As you know, I make it my job to ignore interior design trends. But lately, I can’t go anywhere without hearing, “Brown is back!” What do you mean, “Brown is back?” For me, it never left! Brown interiors have always been a favorite of mine, and I use the color quite frequently in my work. What’s more beautiful and luxurious than lacquered mahogany, plush chocolate velvet, and caramel leather? I’d go as far as to say brown is my favorite color, and it should be yours, too. 

 

“How Could You Not Like Brown?” 

Back in the early days of my interior design career, I worked for Tom Scheerer in New York City. During projects, he often suggested incorporating different brown elements throughout the design, from upholstery to paint. He would be bewildered by clients who misunderstood the color. When anyone questioned using brown in favor of a “stronger” black or a “more neutral” gray, he would opine:

“What is wrong with people? How could you not like brown? Brown is the color of tree trunks and coffee and labradors. Chocolate is brown, and everyone loves that!” 

I loved that he taught me to appreciate and understand the superiority of brown to other more obvious, dare I say trite, color options that were popular at the time. Since starting my own Austin interior design firm almost two decades ago now, I’ve continued using brown in everything from contemporary Austin penthouses to Western-inspired home offices. Hopefully, I have helped my clients appreciate its charm along the way. 

The Return of Brown Interiors & What It Means 

So, why are more folks using the color brown in interior design now? Well, let’s look at what the color brown means. To me, brown signifies comfort, warmth, and nostalgia. It’s the color of freshly polished wood floors, a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter evening, and the hair color of my favorite Charlie’s Angel, Jaclyn Smith. Brown is naturally appealing to us all. Van Morrison sings about a brown-eyed girl, not a blue-eyed girl, after all. 

The renewed popularity of brown doesn’t surprise me. The design world as a whole is coming out of a period defined by harsh black-and-white or dull gray color palettes and minimalist interiors. Now, more designers and homeowners are revisiting old-world charm and embracing the maximalist aesthetic. I say, fill every corner with brown! The more, the cozier. 

Design brands are following suit with brown chinoiserie wallpaper patterns and warmer wood-toned furnishings. But even more so, people are falling back in love with stunning antiques that have been collecting dust in warehouses over the past few decades. Now, a whole new generation is collecting antiques, helping revitalize an industry that’s been on the decline since the days of Mario Buatta’s maximalist interiors of the 80s. I, for one, am glad people are finally coming to their senses! 

Of course, the appeal of brown goes deeper than personal associations with the color. Color psychology shows that brown conveys a sense of strength, reliability, and security. Many brands out there have been clued into this for years! You trust UPS to deliver your package and know that a Hershey bar will provide a moment of comfort when you tear open the wrapper. To no surprise, both have brown as part of their brand identity.

After the turbulent start of the decade, it’s understandable that people are looking for the stronger sense of refuge in their homes that brown can deliver. Simply put, the color brown just makes for a more comfortable home. 

Sepia Brown Memories 

I couldn’t talk about the color brown without divulging my love of sepia. Most folks have a narrow view of sepia, limiting it to photo filters or associating it with drab, yellowing book pages. This shade of brown offers so much more! To me, sepia is the complete opposite of dull and dusty. It’s sexy! It has a serene, romantic effect when used properly and also a pretty interesting history. 

The history of sepia goes all the way back to ancient Greco-Roman civilizations. The word sepia comes from the Latin name for cuttlefish, from which the ink is derived. Cuttlefish produce coffee-colored ink, which is mainly made up of melanin. While other cephalopods like octopus and squid also produce ink, cuttlefish are the only ones who make the iconic sepia shade. 

Cuttlefish sepia ink was used by calligraphers and artists for centuries. Leonardo Da Vinci even used it to add dimensions and shading to his sketches. In the last quarter of the 18th century, Professor Jakob Seydelmann developed a process to extract and produce a concentrated form of sepia for watercolors and oil paints, furthering its popularity in the arts. Sepia toning was also developed in photography to help preserve the quality of prints. 

For me, the sepia-tone watercolors add a dreamy, poetic depth to illustrated patterns and prints. The shade is transportive, and using it can take your interior space to another time and place. I say fill your walls with sepia-colored art prints, or better yet, engulf your space in a sepia mural wallpapering.  

There’s a Reason Brown is Back in Style

There’s a simple reason brown is back. It was never out! Brown is a grounding interior color that helps anchor a space in warmth, comfort, and charm. Even if you aren’t consciously choosing brown, you are most likely integrating it into your design through natural wood tones, cabinetry, and wood floors. As you should! As humans, we are attracted to brown because it connects us with nature. So, it’s time to stop pretending we’re not fans of the hue. 

 

Brown is your favorite color.