What are complementary colours?(Author. Krisztina Adamy) The term complementary colour comes from colour theory and translates from Latin ("complementum") as "complement". They are therefore complementary colours. Depending on additive or subtractive colour mixing, complementary colours result in black or white. Complementary colours can also be recognised by the fact that they are opposite each other on the colour wheel. The best-known complementary colours are violet-yellow, red-green and blue-orange. The oppositeness of the complementary colours creates clear contrasts. This contrast or lack of contrast is used in art, photography, the marketing industry and also in architecture to achieve an effect on the observer. When colours and materials are selected for a façade or interior design, many factors play a role. The desired colours are often not available from a manufacturer or cannot be produced economically. That is why it is important to sample the products and look at the colour palettes in reality,