Why You Should Give Brown a Chance
If 'blech' is your first response to brown, you're missing out on the opportunity for a warm-looking room that appeals to both sexes
Brown is generally thought of as a masculine color that promotes feelings of strength and stability. It is also said to symbolize reliability and approachability. This practical color is produced by mixing red, yellow and blue. The softer, honeyed browns are warm and cozy, while the deep red-browns feel more luxurious. But be careful when using this rich shade! Too much, or the wrong shade of brown, is supposed to bring on feelings of sadness or gloominess.
Poor old brown. It's quoted as the least loved of colors, and yet it's the color of some people's favorite things — chocolate, nutmeg, warm toast, roasted coffee beans and roast beef. Yum! Now that your taste buds are tingling, let's dispel the myth that brown is dull or boring.
Poor old brown. It's quoted as the least loved of colors, and yet it's the color of some people's favorite things — chocolate, nutmeg, warm toast, roasted coffee beans and roast beef. Yum! Now that your taste buds are tingling, let's dispel the myth that brown is dull or boring.
Winston Churchill once said, "I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns."
I'm not sure he would have said this after seeing the different shades and textures in this relaxed but elegant room.
I'm not sure he would have said this after seeing the different shades and textures in this relaxed but elegant room.
In medieval England, brown was associated with humility and poverty, since the lower classes wore materials dyed brown with the cheap madder root.
However, this room shows no humility at all, introducing gold for a gorgeous opulence — it reminds me of a luxurious chocolate bar wrapped in gold.
However, this room shows no humility at all, introducing gold for a gorgeous opulence — it reminds me of a luxurious chocolate bar wrapped in gold.
Rodika Chi, a feng shui expert, says deep, rich browns offer a nourishing energy and are great for entry halls, kitchens and feature walls in bedrooms. However, too much brown can lead to a lack of ambition or drive, so make sure you balance it out with another color.
For me there is no better contrast to brown than white, and this hallway manages to look fresh, warm and welcoming all at the same time.
For me there is no better contrast to brown than white, and this hallway manages to look fresh, warm and welcoming all at the same time.
Sepia is a reddish brown color named after the pigment derived from the ink sac of the common cuttlefish, in the Sepia genus. Sepia ink was used by artists and writers such as Leonardo da Vinci in the Renaissance; later, in the 1880s, it was added to the positive print of a photograph to create the sepia images we are so familiar with today.
I love how the sepia pictures are used to tie together this room, where blue cleverly complements the brown.
I love how the sepia pictures are used to tie together this room, where blue cleverly complements the brown.
In India brown is the color of mourning, because it is the color of dying leaves. But it looks anything but somber when teamed with pretty pink. This room shows how to use brown without its feeling too autumnal.
In aromatherapy nutmeg is used for rejuvenating, energizing and uplifting, although we often associate it with the comforting, festive smell of Christmas.
This room demonstrates beautifully how well red and brown work together — it's definitely a pairing that's not just for Christmas.
This room demonstrates beautifully how well red and brown work together — it's definitely a pairing that's not just for Christmas.
Look at nature and take a page from the principles of feng shui to use brown in your home. Water nourishes wood and produces plant growth — it's no wonder blue, green and brown complement each other so fabulously.
This room has various shades of brown with modern splashes of pink to satisfy him and her.