Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (2024)

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (1)

Recognizing the differences between maroon vs burgundy isn’t always easy.

Both colors consist primarily of a red base, and the distinctions between them can often be quite subtle.

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (2)

In fact, even some dictionaries actually disagree about the definitions, which adds to the confusion and makes it even harder to understand the difference.

Plus, a lot of people don’t even realize that burgundy and maroon are different colors, and mistakenly use the two terms interchangeably.

And that’s a shame, because learning to recognize the unique traits of each color is the best way to use them effectively for fashion, interior design, graphic design or anything else.

In this post we’ll cut through the confusion and break down the key characteristics of both burgundy and maroon so you can learn how to use both to great effect.

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (3)

Burgundy vs Maroon

What’s the difference between burgundy and maroon? Well…
Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (4)

Burgundy Color

What color is burgundy?

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (5)

Burgundy is a deep red color with a distinctly purplish tinge that derives its name from the Burgundy region of France.

Well, to be more specific, the name actually comes from the region’s famous Burgundy wine, which is made from the red pinot noir grape and bears the deep purplish-red color now simply known as burgundy.

Is burgundy red?

Yes, burgundy is definitely in the red family.

As mentioned, the name burgundy derives from the red wine color, and while it does have some purple present within it, it primarily uses a red base.

Is burgundy purple?

Only a little. Burgundy has purple undertones, but it’s primarily a red color.

On the sRGB (standard Red, Green and Blue) color scale, which HP and Microsoft created in the ‘90s to display colors on monitors, burgundy has a red score of red 128, green 0 and blue 32.

The presence of some blue mixed with a high degree of red is what gives burgundy its purple hue, but it’s not the most prominent element of the color.

Is burgundy a natural hair color?

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (6)

No, burgundy is not a natural hair color. Maroon is probably more likely to occur as a natural color since (as we’ll explain below) it has more of a brownish tinge.

Burgundy, on the other hand, is more of a purplish red, and purple isn’t a naturally occurring hair color.

But with that said, vivid burgundy has become a popular color for hair dye.

In particular, dark burgundy has become a popular winter color for those who prefer to sport a darker shade during the colder months.

Burgundy Complementary Colors

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (7)

There are a number of different colors that work well with burgundy.

Generally speaking, a particular color’s complementary counterparts are found on the opposite end of the color wheel.

Since burgundy is a red color with purple tones, its most complementary colors are in the yellow-green family, which sit directly opposite on the wheel.

But in both fashion and interior design, burgundy offers a lot more possibilities for color combination.

In color psychology, the color of burgundy is associated with sophistication. So it works really well with other dark colors that have a similar air of refinement, like navy blue.

Additionally, the rich hue of burgundy pairs well with a neutral color like gray, or even lighter, almost white colors.

A lot of people opt to wear burgundy during the winter season, when the warmer burgundy shades can help brighten an otherwise dark wardrobe while still feeling seasonally appropriate.

Maroon Color

What color is maroon?

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (8)

The color maroon is generally considered to be a shade of red with a certain amount of brown in it, although how much brown is open to interpretation.

In the Oxford English Dictionary, maroon is described as “a brownish crimson (strong red) or claret (purple color) color.”

Meanwhile, Dictionary.com says maroon is a dark brownish-red, and Merriam Webster simply says it’s dark red, and doesn’t mention anything about brown color.

So the exact definition of maroon varies more than the definition of burgundy, which is closely tied to the color of the wine.

Is maroon red?

Yes, maroon is a distinctive red shade of color. But whereas the color burgundy has a red base with shades of purple, maroon most often describes a range of reddish brown shades.

Is maroon purple?

Not really, which is the key difference between maroon and burgundy. There is one dictionary, the Cambridge English Dictionary (Oxford’s rival), which describes the word maroon as “a dark reddish-purple color.”

But even then, the American version of the Cambridge defines it as a “dark brown-red,” without mentioning purple at all.

Where does the name maroon come from?

In the English language, the color name maroon is derived from the French word marron, which means chestnut, or a shade of brown.

Is Maroon 5 a good band?

I don’t really see how that’s relevant here, but no.

They are, objectively, not a good band.

Maroon Complementary Colors

Maroon falls very closely to burgundy on the color wheel, so a lot of the same colors that complement burgundy also work well with maroon.

But since maroon is a little more brown than purple, it pairs even better with shades of blue, since the blue-and-brown combo is a classic color pairing.

Shades of Maroon

One reason that the definition of maroon is less well defined than burgundy is because the amount of brown color in maroon can vary, resulting in a number of different shades.

The range of maroon colors can include everything from lighter shades, like a bright maroon color with a positive and light energy, to a foreboding and dark maroon that almost looks like a mix of red and black, not red and brown.

Here are a few popular shades of maroon (along with the corresponding hexadecimal code for each) that will give you an idea of how much variance there can be between the various shades:

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (9)
Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (10)
Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (11)
Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (12)

Burgundy and Maroon Comparisons

Maroon vs Burgundy: Which is darker?

It depends. As mentioned above, maroon can admit of multiple different shades, some of which can resemble really rich and dark reds.

In the hexadecimal notation system used to denote colors online, here are the basic color codes for both burgundy and maroon, which were also featured above:

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (13)

As you can see, they’re quite close both in numeric value, and just in terms of how they appear to the eye.

But as the shades of maroon listed above demonstrate, there can be huge variance with maroon, even though they all use a red undertone as their starting point.

Burgundy vs Maroon Hair Color

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (14)

As mentioned, burgundy is not a naturally occurring hair color, but some people with a particularly reddish tone of brown hair could describe their color as maroon.

In terms of hair dye, the phrases deep burgundy and deep maroon are often used interchangeably, and tend to describe the same color.

It’s understandable why the distinction between the two is less clear with hair dye, since your hair color doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

For instance, when someone with black hair gets burgundy highlights, the result is a dark hair color that can often look more like a particularly dark shade of maroon than a pure burgundy.

Mahogany vs Burgundy Hair Color

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (15)

With mahogany hair dye there’s a little more distinction from burgundy.

As the name implies, mahogany has more of a woody, brown undertone than burgundy, which is a purplish red.

So the bad news is that if you’re looking for maroon hair dye, you might be out of luck.

But the good news is that if you fear burgundy dye might be too purple, you have another option.

It might be a good idea to try mahogany, which should get closer to your desired effect.

Maroon vs Burgundy vs Red

As mentioned above, red is the base color of both maroon and burgundy. But the two are distinguished by the additional hues that are added to red: Maroon has brown undertones, while Burgundy has a distinctly purple hue.

Burgundy vs Maroon vs Wine

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (16)

While burgundy is named for the color of the wine that comes from the region, there’s another color, simply called wine, which is similar to both burgundy and maroon.

Where Burgundy vineyards chiefly grow the pinot noir grape, which leads to wine with a distinct color, there are dozens of other grape varietals used to make wine all over the world.

The color called wine reflects some of these other varietals, and is sometimes also called “bordeaux,” which is another popular winemaking region of France that’s best known for blending different grapes into the same wine, resulting in a range of different colors.

Burgundy vs Maroon vs Plum

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (17)

Plus is also sometimes confused for burgundy and maroon, but has one big difference that sets it apart from both:

Plum uses purple as a base color.

From there, different shades of plum can vary, depending on whether they have hues of brown and gray or hues of red.

So in some ways plum is kind of like the reverse of maroon and burgundy.

Whereas those two colors both use red as a base and then differ in the amount of brown or purple that’s mixed in, plum uses purple as a base, and then its various shades differ based on how much brown or red is mixed in.

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Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained (2024)

FAQs

Maroon vs Burgundy: All the Differences, Explained? ›

All colors are derived by mixing different amounts of three primary colors – red, yellow and blue. Maroon and Burgundy are two shades of red, which often confuse many people. The main difference between Maroon and Burgundy is that maroon is made by adding brown to red whereas burgundy is made by adding purple to red.

Which is better maroon or burgundy? ›

Maroon is probably more likely to occur as a natural color since (as we'll explain below) it has more of a brownish tinge. Burgundy, on the other hand, is more of a purplish red, and purple isn't a naturally occurring hair color. But with that said, vivid burgundy has become a popular color for hair dye.

What is the difference between maroon and red wine? ›

Is Wine Red And Maroon The Same Color? BURGUNDY is a dull purplish red that gets its name from the color of the wine produced in France's Burgundy region. In addition to wine and claret, there are also grapes, damson, grape, and so on. MAROON, on the other hand, is created by mixing brown with red.

Is maroon considered red? ›

Lexico online dictionary defines maroon as a brownish-red. Similarly, Dictionary.com defines maroon as a dark brownish-red. The Oxford English Dictionary describes maroon as "a brownish crimson (strong red) or claret (purple color) color," while the Merriam-Webster online dictionary simply defines it as a dark red.

Does maroon and burgundy go together? ›

Be careful not to confuse burgundy with maroon. Although the two colors look somewhat similar, maroon is a mix of red and brown, and the colors that coordinate well with burgundy don't always look good with maroon.

Is maroon and burgundy same? ›

Burgundy and maroon are sometimes mistaken for the same color but there's a key difference between them. Maroon is a mix of red and brown, while burgundy is a mix of red and purple. This makes burgundy slightly brighter in appearance than maroon and gives it more of a purplish tinge. The burgundy hex code is #800020.

What does burgundy symbolize? ›

The deep, dark red is the result of mixing red with a dash of green and blue, resulting in brown with purple undertones. The hex code for burgundy is #800020. It is more sophisticated and serious than true red, symbolizing ambition, wealth, and power.

How many shades of burgundy are there? ›

There are two well-known shades of burgundy, old burgundy, and vivid burgundy, which you can find below. The others are more variations of the color burgundy.

Is dark red the same as burgundy? ›

Burgundy is a dark red-purplish colour.

Is burgundy closer to red or purple? ›

Burgundy is a shade lighter than the color maroon. It is a mix between brown and red that has a purple tint. Many people confuse it with maroon which has a slightly more red-brown tint and lacks the purple hue that burgundy has. The color of burgundy was named after a drink that had the distinctive red shade of color.

What is the deepest red color? ›

Crimson is a strong, bright, deep red color combined with some blue or violet, resulting in a small degree of purple. It is also the color between rose and red on the RGB color wheel and magenta and red on the RYB color wheel.

How many types of maroon are there? ›

Maroon is a dark brownish red. Its name is taken from the French word marron, meaning chestnut.

What colors make up maroon? ›

To make the color maroon, start by mixing together 5 parts primary red with 1 part primary blue. Then, mix in a little bit of primary yellow at a time until you get your desired shade of maroon.

What is the opposite of burgundy? ›

Since burgundy is a shade of red, a complementary color would be a shade of green.

Who looks good in burgundy? ›

As a rule of thumb, cooler burgundy shades that contain lots of red and violet look best on people with pink, olive or ebony skin tones. Warmer burgundy shades that contain more brown tones are beautiful on complexions that are peachy or golden.

What color does burgundy fade to? ›

So it's prone to fading faster than other colors (reds tend to do that). This means you might be dealing with a washed-out color just a few weeks after you visit the salon, before roots are even an issue. Depending on your natural hair color, burgundy dye can fade to a violet-purple shade over time.

What shade of red is blood? ›

Blood red is a warm color that can be bright or dark red. The bright red color of crimson is often considered the color of fresh blood, but blood-red color may also describe a dark maroon shade of red.

What is the color of blood? ›

It's red because of the red blood cells (hemoglobin). Blood does change color somewhat as oxygen is absorbed and replenished. But it doesn't change from red to blue. It changes from red to dark red.

What is the most beautiful shade of red? ›

Go Bold with These Designer-Approved Shades of Red
  • Chili Pepper by Benjamin Moore. ...
  • Terre D' Egypte by Farrow & Ball. ...
  • Deep Rose by Benjamin Moore. ...
  • Greenhow Vermillion by Benjamin Moore. ...
  • Fireweed by Sherwin-Williams. ...
  • Radicchio by Farrow & Ball. ...
  • Salsa Diane by PPG. ...
  • Heritage Red by Benjamin Moore.
Nov 17, 2020

What is the closest color to burgundy? ›

The color burgundy is similar to other deep shades of red. For example, it can be easily mistaken for maroon, cordovan, cranberry, and oxblood. “Burgundy is a shade lighter than the color maroon. It is a mix between brown and red that has a purple tint.

Is oxblood the same as burgundy? ›

Oxblood or ox-blood, also known as temptress, is a color that is a dark shade of red. It resembles burgundy, but has less purple and more dark brown hues.

What is the color code for maroon? ›

#800000 (Maroon) HTML Color Code.

What two colors make red? ›

Red is a primary color, so you cannot create it by mixing any other colors. Primary colors are colors that exist on their own and do not contain traces of any other color. Aside from red, the other primary colors are blue and yellow.

What colors make a gold? ›

What Two Colors Make Gold? Making gold paint is actually very simple. All you need is a warm shade of yellow and a light, warm shade of brown paint. For that extra sparkle, you can add a touch of gold glitter powder to your paint mixture.

What is darker maroon or burgundy? ›

This color has the hexadecimal code of #800020. Old burgundy is a darker shade of burgundy. Burgundy is also a very popular shade in lipsticks; it is also a commonly used color for bed sheets and pillow cases. According to color psychology, burgundy is less sophisticated, serious, and less energetic than true red.

What is another name for burgundy? ›

What is another word for burgundy?
redcrimson
vermilionwine
carmineclaret
coralmaroon
bittersweetbloodshot
22 more rows

Does burgundy go with black? ›

Black. Style Tip: As a classic neutral hue, you'll never go wrong pairing the deep red color with black.

Is burgundy feminine or masculine? ›

Masculine Colors

Many shades of gray and taupe have understated masculine appeal, and are often paired with blue and burgundy in male-influenced spaces. Warm tones of brown, tan, gold, green and beige are considered masculine colors and can work together to create a masculine outdoor color scheme.

Is burgundy a masculine color? ›

The color old burgundy is a dark tone of burgundy. The first recorded use of old burgundy as a color name in English was in 1926. In relation to the popular meaning of burgundy color: It is widely used in fashion, both male and female, as well as furniture and upholstery.

Do men like the color burgundy? ›

In stark contrast to lemon yellow or chartreuse (arguably the most difficult colors to wear), burgundy is a great friend to all who don it.

Is burgundy cool or warm? ›

So Burgundy is Cool, Maroon is Warm

Above left the purplish deep pink tones of Burgundy blend into the Cool colors of the Winter color swatch.

Is mahogany and burgundy the same color? ›

The major distinction between mahogany and burgundy is that the burgundy wine has a slightly pinkish hue when compared with mahogany. 1. The first difference is that, although they are similar in appearance, mahogany has a brown base, whereas burgundy has a reddish base.

How does burgundy color look like? ›

Is Burgundy a Shade of Red and Purple? Burgundy is actually a dark red color shade. The color is derived from the famous Burgundy wine region of France, from which it borrows its name.

Is burgundy warm or cool? ›

So Burgundy is Cool, Maroon is Warm

Above left the purplish deep pink tones of Burgundy blend into the Cool colors of the Winter color swatch.

What color is lighter than burgundy? ›

Rufous-red is a lighter shade than either rosewood or burgundy.

What Colour goes with maroon? ›

Maroon and blue easily complement each other in a room. Maroon is a rich, dark color so it is best to balance it with lighter or cooler shades of blue. Use a blue gray wall color for the foundation of the room.

What does the color burgundy look like? ›

Burgundy contributes to being a deep reddish brown color. It is essentially a combination of brown, red and a hint of blue. Purple undertone of Burgundy is created with the interaction between blue and red. You can make the burgundy color with a wide array of different proportions such as brown, red and blue.

What skin tone can wear burgundy? ›

As a rule of thumb, cooler burgundy shades that contain lots of red and violet look best on people with pink, olive or ebony skin tones. Warmer burgundy shades that contain more brown tones are beautiful on complexions that are peachy or golden.

How many shades of burgundy are there? ›

There are two well-known shades of burgundy, old burgundy, and vivid burgundy, which you can find below. The others are more variations of the color burgundy.

What color season is maroon? ›

Maroon is a brownish red color that is created by adding brown to the red, blue, and yellow primary colors and it is a warm toned red. Maroon is also a popular fall and winter color. The dark brownish red shade looks great against the colorful leaves of autumn and the snow of winter.

What is the darkest shade of red called? ›

Chocolate cosmos, or red cosmos is the color of Cosmos atrosanguineus species. The color is described as dark red, deep crimson, deeper burgundy, deep red chocolate, as dark hazelnut and velvety maroon.
...
Chocolate Cosmos
Chocolate cosmos flower
Color coordinates
Hex triplet#58111A
sRGBB (r, g, b)(88, 17, 26)
6 more rows

Is burgundy more red or purple? ›

Purplish red

What shade of red is blood? ›

Blood red is a warm color that can be bright or dark red. The bright red color of crimson is often considered the color of fresh blood, but blood-red color may also describe a dark maroon shade of red.

What colors make up burgundy? ›

To make the color burgundy, combine red and a touch of purple.

Is maroon a neutral color? ›

Like its deep indigo counterpart navy, maroon can often be seen as a neutral when considering the infinite spectrum of colors. However, depending on the colors you style with it, items in the dark red shade act as the focal point of your ensemble, or conversely the pieces that tie everything together.

Does maroon go with black? ›

Maroon is one of best matching color with black. Specially when you do wearing a wedding suit. This colour combination makes smart and It pops you, looks brighter.

What is the opposite of burgundy? ›

Since burgundy is a shade of red, a complementary color would be a shade of green.

What color does burgundy fade to? ›

So it's prone to fading faster than other colors (reds tend to do that). This means you might be dealing with a washed-out color just a few weeks after you visit the salon, before roots are even an issue. Depending on your natural hair color, burgundy dye can fade to a violet-purple shade over time.

Is burgundy a royal color? ›

Burgundy is an intense reddish-purple hue with a royal, chic look and rich, wine color-like shades.

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