Brown living room ideas: 10 ways to join the 'brown renaissance'
Brown living room ideas: 10 ways to join the 'brown renaissance'
Join the ‘brown renaissance’ this season! From light & airy beige to dark wood tones, discover 10 brown living room ideas that will uplift your home.
Brown isn’t usually the first choice that comes to mind when picking a neutral palette for the living room. However, with interior trends shifting from cool greys and whites to warmer neutrals, brown living rooms are officially back in the spotlight.
As a colour, brown is incredibly versatile and timeless. Depending on the undertone, it can lighten up or darken a room and set the tone for a relaxing space. It’s up to you to take your pick - there’s a myriad of tones like espresso, caramel, taupe, beige, cinnamon or latte. Its natural roots also make it incredibly easy to pair with natural textures when decorating.
From choosing the right interior style to the best textures, discover these 10 brown living room ideas to bring warmth into your home. After you’re done reading our styling tips, browse our range of brown sofas to get started.
Brown’s return to popularity is partly due to the rising popularity of earth tones. From muted tones like beige or camel to moodier shades like mocha or chestnut, these brown living room colour ideas set the mood for a cosy and comforting space. For this trend update, we’re moving away from a completely rustic style in the living room and prioritising clean lines and smart curves.
Choose muted tones like beige, camel or latte on the walls for that luxe feel. You can decorate your living room with different brown tones like using dark browns to accentuate parts of the room like highlighting shelving for an alcove. This will draw the eye upwards and serve as a backdrop for accessorising. You can also bring in other earth tones like terracotta, orange or rust through soft accessories like cushions or throws.
Neutrals like brown if not done right, can make the space feel flat, so introducing texture to the living room is important. Take a leaf out of the Japandi décor notebook by keeping it simple but layering carefully. One key way to bring in texture is through wallpaper or creating an effect with paint on the walls. Another brown idea for the living room is through wooden flooring or sofa upholstery.
Since Japandi design emphasises a neutral palette and natural textures, complement the walls with a shaggy or jute rug in light brown for a relaxing look. Make the most of natural lighting by keeping the area around your windows understated or with sheer curtains so the light gets in. If you’re interested to find out more about Japandi interiors, read our guide.
Brown living rooms have their roots in retro style so it’s natural that mid-century modern design works perfectly for this colour palette. Clean, functional design combined with warm brown tones are the way to go here to highlight the simplicity of this look.
Emphasise the clean, uncluttered style with a sofa that has sleek curves and sleek, tapered legs. Opt for a hue like champagne or taupe for the sofa upholstery for a luxe statement.
Wood is one of the easiest ways to introduce brown into the living room, whether through furniture, flooring or on the walls. The type of wood you choose will set the mood of your brown living room. If you want to lighten up your living room, wood like oak or maple adds a light and breezy vibe while dark wood adds a warm and a hint of drama.
Choose wooden wall panels for a retro feel in a brown living room. The tip here is to only add panels on one section of the wall. It’s also up to you what type of wood you want to decorate with - for example, go for dark wood panels for warmth. If you’re looking for ways to decorate your walls, check out our feature wall ideas guide.
As we mentioned earlier, texture is important for brown living rooms - especially when it comes to sofas. Leather (or faux leather) is one great option with its smart yet inviting feel. Choose a tan leather sofa for its colour and texture, which will make the room feel contemporary and stylish. Bring soft contrast with fabric cushions in cotton or linen material or add a cosy throw into the mix for a relaxing night in.
Besides retro style, brown works perfectly with modern industrial design. Since it’s a décor style characterised by bare brick walls, exposed pipes, raw finishes and reclaimed materials you can decide whether you want brown to be the accent or main colour choice for your living room.
An open-plan layout is a great way to emphasise these textures whether it’s your exposed brick walls, hardwood flooring or a brown leather sofa. Breaking it up with black accents will add edge and give your living room the bold touch that’s synonymous with modern industrial style.
Put brown’s grounding and relaxing qualities on display with a stylish reading nook. For this look, choose a light brown for the walls like taupe to set the scene. Since it’s a place that you’ll be spending a long time curled up with a book choose soft upholstery like velvet or leather for your armchair. Complete the look with pendant lighting for a relaxing ambience.
When it comes to accessorising brown living rooms you can either go for sleek and contemporary or take the earthy chic route. For the contemporary option, choose accessories that are both functional and stylish. Go for accessories like a glass vase in warm vintage shades such as brown and sepia or a smoked finish.
If you’re in the mood for earthy chic style, choose accessories made from rattan, jute, wicker or bamboo for a relaxing touch. The key is to curate what you want to display to prevent the space from feeling messy.
Whether it’s sophisticated manor vibes or cosy cottage feels, a country-style brown living room is incredibly timeless and versatile. Choose a Chesterfield sofa as the focal point of the room with its elegant button-back details highlighting the dark brown texture of the leather. Add subtle (yet chic) contrast with other soft upholstery and accessories in materials like velvet or satin and you’ve got a winning look.
Not sure about turning your whole living room brown? Experiment with colour blocking by contrasting brown with blue on the walls. Choose blue tones with hints of green like turquoise or teal for a coastal vibe. Find more blue living room ideas in our guide.
Meanwhile, for the brown half of the wall, we recommend a shade like Dulux’s Wild Wonder which is light and earthy but also brings balance to the room. Keep it light and breezy with other light brown touches like a linen sofa or with jute and rattan accessories.
FAQS
Is brown a good colour for a living room?
Yes as a neutral, brown is a versatile choice for the living room. It’s not a colour that will make a bold statement but if you’re looking to bring a relaxing and sophisticated vibe to your living room it’s a colour to think of.
How do you make a brown living room pop?
Introduce colourful artwork to break up the brown touches throughout the room. Or you can colour block brown with a contrast colour like blue or green. If you want to introduce colour in small touches you can do so through accessories. Opt for brightly coloured cushions or throws to make a statement.
What colour goes with a brown living room?
Brown goes well with other soft neutrals like cream, off-white and greys. Brown also complements other earth tones like rust, terracotta and orange. Deep greens and blues also make a stylish contrast in a brown living room.
What colour curtains for a brown living room?
Keep it light with white, cream or beige curtains in a brown living room. This is to balance the room and also make the most of sunlight streaming in.
How to brighten up a living room with brown furniture?
Pair brown with other earth tones like orange, rust, terracotta which will brighten up and warm up your living room. You can also choose emerald green or cool blues on the walls to add depth and contrast.
We hope you enjoyed reading our brown living room ideas. Looking for more living room décor tips? Read our guide on what colours go with a brown leather sofa for more inspiration.
