Brown is a versatile neutral color that can work well with a variety of color combinations. When pairing colors with brown, it’s important to consider the shade of brown and the mood you want to create. Lighter tans and browns work best with lighter color palettes, while deeper chocolate browns pair better with bold, saturated hues. Here are some of the most popular and aesthetically pleasing color combinations that go with different shades of brown.
Earthy neutrals
Pairing brown with other natural, earthy neutrals is a easy, low-contrast look. For light tans and browns, try soft neutrals like cream, beige, tan, light grey, and warm whites. For darker browns, bring in charcoal, black, greys, and cooler toned whites. These monochromatic and analogous combinations create a calming, grounded look.
| Light brown | Cream, beige, tan, light grey, warm white |
| Dark brown | Charcoal, black, grey, cool white |
Red and pink
Browns have an innate warmth to them that pairs naturally with bold, fiery reds and fun, feminine pinks. Light tans look great with pastel pinks, roses, and brick reds. Dark chocolate browns pair better with deeper reds like burgundy, maroon, and oxblood. Add punches of red and pink through pillows, blankets, flowers, artwork, and accessories.
| Light brown | Pastel pink, rose, brick red |
| Dark brown | Burgundy, maroon, oxblood |
Blue
Blue might seem like an unexpected pairing for brown, but it can create a soothing, grounded look when done right. Stick to earthy shades of blue like slate, navy, denim, or robin’s egg blue. For light tans, try light sky blue, baby blue, or blue-greys. Dark chocolate browns look striking with cobalt, royal blue, and navy. Add blue through pillows, rugs, artwork, and accessories.
| Light brown | Sky blue, baby blue, blue-grey |
| Dark brown | Cobalt, royal blue, navy |
Green
Green is a natural partner for brown, as both colors are earthy and organic. Mossy greens, emerald, sage, olive, and forest green all complement lighter browns beautifully. Pair deeper chocolate browns with hunter green, jade, and deeper hues. Greens work well in furniture, blankets, plants, and artwork.
| Light brown | Moss green, emerald, sage, olive |
| Dark brown | Hunter green, jade, deep greens |
Yellow
Yellow and brown have a bright, cheerful look when combined. Mustard yellow, amber, and gold look stunning with light tans. Darker browns pair well with deep jewel tones like amber, gold, and rust. Add sunny yellow accents through pillows, flowers, artwork, and accessories to liven up a brown room.
| Light brown | Mustard, amber, gold |
| Dark brown | Deep amber, gold, rust |
Purple
Regal purple complements brown’s earthiness beautifully. Light browns glow when paired with lilac, lavender, and soft mauve. Deep chocolate browns look striking with jewel tone purples and eggplant. Incorporate purple through accent pillows, blankets, flowers, artwork, and accessories.
| Light brown | Lilac, lavender, mauve |
| Dark brown | Jewel purple, eggplant |
Orange
Brown and orange have a bold, dynamic energy when paired together. For light tans, try peach, coral, salmon, or buttercream orange. Dark chocolate browns look great with deeper pumpkin, rust, and burnt orange tones. Use orange in pillows, flowers, ceramics, and artwork to create an energizing look.
| Light brown | Peach, coral, salmon, buttercream |
| Dark brown | Pumpkin, rust, burnt orange |
Neutral metals
Metallics like silver, gold, bronze, and copper work beautifully with rich browns. The sheen of metals paired with brown’s earthiness create a luxe, sophisticated look. Incorporate metallics through mirrors, lamps, candle holders, throw pillows, and artwork. Just be sure not to overdo it—a little metallic goes a long way.
Pastels
For a soft, dreamy aesthetic, pair light tans and browns with pretty pastels. Colors like blush pink, mint green, sky blue, and pale yellow create a soothing, feminine look. Use pastels in pillows, blankets, artwork, and floral arrangements. Darker browns would clash with the delicacy of pastels, so stick to lighter shades.
Jewel tones
Deep, chocolatey browns look sumptuous when paired with saturated jewel tones. Ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue, and amethyst purple all make dramatic partners for dark brown. Jewel tones in rugs, pillows, throws, ceramics, and art make for an opulent, exotic look. Just be sure to use jewel tones sparingly as accents to keep things from looking too heavy.
Monochromatic
Different shades of brown paired together is both elegant and easy. Mixing light tans with mid-browns and dark chocolate browns creates depth and visual interest in a space. Add texture through layering suede, leather, wool, linen, velvet, and cotton in brown hues. Wood furnishings also bring in beautiful brown variation.
Conclusion
Brown is endlessly versatile and pairs beautifully with a wide range of colors. Whether you prefer natural earth tones, punchy brights, soothing pastels, or rich jewel tones, brown acts as the perfect neutral backdrop. The shade of brown and tone of the accompanying colors are key—go light with light browns and bold with dark chocolate browns. With so many options, you’re sure to find a spectacular color combination that goes with brown for your home.
