Living room decor ideas brown
20 Brown Living Room Ideas You Hadn't Thought to Try
Lindsey Brooke Design
Need proof this earth-friendly hue can be equally as pretty as reliable? Brown, a color often associated with safety and security, can make for the most beautiful living room spaces if you embrace it.
But if your mind automatically drifts to brown painted walls, let's change gears. You can effortlessly layer in this sturdy color in an infinite number of unexpected ways.
From sleek credenzas to hardwood ceilings and entirely brown painted rooms, here are 20 stylish brown living room ideas you hadn’t thought to try.
01 of 20
Arbor & Co.
Light brown leather poufs are teeny pieces of furniture that pack a punch. Not only do these floor cushions moonlight as comfy footrests, extra seating, and kid-friendly coffee tables, but poufs also blend well with most design aesthetics. This light brown iteration shown above is cognac leather (available in vegan or faux options)—an ideal fabric for dressing up historic and farmhouse-inspired spaces in a snap.
02 of 20
Twelve 15 Design Studio
You can never go wrong with adding accent chairs to your living room. These single seats bring comfort while lining up your other living room elements, like your rug, sofa, and end tables. Plus, accent chairs create a seating arrangement that builds a conversation area to relax with friends and family.
03 of 20
Cathie Hong
If you prefer rustic, old-world craftsmanship or a prairie-style look, stick to natural, stained wood for your window casings and baseboards (instead of painting each white).
04 of 20
Forbes Masters
For total mood mastery, paint your walls a dark brown. Here, this chocolately brown painted wall looks classy and demure at the same time. Its darker shade revives this traditionally earthy tone while helping ground the space as a whole.
05 of 20
onurdongel / Getty Images
Looking for a classic look that delivers high drama? Design a brown accent wall with paneling.
This ideal backdrop can house artwork or help out a dull wall that's in desperate need of some design magic.
06 of 20
Nile Johnson
For a lively rhythm, dot your room with subtle touches of brown, a trick guaranteed to make any living space feel pristine. Whether you bring this hue in through artwork, lamp shades, or oil-rubbed bronze metaled accents is up to you!
07 of 20
Becca Interiors
If your space lacks texture (a crucial design element), converting your fireplace to stone is an easy way to make your living space visually stunning. Plus, stone fireplaces will forever maintain their inviting appeal and provide a cozy atmosphere.
08 of 20
Bespoke Only
To add an intimate look to your living space, forget the floor and add wood paneling to your 5th wall—the ceiling. This concept is typically best reserved for taller spaces (with high ceilings) prone to receiving plenty of light. However, to offset the darkness a wooden ceiling may inject, keep your textiles and furniture pieces in cheery shades.
Here, cream curtains help balance the dark paneling right above.
09 of 20
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Decorating with brown in a living space can also mean going ultimately monochromatic. Bring different tints, tones, and shades of brown through your wallpaper, window curtains, built-ins, rugs, and furniture for a zen effect.
10 of 20
Monica Wilcox Design
Since there are so many tints and shades of brown, it’s easy to find a hue that works with your living room style. Here, this wallpaper motif flaunts a juxtaposition of two different browns, forming an elegant backdrop for pink accents to take the lead.
11 of 20
Will Brown Interiors
A brown upholstered sofa can easily create an earthy modern space that's also pet- and kid-friendly. And performance fabric or not, brown won’t show stains as easily as other colors. It's a reliable choice that will look good for years to come. Bonus points: brown sofas (especially leather ones) pair well with other patterns and colors.
12 of 20
House Sprucing
A wooden coffee table is a long-lasting staple and a functional piece that will forever hold its design appeal. Wooden coffee tables can also come in several shapes, sizes, and colors—ideal for any style goals—whether you’re going for a casual, unstuffy look or a traditional feel.
13 of 20
Desiree Burns Interiors
Rattan or seagrass baskets typically come in brown tones. The best part: these baskets are environmentally friendly. Rattan, for example, is one of the most available natural materials in the world. These baskets are also easy to maintain and flexible. Plus, their lidded iterations can keep clutter out-of-sign all while doubling as a piece of décor (or pineapple as shown here).
14 of 20
Decorilla
If you live in a warmer climate, pick a neutral brown tile for your flooring. And if you choose a porcelain tile, you'll definitely reap its benefits. Porcelain is typically slip-resistant and extremely strong, a great option for pet and kid-friendly spaces.
If you’re not a fan of the traditional tile look, try wood plank tiles instead—tiles designed to look just like wood (but without the upkeep of natural wood).
15 of 20
Lindsey Brooke Design
Built-ins offer an attractive display space (and a great shelfie moment), becoming a timeless addition to any home. Plus, you can use built-ins to frame your fireplace and television all while adding storage to showcase your collectibles. Truly, built-ins offer an outstanding aesthetic that will spruce up any sized space.
16 of 20
Black and Blooms
Brown brick is a perfect way to add depth and warmth to your room. And when treated correctly, it can be super durable and great for high-traffic areas.
17 of 20
Ashley Montgomery Design
Curtains are a practical design addition that can also enhance the beauty of your home. Blackout curtains are specially designed to block out more light from entering your room (whether it's streetlights, car headlights, or sunlight).
Here, these checkered light brown curtains add an earthy, soft touch to this living space.
18 of 20
Rikki Synder
Your big-ticket items like a cushy sofa and rug spearhead your space's design, but what brings a room together depends on the power of accessorizing. Enter: ceramic décor pieces. Ceramics look stylish, and have been around for centuries.
19 of 20
Brophy Interiors
If you still have carpet on your main floor, consider a hardwood swap. Hardwoods come in several shades of brown, and can truly warm up an otherwise cold, uninviting space. If hardwood isn't a practical option for your budget or lifestyle, try engineered hardwoods, luxury vinyl planks, laminate, or porcelain wood plank tiles for the same effect (but with two added bonuses: less money and maintenance).
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Ferrer
Bringing in bold brown art is a beautiful way to recast a plain space. Larger pieces of art can also look more sophisticated and chic than grouping together smaller pieces if you have an extensive wall to fill.
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Ideas & Advice > Living Room Decor Ideas > Brown Living Room Decor Ideas
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.
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A Bevy of Browns
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.
View more rustic living room decor ideas
Wooden It Be Lovely?
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.
View more country living room decor ideas
Gold's Time to Shine
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.
View more black living room decor ideas
Caramel Brown
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.
Staying Away from Staid
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.
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Tobacco Traditions
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.
Raising the Roof
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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Deep, Dark Luxury
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.
Keeping it Light
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.
Decisions, Decisions
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.
View more grey living room decor ideas
Light on White
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.
Focus on Fabrics
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.
Check out our curated selection of Best Living Room Rugs!
All About Touch
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.
Beachy Browns
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 Notes
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.
Clean Lines & Color
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.
Formal Focus
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.
Living room in brown tones: 70 interior design ideas from IVD.ru
There are no indifferent to brown. When some are ready to decorate the whole apartment in the colors of caramel and chocolate, others do not even come close to accessories in this range.
We figure out how to find the golden mean and choose brown tones and harmonious combinations for the living room.
Everything about decorating a room in brown tones
Choosing a shade
Classic combinations
— Monochrome
— With base
— With color
Materials and textures
Interior use
— Base
— Supplement
- Accessories
If you are sure that this range is not for you, do not rush to give it up. The color of cinnamon is diverse: cognac, copper, ocher, umber, terracotta and even mustard - they are all derivatives of it. At the same time, there are light shades, close to beige, and dark, almost black. And, of course, they are all divided into cold and warm. The former have blue in their undertones, they are closer to gray and ashen, and the latter are red and green. nine0003
Today, pure shades are rarely used to decorate a living room in brown. More often they take complex paints. This is especially noticeable in large color patches.
If a pure tone is still acceptable in the decor and details, then reddish, crimson or almost beige paints are used to decorate the walls.
Since the living room is one of the main rooms in an apartment or house, it is very important to take into account not only your own desires, but also the features of the space.
- Darker colors can be afforded by owners of well-lit rooms. It is desirable that they be spacious too. So the color will not press and visually reduce the area. nine0025
- In a small room, choose less contrasting combinations.
- If at the same time there is a lack of natural light, we recommend choosing a light range. In this case, as a base, you can take the most neutral - gray, white and beige shades. And complement them with ocher, gray-brown tones, but not very dark. Use more dense paints minimally.
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In modern reading, this gamut is taken both independently and in combination with other colors. Let's consider each option in more detail.
Beige-brown living room (monochrome)
The calmest palette of light milky and caramel shades is combined here with dark accents. Complement it with warm metal, and you get a modern design without risk.
What to look for
- Monochrome is close to minimalism. This means that one of the key aspects here is the shape of the furniture. It is important to enter current silhouettes and models.
- Follow the projects of designers that you like, mark the furniture you like in the photo. Most companies in the middle price segment and the mass market offer good models. nine0025
- Vintage will also be appropriate, it can be cool to beat in a modern style.
If the upholstery or finish isn't perfect, don't be afraid to experiment. You can safely reupholster or repaint the item.
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in brown color in combination with the base. As a light base, you can use white, light gray, ashen. And dilute the dark walnut with graphite, wet asphalt and black. nine0003
The proportions depend on the shape of the room and the level of light. The more natural light, the more contrasting combinations you can afford. However, designers often resort to accents in wall decoration just to visually correct the space. But on your own, especially without experience, it is difficult to do this.
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Living room design in brown tones, even without taking into account the stylistic component, is close to nature. In general, this is one of the most natural palettes. Therefore, when choosing finishes, furniture and even decor, pay attention to textures.
Wood and rattan
The easiest material to add a brownish palette to your living room. The choice of breed depends on the palette. You can use up to three different shades of wood in a room: floors, furniture, and even ceiling details. nine0003
It's a great idea to use an accent wood panel instead of brown wallpaper in the interior of the living room. This technique is actively used by designers in their projects, for example, when zoning a room combined with a kitchen. In this case, try to make the rest of the walls neutral so that it does not argue with the accent.
Rattan is the closest brother of wood. If you want to give the hall lightness and boho mood, take a closer look at the cabinets, chairs or even armchairs made of rattan.
Leather
Another eye-catching material that looks organic in warm cinnamon tones. A leather sofa or armchairs will become a bright semantic and visual center of the space.
Brick
It has long been used not only in the loft style. Red brick will bring a note of brutality even to the neoclassical design. And eclecticism and mixing of textures are in the design trends today.
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According to statistics, it is in the living room that we spend the most time. Therefore, the choice of gamut design should be approached especially carefully.
There are several options for introducing color. nine0003
Base
The base makes up about 60% of the entire design. Usually it's a finish. For walls, not only wallpaper or paint is suitable, but also a brick wall, which we talked about above, and wooden slats. Separately, it is worth mentioning the flooring. Parquet, laminate or porcelain stoneware in dark colors is a win-win solution.
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Accents
Wood or chocolate decor is a pretty simple solution.
Try to complement the interior with wooden or ceramic vases, wicker baskets, natural cotton and linen pillows. Dried flowers are at the peak of popularity, and most of them have a natural brownish color. Pampas grass, scabiosa pods or palm leaves will add a Mediterranean feel to the room. nine0000 pros and cons, especially the choice of shades
12/11/2019
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In the palette, brown seems standard, unremarkable and even boring. But in the interior, it reveals itself in a completely different way. We can say with confidence that the living room in brown tones is the embodiment of nobility, luxury and peace.
nine0265 Living room Adagio
Advantages and disadvantages of brown in the interior
The advantages of brown are many, starting with the psychological effect on the subconscious and ending with versatility in use. For the living room, this color is suitable for several reasons:
- subconsciously, this color calms, gives a feeling of security and confidence, which is optimal for a room where households gather;
- brown shades came to us from the wild, so they are ideal for creating fashionable interiors in ecological and ethnic styles; nine0025
- the color goes well with brighter or pastel colors, allowing you to enliven the interior;
- for a brown living room, natural wood furniture fits especially well, enhancing the impression of presentability;
- the palette of brown tones is very diverse, which allows you to experiment;
- the owner of a brown living room is not afraid of fatigue, nervousness and stress: on a subconscious level, this color calms and restores strength.
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The interior of the living room in brown tones has only one drawback: the possible clutter of space. If the design project is dominated by dark colors, it may look too cluttered, especially in a small space.
Note! Psychologists say that shades of chocolate, coffee and cinnamon are associated in humans with warmth and mood-enhancing foods. Therefore, in a living room designed in such shades, the emotional state of people improves. nine0003
Living room Isotta-mini
Base and contrasts: choosing colors for a brown living room
The living room is not a bedroom where only the closest are. You will often have to receive guests in it, so when creating an ideal interior, not a single mistake can be made. Even if you know for sure that brown will prevail, you still have a lot of trouble: you need to choose the main shade, choose the degree of saturation, and then complement it with a suitable contrasting color.
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Step 1: choose the base
The brown color scheme is so diverse that it will be difficult to decide. Someone loves delicate pastel colors, someone likes the overly saturated color of burnt coffee. For the living room, the following colors are most often used:
- Milk/dark chocolate and coffee. Suitable for a spacious room with natural light.
- Pastel shades of cocoa, mocha, cappuccino. Well fit into the interiors of urban apartments with a modest area. nine0025
- A hint of cinnamon. Suitable for any interior, especially if you complement it with wine or sunny accents.
The undisputed leaders are the shades of natural wood, repeating the natural pattern on the cut of the tree. They perfectly complement the living room in a classic style. In such a room, there is always good energy, allowing the owner and his guests to feel harmony with nature.
Note! So that the space in the living room is not “eaten up”, you should follow the rule “the narrower the room, the lighter the base color”.
Otherwise, too dark shades will visually reduce the already tiny living room. nine0003
Step 2: find the complementary color
A brown living room can seem boring, austere and even a little cavernous if shades of only one color palette are used in its decoration. To add emotions and dynamics to the interior, brown is combined with contrasting colors.
Brown + white. This combination will transform a small living room and visually expand it if you distribute white at the top and brown at the bottom. Adherents of the classical style prefer to whitewash columns, ceiling cornices and ceilings, and use voluminous bog oak living rooms as accents. Laconic white furniture, tinted with brown Roman curtains, will successfully fit into the modern interior. nine0003
Brown + beige. The combination is laconic, but at the same time stylish. Beige shades against a dark brown background neutralize gloominess and severity, add lightness and tranquility.
However, such a composition requires a strict balance between both shades. For example, if beige dominates the ceiling and walls, the floor should be darkened with a more saturated shade.
Brown + gray. This is a neutral combination that needs a special approach. If you choose both tones that are too dark, they will overwhelm each other. Therefore, one of them should be 3 tones lighter. But even in this case, the interior will be too calm. To fix this, bright accessories are added. nine0003
Brown + yellow. The colors are equivalent, so all their shades can be safely used in one composition. Pastel yellows work wonderfully with chocolate or woody tones, and a lack of sunshine can be complemented by bright yellow decor.
Brown + turquoise. It is unusual, but at the same time fresh and very harmonious. Turquoise color gives the living room an exotic look, and if you try, it can reproduce the atmosphere of the tropics. The combination of wicker furniture, wooden wall panels and turquoise accessories (aquarium, stretch ceiling, decorative fountain) looks perfect.
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Note! If you decide to keep the interior of the living room only in brown tones, try to offset the excessive severity of the color with bright accessories - pillows, plants, paintings, elegant vases. Raspberry, lilac and green shades will help to revive the brown room.
Brown living room furniture
Wood is the first thing you want to focus on when choosing furniture for a brown living room. Wooden furniture looks stylish and noble. In addition, it equally harmoniously merges into both classic and modern interiors. For the latter, furniture with whitewashed or chocolate facades is perfect. nine0003
A brown living room is a great occasion to recreate the atmosphere of good old Britain. To give the room the authenticity of that era, dark base shades and a luxurious wooden set will help. The ideal colors for furniture and accessories will be the shade of stained wood, cocoa or natural bark.
For more modern interiors, furniture in light brown and brown shades is suitable, it will add warmth and comfort to the room.
