What Colors Go With Brown? – Unique Brown Complementary Colors

Brown is arguably the color that is most associated with being a “natural” color. Brown represents earth, wood, coffee, Italian leather, and of course: chocolate. It is almost always the neutral backdrop, and rarely the focal color. Some even consider brown the absence of color and that statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Brown is a combination of the three primary colors: yellow, blue, and red. This results in brown having endless tones, shades, and undertones. Because brown is the neutral backdrop that most use to design with, you might find yourself wondering what colors go with brown and what the best color combinations are for brown.

Brown Color Combinations

When trying to find combinations for a particular color, it usually helps to look at the various combinations of that color, like the analogous colors, monochromatic colors, triad colors, complementary colors, and so forth. The approach differs slightly when trying to assess what colors go with brown, as brown is a mixture of so many different colors, and going into depth about the combinations for each tends to confuse most people.

Discovering colors that go with brown is much easier than you might think. Be sure to keep the following definitions in mind when evaluating the color combinations below:

What Colors Go With Brown?

Brown is such a vibrant color that ranges from rich and lively tones to very subtle and muted variations. Certain shades of brown even represent entirely different design styles by themselves: light, yellowy-brown wooden furniture is common in Scandinavian interiors, whereas rich, warm brown wood furniture pieces were very well known during the mid-century modern era.

Brown has always been evident in interior design, but it is rarely recognized as a favorite color, which renders it difficult to sell if not understood. What most seem to underestimate is the ability of brown to stand firm on its own, without the additional help of bright colors that most seem to gravitate towards. Brown has always been evident in interiors throughout the centuries, no matter the style of that time. In comparison to other neutrals such as gray or black, which were missing during certain periods, brown can be seen as a timeless color.

Brown represents strength, quality, reliability, and safety. One look at a large oak tree can confirm this connection that has been drawn. High-end brands like Louis Vuitton make use of brown in their branding and their products for this exact reason.

The task of selecting colors that go with brown is much easier when the brown in question is identified as one of the following: warm brown, neutral brown, and cool brown. These categories are distinguished through the undertone of different browns. Some browns have warm undertones of red and orange, while others have clear cool tones of blue and purple. Other browns have a green undertone and can be seen as neutral brown. If the undertone is very difficult to distinguish, it is most likely also a neutral brown. It is important to note that there are plenty of variations of browns within these hues, but for the sake of clarity, the following will be used throughout:

Warm Brown Combined With Yellow and Orange

Warm brown has a hint of orange or red visible. Think mahogany wood. Red-brown was very popular during the mid-20^th century when mid-century modern furniture was all the rage. Taking more inspiration from mid-century modernism: there are plenty of pairings that included orange and yellow with sleek wood furniture pieces. The reason this color combination worked as well as it did, is because they picked up the analogous colors from the red or orange undertones in the wooden furniture. It is important to note that these are all warm colors that are very pleasing to the eye and together they create a sense of harmony in any space.

Brown Combined With Green

Brown complementary colors can be determined through the assessment of the undertone of the specific brown. The complementary color of warm/red-brown is green, which makes green one of the best colors that go with brown. Using greenery in the form of plants is a great way to bring color into a space as well as accentuate your wooden furniture, without it being too thematic. This is a great natural and earthy color combination that you can never go wrong with. 

Try and keep the green minimal, depending on the shade, as it can be very unforgiving in large quantities next to brown if a bright green is used, like in the table below.

Cool green is a great color to use as a backdrop for neutral brown furniture, if you feel like painting a wall green, for example. This will result in a very moody and contemporary atmosphere when done right.

Cool Brown Combined With Orange

Cool brown means that there is a visible undertone of blue. This brown hue is usually associated with good quality and masculinity. The complementary color of blue is orange, which makes orange a great combination with cool brown. An earthy orange, like terracotta, works best with a cool brown.

Neutral Dark Brown Combined With Black and White

If you are looking at a dark brown color and there is no visible warm or cold undertone, it can be considered a neutral brown that can be combined and look great with almost any color, as it is a true neutral in every sense of the word. This type of brown works well with other neutral colors such as white and black, as it is very contrasting and makes a contemporary statement. Black and brown work great together as textile patterns.

Keep brown complementary colors such as green or orange (depending on the undertone of brown) in mind when using these three colors as a base, as they can work great as pops of color in the form of décor.

Another way to subtly introduce black into your brown interior is through fittings such as door handles, plumbing fixtures, and small furniture items like dining chairs. If the desired mood of the interior is of an industrial or more masculine manner, this color scheme is the way to go. If masculinity is not entirely what you are after, incorporating white furniture pieces or using white as the backdrop of the space will in turn soften everything and create balance in the space.

Neutral Light Brown Combined With Creams

As with the above example, if you are faced with a very light brown that doesn’t seem warmer than it is cool or vice versa, it can be considered a neutral light brown. A light brown is a great neutral to work with, as it is very modern and goes with any color, whether it be very bright pops of color or toned-down pastels. Light browns also work well as monotones, as it creates a very calming atmosphere.

Neutral Brown Combined With Teal

Referencing the earth symbolism of brown, teal is naturally one of the colors that go with brown, as it represents the ocean and completes the earth-ocean duo. Teal looks great with any shade of neutral brown. Defer from pairing teal with a very warm brown or an overly cool brown, as this will clash. 

It must be a neutral brown.

A Bonus Interior Design Tip

Metals should also be considered when deciding what colors go with brown. People tend to struggle with pairing different metals with brown. The reason for this is that the tone of brown is not taken into consideration when choosing metal fixtures throughout. The rule of thumb is to pair warm metals like copper and bronze with warm brown, and cold metals like chrome should be paired with cool browns. If, for example, you have wooden floors throughout your house that have a very warm, orange undertone, copper fittings, and fixtures are a great option.

Brown is a great color to use when you are aiming for a calm and natural environment. It serves great as a neutral backdrop to pops of color and can also stand firm on its own. More colors go with brown than colors that don’t. The most important factor to consider when choosing what colors go with brown, is whether the specific brown has a warm, cold or neutral undertone and take it from there. Also, keep in mind that colors that show up in nature are bound to match well with brown because of their sense of familiarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Wall Colors Go With Brown Carpets?

Brown carpet is very popular, especially in older houses. If it is not within your budget or power to change the carpet, consider the wall colors as this can have a big effect on the entire room. A very light stone color works great with any undertone of brown. Try to avoid stark white walls, as this will further emphasize the brown carpet. Brown complementary colors can also successfully be used as wall colors where a brown carpet is present. Keep in mind that these complementary colors should be used as muted tones or undertones, as it can be quite overwhelming, depending on the size of the room.

Does Gray Go With Brown Furniture?

The short answer is yes, gray does go with brown furniture. As always, the hues are what is important. It is important to apply the undertone of the brown in question to the other prominent colors used around it, and this includes gray. Cool walnut furniture looks best with a light, cool gray. Warm meranti wood pairs well with warm gray, like greige. If the furniture pieces are very big and prominent within the space, try to avoid dark charcoal grays, as this might clash with and swallow the furniture.

What Colors Look Best With Brown?

Most colors look great with brown, in moderation, but always consider earthy, natural colors when making your brown color combination choice. Natural greens, ocean blues, and so forth. These colors look very natural next to brown, as we often see them in nature. Brown complementary colors like orange for a cool blue, works well when used in moderation.

Do Brown and Beige Go Together?

Beige can be described as one of the most apparent colors that go with brown. Beige is essentially a much lighter shade of brown, and the shades in between these two can be combined to create a satisfying and monochromatic color scheme. Beige accents look great with brown as the base color and vice versa.