Room Ideas
Brown is an incredibly versatile color, coming in shades from palest ecru to deep, chocolatey hues that resemble velvet. Our brown living room decor ideas illustrate how the color can be dressed up and down. Earthy shades can look rustic and relaxed, while paler browns and bold, saturated options can offer soothing surroundings or convey elegance. Check out our many brown decor ideas to discover how beautifully it coordinates with almost any other color.
To decorate a living room in brown while keeping things light and airy, paint the walls in a creamy taupe or beige, then use medium and dark brown in touches throughout the room. The wood furniture, artwork, and accent pieces warm up the room and tie it to the adjoining, darker dining area. Don't be afraid to layer rugs for added impact, as with this Persian style rug over a larger sisal rug.
When you have gorgeous hardwood floors and a statement piece like this rustic armoire, let them shine. These rich shades of brown look best when you pair them with light neutrals like a gray couch and richly patterned rug in grays, browns, and creams. Keep everything else minimal and subdued to ensure the focal points stand out.
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Gold tone accents work marvelously with dark brown. If you have a dark leather sofa and dark wood hutch, opt for bright white walls to open the space. Work gold into the room for some shine, as with the lamp, artwork, and hammered vase seen here. The stylish rug features golden threads to add a luxe touch.
Caramel brown is naturally warm, with touches of red and yellow undertones. For a soothing great room, furnish with pieces covered in caramel leather, then choose wood furniture in a similar shade. When you have lot of one color, balance it with crisp, white walls and sheers. A rug that's muted but richly detailed adds visual interest.
Brown seems staid or boring to some, but not if you choose fun and stylish decor. Cover your floors with a scattering of faux steer skin rugs for a rustic look, then add a sleek, mid-century modern chair upholstered in chocolate. Bold, geometric throw pillows complete the eclectic appeal.
When creating a masculine space, tobacco brown leather is the perfect way to invoke the feel of an Old World library or den. Reinforce the motif with a formal rug in unexpected shades of brown, mustard, gray, and olive green. Pull the accent colors out of the rug for gray curtains and a gold pillow for continuity and to break up the long line of the sofa.
When you have a show-stopping ceiling like this one, let it be the star. By opting for lighter browns and creamy accents, the darker ceiling becomes a central design element. White walls raise the eyes and give visual height to the room. A rug in two shades of toffee will warm the space while maintaining the open feel.
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You can combine two dark colors successfully as long as both aren't at the deepest end of the range. Charcoal gray walls create a moody background that helps a toffee brown sofa pop. Use a faux hide rug combining the darks with cream and tan for balance. Ivory accessories lighten the look for a room that's cozy but cheerful.
Don't forget about accessories in shades of brown. In this room, the brown wicker light fixture is a focal point, standing out against pale walls and a white ceiling. By layering medium browns throughout a room, you'll create a serene effect, as here where the lighting, matching chairs, and oriental rug all feature mid-tone browns that pop against the light surroundings.
Not sure if you want to go gray or brown? Look for a statement piece of furniture in greige (a gray/beige shade) or taupe. This incredibly versatile neutral pairs with warm and cool colors, giving it tremendous flexibility. In this room, the velvet sofa and bench invite you to touch. Paired with a rug that has taupe as well as cream and a steel blue, this color changes with the light and time of day.
Keep brown from being overpowering by choosing shades like this oatmeal couch, particularly when the floors are such a rich, dark brown. The white walls and soft hues in the rug lighten the floor and dark brown table. For contrast, choose a cool color in the same tonal range, such as the pale blue pillow and vases here. With low contrast between colors, the mood is relaxing.
If you're not sure what colors coordinate with brown, start with a bold, graphic rug with brown intermingled with jewel tones like topaz and garnet as a starting point. The golden-brown sofa looks wonderful in this room with creamy yellow walls. Add interest with fabrics in tonal prints, as with these chairs and drapes. Fringed and velvet pillows add richness.
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A room decorated in browns and creams needs textural interest. Brass studs on these chairs add a bit of bling. Include a floor lamp that's unusual in scale and texture (we love this embossed leather and brass version) for height, then soften the floor with a rug in buttery shades that coordinate with throw pillows to soften the effect.
Yes, a brown leather sofa can be the center of a beachy, coastal living room when you choose blonde wood furniture and lots of accessories from the cool end of the spectrum. Here, light blues and aquas combine with white and sandy beiges for a breezy, refreshing room that's filled with light.
Spice things up with a rug in shades of saffron, cinnamon, and oregano in an intricate, Eastern motif. Match it with a soft, caramel sofa accented with blue pillows to add a cool touch. Artwork can balance the cool and warm colors when you choose blue botanicals printed on sepia paper.
For a more contemporary look, consider an unusual shade of brown, like this sleek sofa that leans toward mustard. Highlight a color this bold by paring down the other colors and accessories to the minimum. A rug with just a hint of color and furnishings with clean lines let the sofa stand out. For one other touch of color an oversized plant does the trick.
For a cozy den or library, start with a brown, distressed leather couch detailed with a tufted back and brass nailhead trim. It sets the tone for a formal study that's warm but refined. Choose classic furniture with a modern spin, such as a glass-front cabinet in distressed white. When the curtains and furniture are neutral, play with color on the area rug, as in this slate and cream rug with pops of paprika.
Our brown living room decor ideas are versatile and easy to use, partly because it's such a restful color. It also coordinates successfully with almost every other color from pastels to jewel tones. Keep in mind that the deeper the brown, the lighter the contrasting or accent color should be so the room doesn't become too dark.
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