The short answer is yes, adding purple to brown does make the brown color appear darker. This is due to the way the different pigments in the colors interact and how our eyes perceive the resulting blended color.
How Color Mixing Works
To understand why combining purple and brown makes a darker brown, it helps to know some basics about color theory and how pigments work.
When different pigments are mixed together, they interact in different ways:
- If colors from opposite sides of the color wheel are mixed, they tend to neutralize each other and create a muddy, grayed color.
- If analogous colors next to each other on the color wheel are mixed, they create a blended secondary color.
- If darker and lighter shades of the same hue are mixed, they create a color that is in between the two shades.
Purple contains the primary colors red and blue. Brown contains the primary colors red and yellow along with black. When purple and brown are mixed, the red wavelength is reinforced while the blue and yellow partially cancel each other out. This removes some brightness from the brown and shifts it closer to a neutral dark gray-brown.
The Color Properties of Purple and Brown
To predict how purple and brown will interact when mixed, it also helps to look at the specific properties of each color:
| Color | Hue | Shade | Tint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple | Secondary, reddish purple | Dark, low value | Fairly saturated, low tint |
| Brown | Tertiary, neutral | Dark to mid, low to mid value | Muted, low saturation |
As the table shows:
- Purple has a secondary hue leaning toward red and a low value, dark shade.
- Brown has a tertiary, neutral hue, typically a dark to medium-dark value, and low saturation or mutedness.
When these two colors are combined, the purple darkens the brown by lowering its value. The red and blue hues also mute or dull the brown color very slightly. Overall this shifts the brown to be a bit darker with a more gray, neutral tone.
The Visual Impact of Mixing Purple and Brown
We can see these color interactions at work by actually mixing paints or viewing color combinations. Take a look at the following color swatches:
| Dark purple | Medium brown | Purple + brown |
The dark purple noticeably reduces the lightness and intensity of the original brown color. The result is a much darker, gray-tinged brown with subtle hints of purple.
Or we can see the effect by looking at a purple and brown design scheme:
| Purple background | Brown text |
Here the purple clearly makes the brown text appear darker and muted compared to the brown on a white background. The high contrast creates a sophisticated, upscale look.
Reasons Purple Darkens Brown
Now that we’ve seen the visual effects of mixing purple and brown, we can summarize the main reasons adding purple makes brown go darker:
- Purple has a very dark shade that lowers the lightness value of brown.
- Purple is a secondary color, so it grayscales and mutes the bright orange-yellow in brown.
- The red wavelength is reinforced while blue and yellow tones cancel each other out.
- This shifting of the hue and shade creates a more neutral, darker brown.
- Our eyes perceive the resulting color as darker than the original brown due to the contrast.
In essence, the darker purple value overpowers the lighter brown value to create a mixed color that leans toward the darker end of the spectrum.
Using Purple to Make Brown Decor
Knowing that purple makes brown go darker opens up some interesting possibilities for interior decorating and fashion.
In home decor, pairing deep plums and lavenders with chocolate browns creates an elegant, upscale look. The muted cool tones complement and enhance the warmth of the wood tones.
In clothing, combining purples and browns can create flattering, sophisticated outfits. Deeper plum purples make an excellent color for jackets, pants, or accessories paired with different shades of brown.
This color scheme works well for fall and winter, when deeper, moodier colors tend to be popular. The colors also complement a wide range of skin tones.
Using Brown to Soften Purple
The color relationship goes both ways. While purple makes brown darker, brown can also soften and warm up the coolness of purple.
Rich browns have a softening effect on bright, intense purples. This is because brown introduces a warmer, more mellow yellow-orange tone compared to blue-based purples. Combining the two makes a more natural, earthy color palette.
For example, consider the difference between a bright magenta purple combined with:
- A light tan brown – this creates a muted, approachable tone
- A rich chocolate brown – this creates a luxurious, elegant tone
Brown takes down some of the brilliance of bright purples, transforming them into more neutral, sophisticated shades.
Tips for Combining Purple and Brown
When using purple and brown together, keep these tips in mind:
- Use a dark purple rather than light purple for maximum darkening effect.
- Choose a reddish purple rather than blue-toned purple to complement the orange in brown.
- Use muted, low saturation browns to allow the purple tones to come through.
- Add cream or gray as a neutral transition tone if the colors seem too intense.
- Look for purple and brown combinations in nature like plums, eggplants, chocolate.
- Use brown metal accents like bronze and copper to bridge the two colors.
With the right shades and textures, purple and brown can be an elegant color combination for any season.
Conclusion
In summary, mixing purple and brown clearly does result in a darker, richer brown tone. This is caused by the inherent properties of the two colors and how they interact.
Understanding this color relationship opens up new possibilities for shade combinations in fashion, interior decor, and more. While brown has a muting effect on purple as well, purple creates a noticeably dramatic darkening impact on brown.
So next time you want to make a brown color scheme feel a bit richer and more upscale, consider adding a splash of purple and see just how dark and sophisticated it can get!
