How To Decorate With Brown In 2021
Brown is back. Here’s how to use it in 2021.
First, how did we land on brown again? This isn’t the first time brown has become a decorating staple.
In the 70s earthy decor was everywhere. Think avocado appliances, rust-colored sofas and lots of wood paneling.
Perhaps the 70s welcomed earthy hues in response to the upheaval of the late 60s. The tumult of 2020 is similarly sending us toward colors that ground us and make us feel safe.
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In the early 2000s we had the Tuscan style along with terra cotta hues, bulky leather furniture and heavy granite countertops.
This style eventually started to feel heavy, it’s no wonder we pivoted to the crisp, white-and-black modern farmhouse style.
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And today everyone is craving a natural palette to soothe and ground us in 2021.
A quick note about trends before we dive in to analyzing brown for 2021:
The Color in Space philosophy is not based in trends. Even so, you can’t ignore them. Color relationships are scientific, and therefore timeless. Preferences, on the other hand, can fluctuate and are personal and cultural in nature. What I describe below is how to find a brown palette that is in line with current trends, but is not dictated by them.
Here’s how to use brown in a way that feels current, but is timeless in nature.
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This example brings back the light wood trend from the eighties with plenty of pink undertones to cheerfully tie everything together. The wicker basket and furniture with clean lines give the space an open, airy feel, keeping it in this decade. There’s very little contrast in this palette. While there is some variety in hue (a peachy pink pillow, a chair that reads blueish), everything is equally soft and light.
Image credit: Zoe Report
This example is more gritty and earthy than the last, but is similar in many ways. The pillows are almost exactly the same! I guess we’re all drawn to pale easter-egg pillow colors these days. The washed out colors feel natural and are a nice foil to the saturated wall color.
Again, the wicker furniture and textured plants lighten the space. I’m sensing a theme … airiness for 2021.
Image credit: Benjamin Moore
Before we surrender to the ubiquity of the “light and airy ” approach to using brown, as shown in the previous two examples, let’s consider this moody living room. Here the walls are a sophisticated brown with a heavy dose of gray, which allows the cognac furniture to appear bright against a dark stage. The turquoise curtain rescues us from a sea of brown and injects life into the scene.
Conclusions:
Brown is back. But it’s not heavy.
Paint:
When using a brown paint color, pair it with a healthy dose of an opposing color, as shown by the turquoise curtain in the third example above.
Stay away from yellow undertones in brown paint. Today, brown paint is muted with gray or tinged with rust. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid yellow in your supporting decor. Consider using pale yellow textiles or bright mustard accents.
Furniture:
If you have large-scale dark brown furniture that you are “stuck with,” surround it with plenty of light textiles and textures. For instance, a chunky white throw blanket, wispy wheat-colored foliage in a vase or a naturally light wood side table.
Brown in 2021 is soft and soothing. Follow the tips above for a brown-centered color palette that feels both current and timeless.