.
Pewter has a lot of colors that can work with it depending on your styling. Popular choices include:
- Light green
- Deep red
- Beige
- Dark brown
- Crisp white
- Gold
- Turquoise
- Bright blue
- Grey
Admittedly, pewter is one of the hardest metals to shop for, and it's a metal shade that can "make or break" your room. A little bit of planning goes a long way. Before you opt for pewter accents, take a look at our guide. You might get the inspiration you never knew you needed.
1. Light Green
Light green is one of the more surprising choices for pewter accents, but as you can see here, it works well. A soft pastel green can help give your home a vintage, Victorian countryside look. This is especially true if you are using pewter accents in a garden room.
This color choice works well when paired with white, cream, or lavender. So, it might be a better accent color than anything else. Even so, it's hard to ignore the beautiful, relaxing, and oddly cozy way this shade of green works for a pewter accent shade.
2. Deep Red
Are you looking for a way to channel a more exotic look to your home? Pair pewter vases and decorative dishes with a bold, deep red tablecloth. Here, you can see this gorgeous pairing in action.
Pewter can look a little faded or lifeless in a room that's too dark. The deep red has a way of livening things up. We suggest getting bold wooden accents to truly complete this look.
Gold can work well too, but it has to be used the right way. Gold accents on top of a pewter bowl or vase, for example, will add an air of luxury to your room.
3. Beige
Pewter is usually seen as a metal material for accents that add to a home, but it can also be a specific shade for cabinetry and appliances. If you find yourself in a situation where you got a "pewter" granite countertop, you might as well pair it with some lightening, brightening backsplash colors.
Beige, being a neutral color, can go with anything. That includes things like pewter counters and accents. Here, we see beige tiling open up an otherwise dark and dreary kitchen. It's also a fairly timeless look. As long as you stick to unconventional pairings, you can rest assured that beige will never go out of style.
4. Dark Brown
If you are looking for a deeply vintage look that harkens back to the Edwardian period of England, look no further than a dark brown pairing with pewter accents. This is about as old school as it gets. It's also historically accurate, which is a major perk for those who own historical homes.
Dark brown tables, pewter home accents, and a red sofa might be a good way to jazz up a living room. The key to making this work is lots of space and lots of intimate lighting. Too many dark colors can make a home look cramped.
Read more: 15 Awesome Red Sofa Color Schemes
5. Crisp White
Never underestimate the power of white when it comes to being a smart color to pick. White goes with everything under the sun, and that includes pewter, too. When you're unsure of whether your home can handle a metal that looks as dim as pewter, pair it with white.
The starkness of a crisp white makes for a beautiful contrast. This is what you see in the illustration above. If you want to dial up the drama, go for a bold red, bright blue, or royal green pairing.
If you want to soften things up, opt for an accent color like dusty pink or pale green. Regardless of which way you decide to use white, it's safe to say that you'll love the way it looks.
6. Gold
Pewter has a very silvery look. In fact, it looks like dark (or tarnished) silver most of the time. Silver is one of those colors that people assume stands best on its own, but that's not always the case. Here, we see an illustration of a beautiful bathroom done up in pewter and silver accents.
In the background, you can see a golden mirror that helps add ambiance and warmth to the bathroom in question. The end result is a beautiful, shimmery bathroom that features a strong metallic motif. It's beautiful, modern, and a great way to set your bathroom apart from the rest.
Read more: What Colors Go With Gold Walls?
7. Turquoise (All Shades)
This image shows a pewter-colored floor that reaches from the kitchen all the way into the living room. There are a lot of different colors that are visible here, including shades of brown and white.
One color (or set of colors, in this case) that we didn't discuss quite yet can be found in the pillows. Yep, we're talking about turquoise.
Truth be told, turquoise is a remarkably good color to pair with pewter. It's easy to see why—just look at the picture.
The turquoise offers a bold pop of color that livens up the occasionally dreary look of pewter. It also helps warm up the ambiance of a home thanks to the yellow undertones it has. Besides, who doesn't like turquoise?
In this illustration, we see that turquoise of all shades can work. After all, those pillows have several different turquoise shades to pick from. If you want to get a classic color palette going, pair turquoise and pewter with white or yellow. It'll look phenomenal.
8. Bright Blue
Did you know that blue is one of the world's most favorite colors, especially in interior design? That's because blue goes with almost everything. You just have to find the right blue. Some are even starting to call it "bluetral." Pewter is one of the many colors that can work with a bright, cheerful blue.
In this gorgeous illustration, you can see a pewter sink and faucet paired with a bright blue wall in the background. The blue helps give the pewter an unusual contrast.
Pewter also helps the sink fade into the background, giving the kitchen a focal point in the wall. If you're a fan of bold colors, don't discount blue. A bright blue can help add a very unique touch to your home.
9. Grey
Yes, pewter is a shade that is a specific type of grey, but that doesn't mean that you can't double down on other shades as a color pairing. The "grey on grey" look that you see in this picture is an example of monochromatic style.
It gives your home a unified and cohesive look. Homes that featured monochromatic looks tend to have a distinctly modern feel, even when they use vintage accents like the wall sculpture above.
It's worth noting that doing a full greyscale room isn't really feasible for most of us, nor does it always look as good as you see it in magazines. Too much grey can turn a room into a soulless, corporate-looking mess. It also tends to make a room feel dreary and dark, particularly if the room is very small.
If you want to use grey, make sure to add a bright color to offset it and use lighting to help warm things up. This helps get rid of the pitfalls that happen when you have too much grey. The more light and brightness you add, the better off you will be.
In Closing
Pewter can be an amazing addition to your home, and it works in a ton of different rooms. It can work in your bedroom, kitchen, dining room, and your bathroom, too.
The key to making it work is choosing colors that help breathe life into it. While it's technically a neutral, it's clear that bright colors and soft pastels tend to be the best matches for it.
This is definitely a color that makes you think before you add it to your home. That's why it may be best to take a paint swatch or two and pair it with your pewter before you go shopping.