Some people see brown as dull, boring, and nondescript. But when it comes to design, pairing brown with a variety of colors can help you to create stunning and memorable color schemes.
Here’s a list of colors that go with brown, including color palette examples.
1. Pastel Pink and Brown
Hex Codes: #FFD1DC, #56494C, #D6BA73
If you want to create a calm, gentle room that’s still got personality, look no further than pastel pink. Pastels can make a room look light and airy, so brown can ground it enough to keep the room in balance. Chocolate brown works well here, as it creates a visually interesting contrast. If you want less contrast, softer shades of taupe also work well.
Try combining pastel pink walls with a chocolate brown living room suite. You can even include pastel pink accent pillows and throws, too. If you want to keep the room more neutral, try the same furniture and accents in a room with cream, warm white, or pale gray walls.
2. Navy Blue and Brown
Hex Codes: #000080, #584D3D, #DDF45B
Brown and blue are colors that are seemingly made for one another. Navy has a classic appeal that pairs especially well with darker browns that have cool undertones. But since too much of either color can make a room feel overly dark, be sure to include plenty of white or another light neutral. And if you want to add a little extra dynamism, include a few pops of brighter colors like lemon yellow or tangerine orange.
Try a living room with a white couch, dark brown ottoman, and navy and white patterned rug. You can really get creative with this combination, so don’t be afraid to take risks!
3. Mustard Yellow and Brown
Hex Codes: #FFDB58, #704E2E, #849483
The slightly muted nature of mustard yellow makes it a great choice for those who like yellow but are afraid of making a room overly bright or energetic. It’s also a vintage-inspired color that adds a classic feel to any room. This hue looks especially nice with darker shades of brown.
Mustard yellow has become a somewhat common furniture color, especially for velour couches and chairs. For a vintage-inspired look, try taking a room with dark wood floors and adding mustard yellow couches, chairs, or both. This is a combination that also looks good with blue, so try adding a vivid blue rug, soft blue walls, or a few blue accents throughout the room.
4. Teal and Brown
Hex Codes: #008080, #91785D, #FAF3DD
Teal is a vivid, distinctive color with balanced energy. Though it’s technically a cool color, it can really add some dynamism to a room. This is especially true when you use it as a wall color. Using a saturated shade of teal on your walls might be non-traditional, but it can really make your walls pop.
Teal looks good with many shades of brown. But if you want to add a lighter counterweight, pair teal walls with softer brown furniture. Pale gray-browns and other shades with cooler undertones go quite well. Sprinkling in some cool white is a good idea, too: try crisp white ceilings and wall trim!
5. Cool White and Brown
Hex Codes: #F4FDFF, #5C5346, #B4869F
Speaking of cool white, this is a perfect shade to pair with various shades of brown! You can really shape the mood of a room with the color of brown you select, but cool white seems to go very well with seal brown or various shades of medium brown.
You can take this combo in a number of directions. For a sleek, ultra-modern look, take a mostly-white room and add a few brown accents. A dark brown wooden end table or a seal brown ottoman would work well. Alternatively, try crisp white furniture (or a crisp white bedspread) in a room with dark brown wood floors. And if you have a home with white walls and visible wooden beams on the ceiling, a dark brown finish on the wood can add some real character!
6. Copper and Brown
Hex Codes: #B87333, #6E543C, #F0CBA8
Metallic shades are a great choice for vintage-inspired and modern interiors alike. If you want to keep the look almost monochromatic, copper is a great choice to pair with brown. Just about any shade looks good, but softer gray-browns really let the copper shine through.
You can incorporate copper in subtle ways with copper hardware on furniture, sinks, etc. But you can also go bold with photo frames, wall hangings, and even lamps. Copper looks good with pale brown walls or furniture. Choose browns with cooler undertones for higher contrast, or go with warmer browns for a warmer overall look.
7. Royal Fuchsia and Brown
Hex Codes: #CA2C92, #463F3A, #F1E0C5
Looking for something a little eccentric? Or hoping to brighten up a mostly-brown room that feels a little too dull? Royal fuchsia just might be your answer. The combination of brown and fuchsia probably sounds a bit odd, but the key here is to just incorporate a few accents.
For instance, if you have a living room that is mostly brown and beige, you can brighten it up easily and inexpensively with a fuchsia rug and/or accent pillows. You might even consider an art piece or other wall hanging that’s primarily fuchsia. Or if you want to create something very bold, you might choose to add a fuchsia and white patterned accent wall.
8. Black and Brown
Hex Codes: #000000, #96705B, #FFEEDB
If you like dark and dramatic shades, try pairing black with brown. If you’re worried about creating a palette that is too dark, choose paler shades of taupe or even tan. But if you don’t want that stark of a contrast, try espresso brown and black. If you go this route, be sure to balance it out with enough of a cooler neutral.
If you want to start off with just a little black, start with a mostly-pale room with gray-brown furniture. Add in end tables, coffee tables, etc. with black wrought iron legs. Sprinkle in black photo frames, lamps, etc. Even a small amount of black will help to ground the room and add just a bit of contrast.
9. Cardinal Red and Brown
Hex Codes: #C41E3A, #776D5A, #DBD9DB
This might not be the first combination you think of when you picture color combinations with brown. But when executed carefully, it can create a warm and welcoming environment. Bold cardinal red looks great against dark espresso brown, but it also looks nice against lighter, warmer shades like those commonly found in wood flooring.
So of course, an easy way to integrate this combination is to combine red furniture or rugs with brown wood flooring. You also can add red accent pillows or throws to brown leather furniture. But if you want to create a moody, non-traditional palette, combine deep brown walls with a bright red bedspread or bright red furniture.
10. Ultramarine Blue and Brown
Hex Codes: #120A8F, #5F4842, #F6F7EB
Ultramarine blue is a rich, deep blue that’s a bit brighter than navy. It’s a great choice alongside crisp whites, and it also pairs well with brown. Keep the whole palette cool with darker browns, or add some warmth with reddish or chestnut browns.
One very bold way to use this combination is to combine ultramarine walls with wooden furniture; this look goes well with white trim or other accents. If you like patterns, you can include almost anything with ultramarine and white patterning in a room with brown furniture. Try pillows, rugs, throws, lampshades, or even entire accent walls!
11. Sage Green and Brown
Hex Codes: #9CAF88, #504136, #F2D1C9
If you like green and want a vintage-inspired shade with modern appeal, sage green is an excellent choice. You can pair it with soft tans and white for a soft pastel look. But if you want something to really offer a grounding influence, darker shades are best.
When it comes to putting this combination into action, keep in mind that sage makes a beautiful wall color. Even very dilute shades can add some real personality. You can include a palette of several related colors for an earthy feel: try white, a couple of shades of sage, and a few shades of tan or light brown. This color scheme is almost monochromatic, and it gives the room a unified feel while still maintaining a lot of visual interest.
12. Medium Purple and Brown
Hex Codes: #9370DB, #4A4238, #DCCCBB
Adding purple is a great way to make a brown color scheme more interesting while still maintaining a quiet energy. Medium purple looks especially nice with dark brown or reddish brown.
It doesn’t take a whole lot of purple to really spice up a room. In a kitchen or living room that’s mostly different shades of brown, even a bouquet of orchids or other purple flowers can add a pop of color. Since brown and purple can both be strong colors in a color scheme, choosing a purple focal point usually works best. It doesn’t have to be flowers, either: an art piece, vase, etc. can add enough interest or character.
13. Beige and Brown
Hex Codes: #F5F5DC, #5A352A, #F75C03
The combination of beige and brown is a classic one, especially when it comes to living rooms. Depending on the exact shade of beige you use, cinnamon brown and seal brown can look especially nice. Seal brown or espresso brown goes well with cooler-hued beiges, while cinnamon brown is a good pairing for warmer shades of beige.
This combination is also a good one for creating a gradient palette, meaning you’d include various shades in between beige and brown. You might consider a living room with soft beige walls, medium beige couches, and a darker brown wooden coffee table. If you feel the room needs to be a bit brighter, add some more white.
14. Periwinkle and Brown
Hex Codes: #CCCCFF, #4C2E05, #EFBC9B
Not quite blue and not quite purple, periwinkle is a beautifully unique shade when it comes to interior decorating. And like many shades of both blue and purple, it goes well with brown. It tends to work best with a pale neutral in the mix, too.
Periwinkle makes a distinctive wall color, especially when you use bold shades. Try combining it with white couches (or a white bedspread) and a piece of brown wooden furniture or two. If this look is a bit too bold, try white or off-white walls, and make the bedspread or furniture periwinkle instead. If you just want the barest hint of the color, incorporate a pillow or throw with a multicolored pattern that includes periwinkle into a mostly-neutral room.
15. Cream and Brown
Hex Codes: #FFFDD0, #393424, #E85F5C
Brown goes well with white. It also goes well with beige. And if you can’t choose between these two colors, cream is a great compromise. Its warmth helps the room avoid looking overly sterile. And because it’s a neutral like brown, you also have the option to include a pop or two of brighter colors.
You might try this color combination in a dining room by including cream walls and a brown wooden table. For a bit of visual interest, try adding brick red or sage green chairs. Or if you have an existing living room with espresso furniture, try adding cream accent pillows and/or a cream rug.
16. Golden Yellow and Brown
Hex Codes: #FCCB06, #352208, #837A75
If you’re looking to create a rich, autumnal palette, try combining golden yellow with brown. Golden yellow makes a great wall color; it brings the warmth of yellow, but its golden glow prevents it from becoming overly bright.
You might try using this combination by painting the walls golden yellow in a room with brown wood flooring. This combination looks best with cooler-hued brown finishes. If you want more brown in the palette, golden yellow also looks nice with very dark brown leather or wooden furniture. Or if you’d prefer to keep the palette light, combine golden yellow walls with white wall trim and very pale wooden furniture or floors.
17. Cool Gray and Brown
Hex Codes: #8C92AC, #524948, #F1E8B8
Cooler shades of gray are a safe choice when you’re looking for something to pair with brown. You have the opportunity to create moody palettes with deeper shades of each or design lighter, airier interiors.
Scandinavian-style interiors offer plenty of inspiration here. These rooms generally have plenty of shades of pale brown, gray, cream, beige, etc. To create this look, pair very pale gray walls with beige and/or soft brown furniture, pale wood accents, and a cream-colored textured rug. Feel free to add various accessories that fit within the palette, as they can really help the room feel like home.
18. Medium Green and Brown
Hex Codes: #3CB371, #483D3F, #FBFEF9
As we’ve seen, shades of green like sage tend to pair well with brown. But medium, leafy green is a great accent color, too. The best way to incorporate it is by using actual plants. Large potted plants placed on the floor make quite a statement, but if you don’t have the space, a potted plant placed on a table or mantlepiece works, too.
Plants will look nice with any shade of brown at all, so this is one of the easiest combinations to create. Whether your room has brown furniture, soft beige walls, or even just a few brown accents, the inclusion of one plant or many can add a sense of new life. Of course, if you’d rather not include actual plants, try leafy patterned wallpaper or even wall art depicting a plant or two.
19. Plum and Brown
Hex Codes: #8E4585, #423E37, #ECE5F0
Ask any interior designer what shades of purple go with brown, and plum will almost certainly be on the list. This particularly luscious shade of purple can add glamour to any room without getting too over the top.
In particular, plum excels as an accent wall color. It looks good with furniture or floors of a similarly rich brown. But if you want just a touch of this lovely color, try plum-colored curtains in a room with white walls and brown furniture. You also can choose a rug or piece of wall art that includes just a bit of this lovely color.
20. Turquoise and Brown
Hex Codes: #30D5C8, #7E6551, #EEE4E1
Turquoise is a beautifully high-energy color that can really add some life to a room. It looks especially beautiful next to soft cocoa brown. The softer neutral acts as a backdrop for turquoise’s brightness.
Try decorating a room with cocoa brown and cream patterned wallpaper. Add a few pieces of turquoise furniture with clean lines. This look is wonderfully sophisticated, but it also offers a balanced and welcoming energy. But if you want your room to look extra bright, try a turquoise accent wall in a room with brown furniture! This combination goes well with various shades of white as well as silver or pewter.
21. Burnt Orange and Brown
Hex Codes: #BF5700, #251605, #F7DBA7
If you want to create a room with a warm and inviting aesthetic, burnt orange and warmer shades of brown are a great way to go. And if you’re worried about this combination becoming too overwhelming, use softer shades of burnt orange alongside more saturated shades of brown (or vice versa).
This look works especially well in a bedroom. In a room with brown wood floors or brown carpeting, add a bedspread of soft burnt orange. White walls help balance out the palette, and a few gold wall hangings add to the warmth without detracting from this pretty combination. If you really want the orange to stand out, try this same combination with a white bedspread and soft burnt orange walls.
22. Bronze and Brown
Hex Codes: #C5832B, #562C2C, #F9EBE0
Most shades of brown look especially nice with warmer-hued metallics. Bronze is a great choice for this purpose, especially if you like the warmth of gold but are trying to avoid an overly ornate aesthetic.
Like other metallics, bronze can be easily incorporated in smaller or larger doses. If you still aren’t quite sold on the combination, add bronze hardware to brown wooden furniture like dressers, end tables, etc. If you want a bolder look, you can incorporate bronze like you would any metallic: try mirrors or photos with bronze frames, add a few bronze wall sculptures, or even include a couple of bronze lamps or candlesticks.
23. Burgundy and Brown
Hex Codes: #800020, #938274, #FCFCFC
If you want to create a room with a regal feel that doesn’t become gaudy, try burgundy and brown! Burgundy goes best with espresso brown or other dark shades, as warmer or reddish browns tend to compete with the reddish undertones of burgundy.
One of the best ways to incorporate this color is to include burgundy and gold brocade pillows and/or curtains in a living room with seal brown furniture. You can even add a burgundy rug to complete the look. But to avoid making the room look overly dark, be sure the walls are a paler neutral like warm white. For something a little different, try walls of very soft golden yellow.
24. Powder Blue and Brown
Hex Codes: #B0E0E6, #5C4742, #E8DB7D
We’ve already seen that blue and brown go quite well together. And powder blue is pale enough that most people would consider it to be a good wall color. This soft shade of blue goes best with either quiet cocoa brown or darker, bolder shades.
One of the best (and easiest) ways to integrate this combination into a room is to combine powder blue walls with wooden furniture. Since blue is a soothing color, this combination is a great choice for bedrooms. For a soft and dreamy look, include a white or mostly-white bedspread. And if you want the room to have some vintage appeal, try powder blue and white patterned wallpaper!
25. Tangerine and Brown
Hex Codes: #F28500, #583E23, #F4F3EE
Orange is a high-energy color, and tangerine is especially so. Some people avoid it when designing a room, as too much orange can become overwhelming. But when it’s used judiciously, tangerine can add just enough energy to any room.
Try adding a tangerine tiled backsplash in a mostly brown and gray kitchen. Darker browns are grounding, and the cooler energy of gray helps to balance out the orange a bit. If you want to create a cheerful and welcoming living room, take a room that includes a lot of brown and gray and add a bold orange accent wall. Alternatively, if you just want a little touch of orange, include a largely orange art piece in a living room that’s mostly neutral. If you have a cool-hued bathroom with a good bit of brown, include an orange bowl sink as a bright and memorable focal point.
26. Lilac and Brown
Hex Codes: #C8A2C8, #58504A, #8DAB7F
We mentioned above that brown goes nicely with various shades of purple and pink. If you can’t decide between these colors, lilac is a great choice. When used in softer shades, it makes a good wall color or curtain color. In bolder and more saturated hues, it can really pop against darker brown furniture or floors.
Lilac also lends itself to use in patterns with brown, especially softer shades. Patterned pillows, throws, and curtains are all good choices, especially in a room with darker brown furniture or wood floors. Or for an especially memorable (if a little eccentric) look, add in a lilac and brown patterned accent wall.
27. Brick Red and Brown
Hex Codes: #CB4154, #261C15, #FBF5F3
If you like the look of red in a room but find cardinal and carmine shades too bright for your current project, brick red just might be your answer. This somewhat muted, almost distressed red is at home in many palettes, especially when incorporated as a Persian-style rug.
You might consider adding a rug like this to a room with dark brown floors and/or brown walls. But if you’re someone who really likes this shade, you might opt for brick red walls. This might seem a little unusual, but it can give a room a distinctly Mediterranean feel. Hang brown picture frames and include brown wooden furniture to help ground the look and offer a bit of contrast.
28. Silver and Brown
Hex Codes: #C0C0C0, #553D36, #218380
Silver is another metallic that pairs well with brown, especially if you’re looking to create a modern look. And while you can include the metal itself, silver also makes a great color for furniture like chairs and couches. Try a living room with silvery furniture, white or pale brown walls, and a black-brown coffee table.
If you’d rather incorporate silver as a metal, you should find no shortage of options. Add a silver-colored metal sculpture as a conversation piece, or choose chairs with steel or chrome-plated legs. Silver is also a great color for picture frames, and it’s one of the more popular hardware colors for various types of furniture, too.
29. Khaki and Brown
Hex Codes: #C3B091, #48392A, #CD4631
Some people might consider khaki to be a shade of brown (or close to it). But this unique color goes so well with brown that it deserves its own mention. More dilute shades of khaki can add some warmth to walls and make a room look inviting. This look goes well with softer gray-brown flooring, furniture, or both.
The driftwood-like gray-brown shade you often see in flooring looks especially nice with khaki. With this floor/wall combination, you can include furniture of just about any shade of brown. A white or off-white rug and wall trim will add a little light and keep the combination in balance.
30. Ash Blue and Brown
Hex Codes: #A7C2CC, #554348, #CC998D
Most shades of brown look great next to gray or blue, so ash blue is a logical choice. This gentle, powdery color sits somewhere between blue and gray, so it works almost like a neutral. Like many similar colors, ash blue is a great wall color. But if you just want a small accent, ash blue pillows and throws look nice on brown living room furniture.
Ash blue is also a great color for a bedspread or even for the furniture itself. In this case, a few brown accents or pieces of wooden furniture can ground the palette and add some visual interest. And if you like patterns, just about any accessory patterned with brown and ash blue will work, too.
31. Seafoam Green and Brown
Hex Codes: #9FE2BF, #877B66, #222725
If you want to create a palette reminiscent of days at the beach, seafoam green is a great choice. It pairs well with light, sandy shades of brown. If you wish, you can keep the seaside theme going with hints of crisp white and ultramarine.
You might consider adding a seafoam green rug to a living room with off-white couches and chairs. Include a dark brown coffee table for some contrast. If you wish, sprinkle in some ultramarine pillows or other small accents. Seafoam green also makes an excellent wall color, especially with cool white wall trim.
32. Terra Cotta and Brown
Hex Codes: #E2725B, #594236, #E2DADB
If you want a warm look with hints of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appeal, terra cotta and brown are great choices of decor. When it comes to interior design, terra cotta is most commonly used as a wall color. But if you want to add in just a few hints, consider potted plants in large terra cotta pots.
This look goes well with dark brown wood flooring or tile flooring. But if you have a different flooring type, try adding darker brown chairs, couches, or a table. This look can really be brought together with a Persian-style rug. And since terra cotta works somewhat like a neutral but is also relatively warm, cool colors are a must in order to balance out the room. The best way to do this is to add a few green plants.
33. Aubergine and Brown
Hex Codes: #472C4C, #8D6346, #F8FCDA
If you like moodier aesthetics, aubergine is a must. Like the vegetable it’s named after, aubergine is often such a deep purple that it borders on black. For a bold look, include at least one aubergine accent wall in a room with brown flooring, brown furniture, or both. If you’re looking for an additional color to continue the mood, navy blue or emerald green are both wise choices.
If you like velvety upholstered furniture, it’s worth seeking out chairs with aubergine velvet or velour. If the chairs include wood, look for darker brown stains. If you like the combination but would rather the room not seem too dark, include the chair as an accent in a room with mostly paler neutrals.
34. Mint Green and Brown
Hex Codes: #99EDC3, #695958, #87A0B2
Brown tends to look nice alongside various pastels, including powder blue and baby pink. So it comes as no surprise that it also looks great with mint green. This delicate shade is a little more springlike than sage, and it’s a great color for walls, bedspreads, rugs, accent pillows, and more.
Like other pastels, mint looks especially nice with softer shades of brown or darker, more grounding colors. Try a kitchen with light brown cabinets, mint green walls, and silver appliances. This look combines the best of both vintage and modern aesthetics for a refreshing look.
35. Cerulean and Brown
Hex Codes: #2A52BE, #ADA296, #3B413C
Cerulean is a rich, intense blue somewhere between ultramarine and royal blue. Because of its brightness, it does best in small doses. And like many blue shades, it looks great alongside most brown hues.
If you can find cerulean-tinted blue glass, this is a beautiful way to add this remarkable color. Try a dining room with a dark brown wooden table and a cerulean-blue glass bowl as a focal point. If you want to consider the blue and brown trend, consider including softer blue walls as well. Of course, if you want to create a bolder look, you might consider adding a bright cerulean accent wall to a living room with brown furniture and otherwise white walls.
36. Lemon Yellow and Brown
Hex Codes: #FEF250, #5C573E, #93B1A7
You often see brown alongside more golden shades of yellow. But believe it or not, bright lemon yellow can also work nicely with brown. Like many other high-energy hot colors, yellow should generally be included in very small doses.
Because it needs cooler colors to balance out its energy, yellow does best with darker, cool-leaning browns. If you want to try out the combination before committing, add a yellow table runner to a darker brown table or a yellow accent pillow or two to darker brown furniture. If you want more yellow, include a yellow rug, mostly-yellow wall hanging, or even an accent wall.
37. Gold and Brown
Hex Codes: #D4AF37, #846C5B, #094074
Gold is one of the many metallics that ends up looking great with brown. You don’t need a whole lot to make a statement, either: even small touches can add a sophisticated edge to any room. And since just about every metallic item comes in gold, you should have no trouble finding the accessories you need.
Try adding golden wall sconces to a room with navy blue walls (or at least a navy accent wall). Then, place a lighter, reddish-brown leather couch in front of the wall. The navy clearly showcases the gold in the sconces, while the warmth of the sconces connects with the warmish hue of the couch.
38. Olive Green and Brown
Hex Codes: #556B2F, #CFB9A5, #403233
If you like the look of green but are hoping for a classic, sophisticated shade, olive is a fantastic choice. And since there’s quite a variety of shades of olive out there, you can choose warmer or cooler hues depending on the room you’re creating.
Olive green goes especially well with pastel browns. An olive accent wall, rug, or pillows (or all three) will go nicely with pale brown living room furniture. If you’re looking to create a darker overall look, you can replicate that palette with darker shades of brown instead of pastel brown. And if you have a home with wood paneling, olive furniture is a great choice against brown wooden walls.
39. Charcoal and Brown
Hex Codes: #36454F, #C2A878, #DA2C38
Charcoal is a mainstay when it comes to design. It’s bold and makes a statement, but it also pairs beautifully with a variety of other colors. If you’re looking to create a calming and largely neutral space, combining charcoal with brown is a great option.
Charcoal goes well with paler gray-browns as well as darker shades. Try dark gray furniture atop gray-brown wood floors or a gray-brown rug. One of the advantages of this combination is that it serves as the perfect backdrop for a few pops of another bright color or two. Adding a little orange, yellow, or even red can make the space especially distinctive.
40. Dark Emerald and Brown
Hex Codes: #225A2F, #937B63, #9DD9D2
With deep blue undertones, emerald is quite an intriguing shade of green. In particular, emerald velvet or velour furniture looks especially stately atop brown wood floors.
But depending on your design preferences, you might want to use emerald to make a bolder statement. Emerald green walls add some character to a room, especially if you counterbalance this relatively dark color with paler furniture. Pastel brown, cream, and white are all great options. You might consider adding a statement piece here, too: coral really pops in front of emerald walls. Try a chair, sculpture, or piece of wall art.
41. Champagne and Brown
Hex Codes: #F7E7CE, #503D3F, #C49BBB
If you like beige but want something a bit more elegant, give champagne a shot! It’s a bit like a mix of cream and gold, so it looks nice against any brown shade. Create a more monochromatic palette with champagne, soft brown, and cream, or create contrast with darker shades of brown.
This look is relatively easy to create. You might consider soft champagne walls and pale brown furniture. Hanging a sepia-toned photo or two on the wall can really make a difference. You might consider adding some darker brown accents like pillows or wooden furniture to ground the look. Or if you want uncommon and luxurious hardware, try adding a champagne-colored sink to a kitchen with brown cabinets and/or walls.
Designing With Brown
Hopefully, this list has given you some inspiration for designing your next room. Remember that you aren’t limited to brown and one other color; including multiple colors that pair well with brown will help you create layered and beautiful palettes.
