“Brown is making a comeback.” The year was 2015, and the collective design “we” was at the height of our blonde wood Scandi obsession. That surprising quote that stuck with me for the last nine years was uttered by a woman named Toma Clark Haines, a whip-smart, savvy entrepreneur I got connected with for a story back in my magazine days. I was to travel with her around parts of England, Amsterdam, Belgium, and France for a feature story on buying antiques abroad. She runs an antique tourism company called The Antiques Diva, and trust me when I tell you that she knows her stuff.
We were standing in the basement (truly, an understatement for the vastness of the space because it went on and on and on, twisted and turned) of a castle in Belgium that was both a person’s residence and also their showroom of sorts for their antique dealership. The majority of the pieces, all with pedigrees as old as 300-400 years old, were mid- to dark-toned brown wood. Some wore chipping paint in creams and blues and grays, but brown reigned supreme. I recall thinking they were beautiful but “not my style.” By the time I left that week-long trip, my thoughts on brown wood and antiques in general would be forever changed.
Brown was a far cry from what I was seeing on the floor of retailers back home in the States, but by this point, I also knew that design cycles start far earlier than we think they do, often at the top end of the market that eventually, even a decade later, trickle down to the mainstream.
I nodded and thought “Imagine if she’s right.” I had spent the better part of the previous five years painting all my brown wood furniture in varying shades of milky farmhouse colors like chalky Swedish blue and Robin’s egg green (I’m so sorry). My heart still hurts for the beautiful acorn veneer mid-century modern chest I bought at an antique mall in Boca Raton, Florida, that I promptly spray-painted a shade of cobalt blue. When I posted the final result on Instagram, it was met with a chorus of approval. Sure, it was striking and fun, but in retrospect, I 100% ruined it. Forgive me, friends, for I didn’t know any better.
And yet here I am, nearing the year 2025, and I can confidently say that brown is indeed back. What once was a bad word in many design circles is now the very subject of this post. I’d say it’s funny how that happens but it’s really just how trends work. My social feeds are replete with Reels of painted furniture being stripped back with captions like “You’ll never guess what was hiding under here!” in the same way we were all enchanted by the prospects of hardwood masked by wall-to-wall carpeting. “Can you imagine there’s actual WOOD under all this paint?!? Wow!”
Our acceptance of brown back into our lives didn’t just start though. It crept in slowly through neutrals like flax, oatmeal, and cream. Beige, which so many of us swore off after the height of “Tuscan” tastes, was finding its place back in our homes where white used to be. It was warmer, less jarring, sunkissed. It said “Nancy Meyers” rather than “art gallery” and after years stuck in our homes during the pandemic, I think we all welcomed back the warm hug that is an eggshell and ivory paint. We started calling it “mushroom” and leaned into taupe.
These colors drew us into our social feeds, calling our thumbs like sirens to bookmark and save the work of Amber Interiors and Jake Arnold, two designers that do warm neutrals (and yes, brown) so dang well you don’t even realize you’re crushing on brown and beige before you are. Drew Michael Scott of Lonefox made us all pause and go “Huh….” when he picked a rich chocolate brown color for the cabinets in his coffee bar…and then proceeded to slather much of his home in the earthy shade as we looked on.
Like John Green famously wrote in The Fault In Our Stars (though I think it’s riffed off Hemingway) “I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once,” that’s a very romantic way to describe how I think brown landed in our homes again. We watched others with a more skilled hand try it out first; painting walls, bringing in brown velvet sofas, going for the darker wood tones rather than the light. There were a few “If they like it for their own homes, good for them, but it’s not for me,” until we feel ourselves soften. We find ourselves pinning the brown linen bed, the glossy truffle-toned side table, the nubby coffee-colored throw. Slowly, and then all at once.
While I can wax poetic about how brown got a seat at the design table again, there are some nuts and bolts to discuss, as well. Because my friends, all browns are not created equal, and ultimately, that’s what we’re here to discuss today.
How To Pick The Right Tone Of Brown
I read Chris Loves Julia say the following sentiment that I totally agree with: “Brown brings in a depth that black can’t and a warmth that gray can’t. It feels romantic and intimate.” Black is edgy and interesting and grounding, but brown is deep, evocative, and warm. These hues do totally different things, and they both belong in the design of our homes. But like I said, brown, unlike black, has so much variety and it’s not all great. You want to go for browns with red, almost mahogany undertones rather than yellow or orange. Even a brown with some green behind it can feel fresh and modern. Let’s look at some examples.
There are two things happening in all of the products above: The browns are flat, one-note, and nearly orange (and yes, I did just write a post about how orange is great but this does not apply). The materials feel unnatural, like acrylic and bad corduroy. Brown works best in textures and natural materials such as linen, wool, and wood. Velvet is also great because it gives it so much dimension, which is needed for such a dark shade. You want the brown to say “mocha” and “ganache” and “chocolate.” Think about the difference between a chocolate croissant from a French bakery vs. a jumbo pack of 12 from Costco (also, I love Costco, so no hate here, just trying to paint a picture). It should feel luxe and rich, even if it’s a $20 pillow from Target.
Top row: Landon Hand Knotted Rug | Reclaimed Wood Decorative Pedestal | Handmade Moroccan Zellige 4×4 Chocolate Brown Terracotta Tile | Bottom row: Portola Pleated Sofa in Mahogany Classic Velvet | Paola & Joy Evie Sculpted Table Lamp (E27) – Walnut | Mishka Wood Side Table
All the browns above, while still rich and dark and warm, are soft. Natural, some even neutral. They have variety via wood grain and color dappling and the nap of velvet. The silhouettes of the products feel timeless and storied. THIS is what you’re going for.
The Best Brown Paint Colors
You know a color is really and truly in the zeitgeist of design when you start seeing it on walls. It’s easy to bring in a pillow and a vase, but when it’s on all your surfaces, that’s truly a commitment. Brown, like most other deep and moody shades, works well with the color-drenching technique, but in my opinion, it’s crucial that the room you use it in gets beautiful light.
I scoured beautiful homes and some of my favorite images, put on my sleuth hat and found out some of the best brown paint colors used by designers and those with great design eyes (for instance, that gorgeous brown in the hero image is the primary bedroom in the home of Chris Loves Julia, where they used Farrow & Ball’s London Clay). All of these browns are warm, interesting and vary in undertones between red, black, and green. If a lot of your furniture is a lighter wood tone or a wood tone that leans yellow, you’ll want a black or green-toned brown. If you have dark ebony, red-toned or neutral-toned woods (like walnut) a brown with mahogany undertones is your best bet. But again, ALWAYS test a paint color, especially something like this, in your specific room so you can see how the light interacts with it. It could change a neutral brown into a greenish-brown, for instance, depending on what’s outside your window.
1. Mocha Brown by Benjamin Moore | 2. Midsummer Night by Benjamin Moore | 3. Salon Drab by Farrow & Ball | 4. Dark Clove by Sherwin-Williams | 5. Whitney Portal by Portola Paints | 6. Sable by Sherwin-Williams | 7. Tarpley Brown by Benjamin Moore | 8. Rue Bourbon by Valspar | 9. Coffee Date by Clare | 10. French Press by Benjamin Moore | 11. London Clay by Farrow & Ball | 12. Dark Truffle by Behr
What Colors Should You Pair With Brown?
Whether you’re sprinkling brown around your home or pulling out your paintbrush, you may still need some guidance on what to pair it with. Since brown is a “neutral” color, it goes with basically everything (yes, even black), but I cooked up some ideas for you below:
Warm Neutrals
This is the most obvious place to start. As I mentioned earlier, we’ve been in solid “beige” territory for the last year or two, which opened the runway for full-on brown. This is the space that Amber Lewis lives in mostly (see below), and while it’s a bit too muted for my tastes, it can be really nice, calm, warm and inviting. The key is to use varying tones of cream, beige, brown, and even warm grays (this includes your wood tones, as well). You don’t want to introduce too much contrast, so keep the hues in a tight spectrum.
If you prefer something a bit brighter and happier, you can widen the spectrum with some truer whites and maybe even some black, as well.
Cool Neutrals
I know that warm tones just aren’t for everyone. You can still go brown in a cooler palette, though! I love the primary bedroom in the home of Chris Loves Julia (below) because it’s “brown” but doesn’t feel earthy. They achieved this by keeping some of the soft goods in the realm of grays, taupes, and steely blue.
Earth Tones
Cool tones not your thing but warm neutrals a little too simple? Try some earth tones instead! Brown is crucial to an earth tones palette because uh, it’s one of the most “natural” colors (what does that even mean? ha). I love seeing it used with reddish terra cottas, muted mossy greens, and even a dash of cornflower blue. Both of the below images have lighter ivory wall colors, which I think really helps to keep this palette from feeling too 1970s basement.
Bright & Bold Colors
Because there isn’t an Arlyn post without some color, I had to bring this palette in, too. Brown is a wonderful color to root some bold choices like yellow, emerald green, even fuchsia, plum, and lavender. Use it in place of grey or black for something that feels less severe and easier on the eyes.
Aaaand that’s it, my friends. We’ve talked bad browns, good browns, paint colors, color palettes, and even got a little fancy and romantic with some brown storytelling. WHAT A JOURNEY! I know brown isn’t for everyone, some of us are still scared and scarred from earlier in this century (and even further back to the ’70s and ’80s…woof!), but I hope you can see that brown can really be used in modern, fresh and beautiful ways.
So, thoughts?
Until next time…
Opening Image Credits: Design & Photo by Chris Loves Julia
The gasp I gasped at the @makingspacesnet photo of the brown bedroom with the ochre velvet bed – SO GOOD!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! And I feel heard/seen. I have been actively working on “bringing more warmth” into our family room for months (months b/c furniture takes time and months and months because I obsess too much). I scour House & Garden, google the crap out of “English Country Living Rooms”, and my Pinterest Board has entered a whole new grandma era. A good part of me thought this was because I’m now in my late 40s – I just wanna be COMFY! Our family room always felt empty and cold. Emma Roberts’ piece in AD jump-kicked my project, as her home is just DIVINE to me (https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/step-inside-emma-robertss-la-escape). Bring on the warm color tones and layers! I ordered a custom wood wall unit for one of the walls in the room, honestly I was worried because I sourced it from an Amish furniture company in West Virginia, that I found online. I tried to find someone local (it all seemed like cheap wood, even for custom wall units) and I didn’t want to spend $12k from a place like Room & Board. Ten percent of me felt like I could be getting scammed, but no – alas, the pieces arrived… Read more »
This was long-AND I read and loved it ALL:) I’m in my mid 40s;) and crave comfort and warmth too. Would never guess that was made by an Amish furniture co. My house is older so would have to throw that in but love what you’ve done. I’m moving away from trends and seems like you are too? How’s the joybird I almost bought a sectional from them but everyone said the bumper cushions moved so didn’t.
Morning, and thanks for the kind words! Yes, you are right – I am moving away from trends and find myself attracted more to design styles that are classic/traditional; def a huge fan of antique and vintage furniture (and for love of the hunt!). Regarding the Joybird Sectional: I give it an 8 out of 10. Their rust chenille was unlike any color I could find from similar companies, just gorgeous (it’s not as reddish as the photo, def a true orange/brown rust). I drove to LA to see Interior Define and Joybird. The Joybird showroom was so rich with color (esp compared to Interior Define, much more subdued/minimal), and Joybird won me over (even though I loved the ID skirted Maxwell sectional!). The four pieces (including the ottoman) do stay together with base-mounted hardware. One of the seat cushions was oddly flat compared to the other, and Joybird is replacing it. Their customer service was really good in regards to that concern. The pillows do indeed move/not adhered to the sofa back, which does drive me a little crazy when the kids move everything around, but the seat cushions have hardware that keep them in place. Overall, I am… Read more »
Thank you. 😊 The hunt is the best:)
Can we have a whole post from Karen? I am here for this Amish to the ends of the earth (tone) journey.
The space looks great, Karen! Light filled and energetic, yet cozy at the same time. A happy cozy. I love the light taupe tone of the beams. It adds a lot of interest without driving your eyes crazy with lines. Beautiful!
Thank you both krkrkrk and Stephanie! I do appreciate the positive feedback on the space. It’s def been a journey and fun to do, even though my 11 year old at the beginning kept telling me I was “ruining Christmas” b/c now the Christmas tree will have to be in a new place LOL……..
love it, and love the story of you touring castle basements!! love to hear that perspective that goes beyond trends here in the states.
Having grown up in the 70s and 80s when brown was done wrong (in my opinion), I found this post helpful and informative. Especially the part about undertones.I am not understanding the appeal of Chris Loves Julia main bedroom. It’s shown everywhere and from the moment they did it, I didn’t “get” it. It feels oppressive and dreary. Some of the other examples you show present brown in a more balanced way that doesn’t scream “I painted the whole thing brown!”
To each their own with bedroom colors. Chris and Julia did an extremely beautiful job creating a moody, classy hideaway in their master bedroom room. It’s okay if you don’t get it, which means it just isn’t for ou. So paint you bedroom in colors you like.
Hi Tracy – I love Chris and Julia’s work, however this bedroom was not my favorite room they have created. Oddly perhaps, it feels very cool to me and because I live in a state with very cold winters, I am sensitive to the warmth of a room (and here I don’t mean if the furnace is on)!
I’m ready for this comeback!
Massive fan of brown and always have been but I prefer it with other colours. I find Amber Interiors and Studio McGee beautiful but too monochrome. Love brown with any shade of blue, hints of mustard or gold, pink and always orange!!
Very insightful article and just reinforces my belief that there is no such thing as ‘timeless’. We just get used to seeing certain things until we suddenly get sick of them. The most ubiquitous things, no matter how quiet/tasteful/simple/calm are the things that date the most!
But if you love them, who cares, right?
Some brown rooms that are personal faves:
https://www.dailydreamdecor.com/2021/07/8-vintage-living-room-ideas-you-will-be-smitten-with-this-summer.html
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I wish you had more images to show the difference between the evil orange undertones versus the red undertones. Because in some of these pix here, it’s a little hard to tell the difference. In the caseykenyon instagram shot, for ex, that sofa looks orange-y brown to me. I have some medium tone cherry bookcases (very beautiful and well made) but I can’t tell if people would see the wood as red undertones or orange? I guess they look red to me? Kind of depends on the light. It’s confusing, TBH.
Do you like them LouAnn? If so, I wouldn’t worry about the undertones being orange. All colours can be beautiful in my opinion and it’s how you put them together.
If there’s one thing this article makes clear, it’s that fashion is cyclical and therefore the fear of orange undertones also will pass!
Colour is subjective and personal but we’re also influenced by our era however if we didn’t all like different things, the fashion wouldn’t change.
Revel in your brown with maybe orange undertones!!
Our kitchen has been painted “brown” (kinda the BM Mocha Brown in your paint circles) for almost 20 years and when we did a big restructuring (second stovetop, replacing a bay window with sliding glass doors, replacing a door to the outside with a big window, adding cabinets) I kept the brown color and continue to re-choose it every time the painter shows up. It’s such a lovely warm, medium neutral, a great backdrop for cream cabinetry and moulding (BM Wood Ash), a faux stone island and countertops in lighter brown w some other colors. The ceiling has a ton of moulding, the color between is a pale pink (BM Basking Ridge Beige). The combination is just so so pretty in a kitchen built for function, actual cooking and eating not for looking at (sorry, Insta, I see you). But thanks to this post, I predict 100% that our next sofa is brown … maybe velvet but probably leather and this is a decision I’ve been debating (with myself, naturally) for a couple of years as I mentally prepare for downsizing. So … thank you!
This may be my favorite post! I have always loved warm brown interiors. While I’d love to be in the Warm Neutrals palette, my home is more Earth Tones and feels cooler than this. It’s not bad, but any tips on making the Earth Tones look feel more decadent?
Love the deep dive! So helpful with examples.
That Portola velvet Sofa killed me! Can’t stop looking at it- what a subtle showstopper. Excellent post!
You saved the best for last with the “Bright & Bold” section. Those images from Architectural Digest use color in such a sophisticated way.
Man, I just don’t get it. I think wood looks great, but brown on its own is just not appealing to me. I’d rather have color, like yellow, pink, blue, green, or purple, on the walls and furniture and floor, than just a blah neutral like white, grey, tan, brown, or black. I guess most people like neutrals, though? So weird!
Same. I thought we had left the neutral era and were moving more towards color!
Mariele – Did you see the images that Sally posted above? The chocolate brown sofas in those two rooms are sitting back to let all the other colors play, they are providing a great background.
I love this post! I’m all into warm neutrals and warm earthy colors. I’ve got my eye on a rug that’s been out of stock for a few months now but as soon as it’s available I’m snapping it up and I can’t wait! Feels like the rest of my living room is on pause until that rug gets here because I need to feel the vibe so I know where to go from there!
Thank you Arlyn!!! I have a Spanish style home with stucco and clay tile roof. The current trim (that needs to be redone) is the ugliest baby poo brown and I’ve ben looking for something rich and luxurious and you complied all of them in one post! I also love CLJ’s bedroom, but I don’t have the spaciousness or light that they have to pull it off. I’ve been toying with a deep burgundy (F&B Brinjal) island in my kitchen and the during a warm beige uppers and lower cabinets. Now I am thinking a deep brown lowers would be amazing. I love your posts!!!
Danica from Nadine Stay does brown right, too. You’ve got to check out her laundry room: https://nadinestay.com/the-laundry-room-reveal/
Excellent article! Well-written expose on “brown” and photos are gorgeous!!
I have always adored brown! I love this post, Arlyn, and your beautiful, evocative writing drew me right in! Let’s finally hear it for brown as a neutral. Brown DOES go with everything.
Is the Belgian Castle basement owner the Dealer/Designer Axel , He is also known for the makeover of the Kanye/KIm McMansion in California ? Your description of your visit sounded like it could be ?
No it wasn’t Axel Vervoordt’s home! I did tour his castle on that same trip and it was something like I’ve never seen before. Just…unreal. This was another prominent dealer (there are a WILD amount of antiques dealers in Belgium and most of them deal out of their homes/castles!).
Brown Cautionary Tales: I would love to know more about the lamp in the lower right hand corner with the 2 crystals hanging from the asymmetrical curly base. Do you recall where it is from?
Belgium designer, Axel Vervoordt, is a master at creating warm, evocative rooms in tones of brown!
Yes Axel is a master! I had the honor of touring his home/castle, and then also a store called Canal (spelling?) that he was opening in Belgium at the time I was there. Just amazing work.
Wonderful post. You have given me a lot to think about and consider with colors for giving our family room a much needed makeover. Brown is going to definitely be in the mix.
Love this. I find brown so cozy and comforting. This is one I had saved: https://www.instagram.com/p/CkirTkVJpOl/
Brown is lovely! I’ve never written off brown (I skipped the gray trend entirely) but most of these images are way too monochromatic to my eye. They have the newest silhouettes of furniture and current accessory choices, so they look modern, but not that interesting or approachable. Too much of any one thing, y’know?
Nevertheless I am all for the return of glowy brown furniture, and deep chocolatey paint choices where it won’t be overwhelming. I do love it mixed with ivory, greens, and blues as a color scheme <3 My house came with deep reddish-brown wood planked walls in the large living/dining room area (I painted them in the very dark gloomy kitchen) and it’s quite cozy with an enveloping feel. There are plenty of windows there to bring in light. It’s grown on me, although I probably wouldn’t have picked it!
Couldn’t agree with you more, Arlyn! When I first met my husband, his house was full of that orangey brown that I detest! That stuff is all gone! But I do love all my brown wood furniture and I love me a good MCM walnut wall. I’ve noticed that people are wearing a lot of brown clothes on all the fashion postings this year, too.
Thanks for such a thoughtful expose of today’s browns. While I am very much going to sit out this trend, I appreciate your examination of undertones, pair-withs, textures…I’m an avid design amateur and (like all of us) have seen SO many homes, over the years, of people who are afraid of color and who default to the browns out of fear. I call that style “any color at all so long as it’s brown.” You’ve really clarified and explained and explored why brown’s gotta be intentional to be good.