The invention provides an optical structure with low chroma and brightness in the visible region and low emissivity in the infrared region. The optical structure includes an interference structure having an infrared reflective layer and an infrared absorbing thin film layer. These layers are in turn separated by a thin film spacer of a dielectric or semiconductor material. The reflectivity and transmission of the layers are selectively controlled through the thickness of the layers such that the visual reflectivity and color is independent of the infrared properties of the absorber and reflector layers.