What goes with it, and 3 palettes

Brown color palettes

Brown is back as a main color, from chocolate sofas to mocha walls, and it is the easiest dark color to live with because it is already warm. It needs light around it, cream or white, and one fresh color, a green or a blue, so the room does not feel heavy.

#6B4A35

What colors go with brown

Cream #F1EBE0

Cream softens brown and keeps a room with a brown sofa light.

Sage green #9CAA8C

Green and brown are nature's pairing; sage keeps brown fresh.

Dusty blue #8FA3B3

A cool blue balances the warmth of brown, especially a chocolate sofa.

Terracotta #B8674A

Terracotta sits next to brown and adds glow without clashing.

Mustard #D4A23A

Mustard cushions on a brown sofa are a warm, retro classic.

Charcoal #3B3B3D

A little charcoal or black gives a brown room some edge.

Brown palettes, on real rooms

Hex codes to match against paint and fabric samples. Colors on screens and in daylight never quite agree, so hold a sample up in the room before you commit.

Chocolate and Cream

A chocolate sofa on cream with a dusty blue, cozy but not dark. Pictured: a Transitional living room.

Cream Walls #F1EBE0
Chocolate brown Sofa #5A3D2B
Dusty blue Cushions and rug #8FA3B3
Oak Wood furniture #B08A5F
Ivory Curtains #F4EFE6

Design with this palette

Mocha Bedroom

Mocha walls with cream bedding and sage, warm and enveloping. Pictured: a Scandinavian bedroom.

Mocha Walls #8A6A55
Cream Bedding #F1EBE0
Sage green Throw and cushions #9CAA8C
Light oak Bed frame and wardrobe #CDAF86
Oatmeal Rug and curtains #D9CCB6

Design with this palette

Walnut Kitchen

Walnut brown cabinets with cream and brass, a warm, wood-toned kitchen. Pictured: a Farmhouse kitchen.

Warm white Walls #F3EFE6
Walnut brown Cabinets #5E4130
Cream Countertop and backsplash #EDE6D6
Sage green Plants and a towel #9CAA8C
Brass Hardware and faucet #B8934A

Design with this palette

How to use a palette

Every palette here is listed from the most of the room to the least. Keep roughly to that order and the colors hold together.

1
Most of the room: the first color

The walls, and often the ceiling. A light, quiet color that everything else sits against.
2
A third: the next two

The big pieces: the sofa, the rug, the wood. They set the mood of the room.
3
A tenth: the last two

Cushions, a lamp, frames, a vase. Small, so a bold accent stays an accent.