If your tartan sofa has shades of blue running through it, choose your favorite shade and opt for items in this color. Matching items to any of the colors in your tartan will tie them together, and make your home look coordinated. Alternatively, if your tartan is predominantly yellow, then choosing blue will be a striking contrast as opposites often complement each other. Avoid shades of blue if your tartan is predominantly green or red with no blue running through it.
If your tartan contains red, then go for red items. However, be careful as there are many shades of red in the color spectrum; some clash, while others complement. Try to find the same shade of red, if the red on your sofa has a tinge of orange; don't get dark red items. For a contrasting look, match red with a green tartan.
Green is a common tartan color. Many traditional Scottish tartans such as Black Watch and Mackenzie contain green and blue. For a traditional tartan such as these, find items in the same shade of green or blue. For a popular contrast, any shade of red would look good. If you want to mute the colors, go for black or white.
Yellow tartan is generally very bright and striking. It is common to tone down the colors by adding black or white. If you want to make a statement, opt for the opposite shade of blue. However, be careful -- blue comes in so many shades; if the yellow is bright, choose true blue or navy. For a mustard yellow, go for autumnal colors such as burnt orange, brown or black.