22 Ways to Decorate with Brown

Brown Living Room

Living room with brown decor — Jean Allsopp

Brown is a surprisingly sophisticated choice for a transitional-style living room. Here, a deep brown paint color on the walls is layered with brown floor-length curtain panels and complemented with a brown velvet sofa and tufted leather ottoman. When using one color in a room, incorporate it through a variety of materials and textures to create subtle contrast and a luxurious aesthetic.

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Elegant Brown Dining Room

Formal brown dining room — Werner Straube

A dark brown grasscloth wallpaper, mid-tone brown hardwood floors, and charcoal gray painted ceiling set a moody and mysterious tone in this formal dining room. The dark color scheme accented with an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional decorative elements such as green velvet dining chairs, a collection of brass-framed antique paintings, and mixed metal statement light fixtures.

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Eclectic Brown Living Room

Living room with artwork collection — Kim Cornelison

Give your living room a collected, lived-in feel with an eclectic collection of artwork, furniture, textiles, and lighting. Here, a light brown vintage-style area rug grounds an oatmeal sofa, espresso-brown ottoman coffee table, and a small leather chair. Continuing the brown color scheme, dark brown curtain panels with an elegant pinch pleat detail frame the windows and a mix of modern and classic art pieces make up a timeless gallery wall.

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Brown Floral Wallpaper

A brown floral print wallpaper serves as an elegant backdrop for a canopy bed, crystal chandelier, and dusty pink accents in this charming bedroom. A playful print featuring blossoming branches and small birds lightens up the mid-tone brown color wallpaper color and echoes the room's classic yet whimsical style.

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Decorate Around a Brown Sofa

Modern rustic living room — Amy Mazzenga

Inject character and a relaxed atmosphere into your living room with a brown leather Chesterfield sofa. Continue the cozy theme with a stone fireplace, dark-stained ceiling beams, and reclaimed wood furniture for a modern rustic space that exudes style and comfort.

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Brown Wall Paneling

Study with wood paneled wall — Dustin Peck

Add instant character and a historic quality to any room with wood paneled walls. In this traditional study, the wall paneling is covered with a mid-tone brown stain and has an elegant square design which creates depth and dimension. To lighten the mood, the stately brown paneling is juxtaposed with colorful upholstery, animal prints, and shiny brass accents.

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Green and Brown Color Scheme

Green room with armchair and rolling cart — Adam Albright

Pair a deep emerald green paint color with brown accents such as this velvet armchair, tripod floor lamp, and wood and metal bar cart. Brighten the nature-inspired color scheme with light tonal neutrals and bring in cozy textures such as a fluffy accent rug and a knitted throw blanket for an ultra-comfy room corner.

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Gray and Brown Living Room

Gone are the days when mixing warm and cool neutrals was considered a design faux pas. Take cues from this warm and inviting living room and pair gray and brown tones together for a visually balanced, elegant, and calming space.

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Brown Grasscloth Wallpaper

Living room with grasscloth wallpaper — Frances Janisch

Install light brown grasscloth wallpaper for warmth, texture, and a classic aesthetic. Layer it with cream tones and darker brown accents and liven up the space with potted plants and mixed pattern textiles.

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Tonal Brown Living Room

Create a relaxing contemporary living room with a tonal brown color palette. Start with bright white walls, bring in an oversized brown leather sectional for comfy lounging, use textured throw pillows for pops of pattern, introduce natural elements such as a cowhide rug and hanging wall baskets, and add the perfect finishing touch with oatmeal-colored linen curtain panels.

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Brown Leather Banquette

Breakfast nook with leather banquette — Frances Janisch

A tufted brown leather banquette is the central piece in this small breakfast nook. A chinoiserie wallpaper softens the solid leather built-in banquette and a framed pineapple photograph adds a touch of whimsy. A wood table and caned dining chairs introduce new materials for a layered look while maintaining the dining nook's neutral color scheme.

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Mixed Brown Materials

Keep a monochrome color palette interesting by incorporating the color through multiple different materials, textures, and room elements. Brown is the dominant color in this rustic bedroom corner and is used in the form of an abstract piece of art, an antique-style leather armchair, solid-colored curtain panels, ceiling beams, textured floor tile, and wood furniture.

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Midcentury Modern Brown

Mid-century living room decor — Brie Williams

Brown is a staple color when it comes to midcentury modern design. The style incorporates the color through streamlined wood furniture, patterned textiles, glassware, decorative accents, and table lamps, creating depth and ushering in understated warmth.

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Taupe and Brown Color Scheme

This living room showcases a tonal color palette featuring a warm-toned brown wood door, a cool taupe wallpaper with a gold geometric pattern, and cream colored upholstery for a formal and sophisticated feel. Instead of breaking up a neutral color scheme, consider swapping an art canvas for an oversized mirror which will help bounce light around and reflect the existing room features.

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Antique Furniture Details

Incorporate brown into a room through an antique piece of wood furniture that simultaneously adds character and decorative details. Here, an ornately carved secretary desk warms up cool green walls, visually grounds a pair of floating shelves, and provides practical storage and a work surface.

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Mudroom Wood Paneling

Mudroom with wood paneling — Karyn Millet

Vertical wood paneling plays double-duty in this charming mudroom: It's visually appealing, adding contrast and a natural material while creating a two-tone wall effect, but it's also a practical way to protect walls from damage and a clever solution for hiding dirt and scuffs.

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Sophisticated Browns

This sophisticated game room uses rich brown textures such as leather chairs and an antique game table to channel a timeless elegance. A pair of plaid throw pillows cozies up the chairs, a vintage map adds personality, and a crisp white wall color brightens the otherwise dark corner.

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Antique Browns

Get inspiration from this antique brown console table that was turned into a makeup vanity and breathe new life and function into an old piece of furniture. An ornate gilded mirror ties in the table's brass hardware, while a velvet ottoman adds a modern edge and is easy to store under the console.

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Brown Stained Ceiling

Bedroom with vaulted ceiling — Edmund Barr

A dark brown stain on a wood-covered vaulted ceiling adds drama to this stunning bedroom. It contrasts white walls and a beige grasscloth accent wall behind a four-poster bed, and complements other natural materials such as a sisal area rug and a stone corner fireplace.

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Rustic Brown Accents

This rustic bathroom features a dark brown stained ceiling and trim, ornately carved brown vanities topped with brown stone, and a brown medallion-style floor tile. White walls, cream curtain panels, and plenty of natural light brighten the space while a luxurious copper tub echoes the warm brown tones scattered throughout the bathroom.

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Mixed Patterns

Bedroom with floral wallpaper — Edmund Barr

Don't be afraid to mix contrasting patterns when it comes to wallpaper, bedding, window treatments, and decorative accents. Combine small-scale and large-scale patterns that feature a mix of organic and geometric designs, and tie the space together with one color that unifies the mixed patterns, such as this deep chocolate brown shade in this bedroom.

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Brown Color Scheme

Brown and cream living room — Werner Straube

Pair deep brown with creamy whites for an warm, elegant, and welcoming living room. In this formal living room, rich brown tones in the color-blocked curtain panels, velvet sofa, and wood-frame accent chairs bring out the warmth in the surrounding off-white walls, furniture, and textiles for a perfectly neutral and visually balanced space.

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