Brown Living Room Ideas — 13 Ways to Use This Rich and Earthy Hue in Your Color Scheme

Brown is a versatile color that makes a cozy and comforting choice for a living room. The shade is seen throughout nature, from wood and sand through to dry leaves — a quality that means it will always have timeless appeal in our living spaces.

But when people think of living room color ideas, brown isn't usually the first port of call. While it isn't as dramatic or dynamic as other shades, brown is a reliable hue that can look seriously elegant and sophisticated when used properly. The trick is knowing the best ways to decorate with it.

It's also a shade that's become more popular in recent years. It might be a color you associate with retro 70s-style decor, but it's now being reimagined in fresh new ways, with a nostalgic nod to vintage aesthetics. "Brown is a lovely contemporary alternative to gray, offering a warmer tone for light and fresh furniture and accessories to pop against," says Anna Burles, principal designer at London-based studio, Run for the Hills. "A brown resurgence gets our vote."

For a cozy living room that feels like a warm hug, nothing comes close to brown. Think chocolate, nutmeg, warm toast, and roasted coffee beans. Don't those sound delicious? Here's a look at the different ways brown can be used to style an interior, as recommended by top interior designers.

How to use brown in a living room

1. Embrace nostalgic browns with a Mid-Century style

The 70s isn't the only decade where brown living rooms were overwhelmingly popular. They were also a favorite for Mid-Century styles. If you want to pay homage to brown with a retro interior, embracing this classic aesthetic is a great place to start.

That's exactly what Kshama Shah, interior designer at House of Design, set out to achieve in the space above. "I used brown to create a mid-century modern style with an earthy vibe," she says. "I chose brick veneer as a focal point because the organic brick material brings texture, warmth, and earthiness, and compliments the living space in all seasons."

Kshama makes a great case for how decorating with brown can go beyond paint. For example, she also selected wood tones (like the dark walnut credenza — a classic Mid-Century staple) to layer more browns and add depth; no dark walls needed.

2. Contrast browns with lighter tones

If you really want to make brown stand out in your living room then contrast the shade with lighter tones, like cream. Pale neutrals are some of the best colors that go with brown and, when used together, they make for a seriously comforting living space.

Gonzalo Bueno, interior designer and co-founder of Ten Plus Three, says one of his favorite ways to decorate with brown in a living room is with high contrast. "I always love how a deep brown sofa contrasts with a warm white fabric and soft grays," he says. "It can also be done in a rug or wall.”

In the space above, he and his team set out to create a timeless living room that felt warm and inviting, starting with earthy neutral tones. "We then mixed in several cool art pieces that could add interest in the room," says Gonzalo. "The deep brown sofa with the light blush pillows was a perfect combination."

3. Add brown overhead

It's so easy to forget the fifth wall when designing living room ideas, but ceilings shouldn't be overlooked. Painting your ceiling a dark color like brown can totally transform your space, creating a cozier and more intimate feel by creating the effect of lowering the ceiling. It's also a much more liveable way to decorate with brown than painting all four walls.

But that's not the only way of bringing brown to your living room ceiling. Paneling or wooden beams can work wonders, too. "The paneled ceilings in this space were commissioned in Thailand and they run all throughout the bar and living room," explains Mauricio Lobeira, another co-founder at Ten Plus Three and the designer responsible for the space above. "This gives the house a warm pattern, and it helps out with the acoustics as well. The wall cover is a rich linen fabric that softens the atmosphere and generates great sound effects."

4. Choose a textural brown paint

Adding brown to your paint ideas can be very impactful, but sometimes it lacks depth and dimension. Unlike other shades, brown often lacks dynamic qualities because it doesn't always interact with light in the same way (it all depends on the pigment used, of course). But with the right shade and undertones, the color can open up the space, and textured paint finishes in particular can prevent the color from looking too flat.

This might mean sand-textured paint or artisanal application methods like limewash or Roman clay, which give the effect of texture. "One of my favorite ways to incorporate texture into a brown wall is through Venetian or limestone plaster," says Kshama. The tiny bumps and creases on the wall can help create an earthy and dynamic brown wall that brings your living room to life and creates an organic, imperfect feel.

"We’ve loved using a super dark brown black in a limewash in one of our projects," says interior designer Anna Burles of Run for the Hills, referencing the image above. "We then paired the brown walls with a fresh and zingy off-white sofa and light and bright fluoro art prints by DEX and it looked fabulous. We also used a lovely silvery brown sheepskin which again popped so nicely from the wood floor and dark inky brown walls."

5. Opt for earthy wallpaper

Choosing a brown wallpaper can help add movement to a space and give it a touch of grandiose. Ideally, a subtle pattern can add volumes of style and transform it into a contemporary scape. If you love dark brown wallpaper but want a brighter look for your living room, select a wall covering with a white pattern.

Another way to give your living room wallpaper ideas a glow-up is by choosing a satin-finish instead. If it's a textural design you're opting for, then grasscloth and other natural woven wall coverings are great choices for adding texture. We love this exotic monkey-themed wallpaper from Divine Savages which comes in a luxurious fibrous paper.

6. Introduce wooden tones

Wood is a timeless material, suited for every purpose and style. It is durable, sometimes rustic, and sometimes exotic. The possibilities are endless, helping to execute any style, from an elegant living room to a rural-inspired retreat.

When working with wood, it’s safest to stick to a maximum of just three wood tones in a space. This will help give warmth to the space and induce a feeling of cocooning. Usually, pale tones work on floors, whereas dark to mid-tones are ideal for cabinets. If it's one accent wood tone you're looking for, a fully wooden ceiling can work wonders. "Another way is through using brown on walls with wood paneling or brown-stained wood window and door frames," says Catherine Staples, interior designer at Aspen & Ivy.

If using multiple wood tones, opt for different textures so you can enjoy the beauty of the subtle differences between them for a tactile interior. Think engineered wood, smooth, and grainy wood, or even driftwood, all within the same space. "When it comes to decorating a living room with brown, we like to add vintage wood tones to tie into the colorway," says Leslie. "Elements like textures, patterns, and organic pieces can make browns pop, making the overall design feel fresh and new."

7. Choose taupe textiles

It can be difficult to convert a large space into a cozy living room, but that's where color can come into play, especially with your furnishings. An earthy brown color spread across the fabrics can help create a unified look.

"Brown is an amazing and classic color, lending itself to nearly any palette," says Jenna Schumacher, interior designer at Insert Design. "It is a versatile neutral that can be used for far more than just wood finishes. If you love brown right now, using it on items that can be updated in the future, like fabrics, allows you to enjoy it for the moment but reimagine your palette when your taste changes."

8. Layer browns for a cozy tonal scheme

Monochromatic color schemes make such a cozy choice for living rooms, especially brown. Layering your room with brown tones will really enhance the nourishing energy of this color, so consider a tone-on-tone layering technique to help create a wonderfully snug space.

Decorating with different shades of brown also adds depth to a space and enrich its overall palette. Think espresso browns, deep mahogany, and luscious latte shades. These colors are timeless and have an inherently elegant look.

Make sure you think outside the box with this decorating idea. Between the walls, the furniture, and the textiles, add browns from the same family within your accessories, objet, and hardware, too. The only thing to keep in mind is when layering with one color, a space runs the risk of reading a little boring so it's best to bring in pattern, texture, and art that refrain the room from feeling a little too one-note.

9. Expose brown-toned bricks

If your home has a beautiful exposed brick wall, you won’t need to do anything more than show it off so it can contribute to your brown color palette. And, there is no better way to have brown than in its most natural tones.

One wonderful way to use red brick in interiors is by keeping adjoining walls white or grey and going minimal with decor. Within a tight palette, you can establish your rustic living room's materiality and color palette. If the brick's organic texture seems too stark for you, consider painting it a light color that works well with your other decor choices.

A great way to create a wonderful contrast in a brick-feature interior is to go bold with other colors. Consider a black and white, red, or navy blue living room which will look fantastic against an organic brick wall.

10. Welcome chocolate brown sofas

"When designing a living room, I love using earthy colors, particularly brown, which tends to serve as a grounding color," says Kirsten Blazek, principal designer of A1000XBetter. "Browns can be neutral and work with a wide range of color palettes." And there's no better way to make the color the anchor of your living room than choosing a brown sofa.

When it comes to your furniture, brown can be an easy choice to make, thanks to the many types of materials that can be found in this color. "I love using brown hues when working with leathers and wood furniture," Kirsten adds. Compared to whites and beiges, brown offers a neutral living room idea that still packs a punch.

11. Embrace organic decor

If you want brown to be more of an accent color in your living room, choose organic decor to pepper through the space. From wooden furniture to rattan wall hangings, these contribute to a bright room filled with natural wood, organic materials, and neutral tones. Think modern yet spare, but never cold.

To visualize this look, picture traditional Scandi schemes or rustic bohemian styles. When you think of live-edge wood, rattan, cane, wicker, natural fibers, jute, and bamboo, they all evoke a sense of calmness, making you feel one with nature. Not to forget, they all carry with them the softest brown tones.

"We tend to lean towards more coastal designs and have found that brown is an essential component to creating that upscale beach house feel," explains designer Alexis Woodbury Earman of The Woodbury Home. "We actually start with a neutral brown base as our foundation for most of our design or styling projects. The brown in our design is what brings the warmth into the space, and without this layering, rooms could easily feel too sterile."

12. Pair brown with complementary colors 

Not all browns are created equal. This color can have red, grey, and even purple undertones, making it the perfect pairing with other bold colors. Think of cherry wood furniture or flooring placed against a reddish-brown wall.

There are plenty of colors that go with dark brown, as well as lighter tones, too. "Brown is a neutral color, so it can be paired with most hues," says interior designer Mary Patton. "I recommend choosing one pop of color and keeping everything else in a brown tone with a sheen to bring light into a space." Warm colors like red, pink, and orange are a popular choice. However, brown also makes a great partner for colder-toned colors such as blue and green, warming up these schemes.

"For a touch of drama and moodiness, I'd go for high contrast pairings like dark chocolate browns with lighter neutrals and saturated accent colors," adds designer and lover of color, Cristina Cleveland. "And for a more relaxed, tranquil feel you could lean into a tonal palette of camels, creams, and clay. "

13. Choose dark wood flooring

Wood flooring ideas are so popular, especially oak or red oak. "My favorite way to incorporate brown in a living room tends to be through flooring," says Alexis. "Wood is such a stunning way to add dreamy brown tones and life into any space, while still feeling cozy." Durable and great for high-traffic areas, these dark wooden floors hold up well to wear and use, and the distinctive grain pattern brings a nuanced brown coloring underfoot.

Dark wood flooring can lay the grounds for a wonderfully welcoming living room. The floor can act as a neutral canvas and other tones can be easily overlaid via furnishings and paints. To create a more cozy and warm feel, add an area rug underneath your sofa to soften and warm the space, literally and figuratively.

FAQs

Is brown a good color for a living room?

Brown is a color that can naturally enhance a space. That's because most decor, furniture, and materials are in tones of brown — such as wood, leather, wicker, or brick — making it a wonderful color for living or family rooms.

If you're worried about brown looking too dark and moody for your living room, then use it more sparingly. When used as an all-over shade for color drenching, for example, it can be very intense. Sometimes, an overindulgence in brown can feel rustic and earthy, especially when using wood and red brick. The best way to counter that is to use creams, grays, and off-whites to anchor the scheme to a more modern one.

Kshama does have a trick to achieve a harmonious balance, though. "When using browns in a living room, I try to follow the rule of 60:30:10," she says. "If brown is the dominant color, it should take up 60% of the room (in elements like a sofa, sectional, wall paint, flooring, cabinets, and credenza). The secondary color should take up 30% of the room (in elements like curtains and draperies, area rugs, ceiling, dominant fabric, accent furniture, and accent cabinets). Finally, 10% of the room should be an accent color (in elements like decor and pillows)."

It's important to consider your room's lighting, too. "If you have a room that doesn't get a lot of natural light, I would be wary of using too much brown, which can make the space feel dull and dark," says Kirsten at A1000XBetter. "Make sure you take a look at the undertones in your chosen brown, which can be influenced by so many other colors like purple, green, and gray."

How do you decorate a brown living room?

The options for decorating with brown in your living room are virtually endless. For a more liveable approach, turn to natural materials peppered through your decor. "One way to feature brown is to use timeless natural and organic materials that have been used for hundreds of years, like wicker, ceramic, brick, bamboo, wood, and fabrics," suggests Kshama.

For a more committed approach to brown, this color looks fantastic as paint, especially textured paint that gives the decor scheme some movement. If the paint isn't for you, then brown wallpaper works just as well. "For brown window treatments, I recommend wood blinds, linen curtains with brown hues, woven wood shades, or draperies that combine browns and cream," notes Kshama. "Brown lighting can be done well using pendant lights, wall lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, and chandeliers."

You can also give your living room a super dramatic look by pairing browns with purple or bright yellow shades, or by drenching the entire room in brown tones for a truly cocooning feel. From light brown walls and furnishings to carpets and flooring, a room can easily be doused in this versatile color choice for a comforting, elevated feel.