Decorating Ideas for a Brown Colored Room

Paint

• Brown comes in many different shades from light beige and taupe to chocolate brown, all of which are suitable to paint on walls. Dark chocolate looks sophisticated and does not make a room look confining. Keep the other colors in the room crisp and furnishings light to counteract the darkness of the walls. White or cream woodwork and ceilings reflect the light to make a dark brown room look brighter. Brown is an earth tone that goes with almost everything.

Furniture

• Wood tones, from mahogany to fruit wood, all have a brown base that complements a brown themed room. Dark brown leather furniture creates a classic yet masculine look that is easily toned down with lighter shades on the walls or in other furniture. Use bright colored furniture like turquoise or lime green in a dark brown room so the color explodes into life. Subdue a brown room by covering furnishings with cream colored slip covers that are easy to wash and keep clean.

Accessories

• Use accessories sparingly in a dark brown room. Use something as simple as cream colored plates hanging on a chocolate brown wall to lighten the atmosphere. Lamp shades should be light and neutral in cream or beige, but you can add more interest by gluing colored ribbon to the tops and bottoms of the shades. Bright colored throw pillows on brown furniture bring pizazz to the room, while cream or white pillows on a dark brown couch reflect the light.

Window Treatments

• The color brown absorbs light and therefore requires a great deal of natural light to keep the space from looking dreary. In a dark brown room, use light window treatments from sheer cream curtains to light airy blinds or shades. If light is an issue in the room, stick to lighter shades of brown for walls and furnishings.

Complementary Colors

• A variety of colors go with brown. Use blue, turquoise, pink, light green, red, orange and yellow. Just one turquoise vase in an all brown room makes quite a statement and draws the eye. White is another color that brightens a dark brown room. Try black with lighter shades of brown for a more modern design.