Decor

Decorating with Brown

Today we’re talking about decorating with brown. Now before you decided to leave, brown is a hardworking neutral that works with just about every color. When used in the right environment, it can create a warm, stable feeling in any room.

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I partnered with Amy Howard Home to share their Color of the Month.

The Color of the Month Club is a monthly subscription where Color of the Month subscribers will receive a new color every month exclusive to the club. This month’s Color of the Month is Southern as Pecan Pie, and it is a dark chocolate brown which is perfect for fall – which is why we are talking about decorating with brown!

An excess of brown can create a dark, heavy feel in your space which is why it’s important to integrate shades of brown into a color palette with colors and shades that complement it. It’s all about knowing the colors that go with brown, and the best ways to incorporate them.

The Color Theory Behind Brown

Despite all of these meanings and uses, you won’t find brown on the color wheel or in the rainbow. It’s a composite color made by combining usually 3 other colors (black, red, and yellow for example, or red, yellow, and blue in certain ratios). Together with low brightness or low saturation, we get brown, instead of a clear shade of another color. Its composite nature makes it a natural background color, and you can find a shade of brown to complement any other color well.

Brown is the color of earth, wood, stone, wholesomeness, reliability, elegance, security, healing, home, grounding, foundations, stability, warmth, and honesty, is a natural, neutral color that is typically associated with the seasons of fall and winter. It is a warm color that stimulates the appetite. While it is sometimes considered dull, it also represents steadfastness, simplicity, friendliness, dependability, and health.

Brown is believed to help create a wholesome feeling, a connection with the earth, and a sense of orderliness and convention. Brown is a stable and grounded color that is known to make people feel safe and comfortable.

Brown & White

White goes with just about every color, and brown is no exception to that rule. Pairing any shade of brown with a white will give you a classic and clean contrast that works well in a room like a formal dining room or living room. If white and brown are your two main colors in any room, make sure you vary the shades to keep it interesting and from being too monochromatic.

Brown & Orange

Since brown and orange are such similar colors you might shy away from pairing them together – but don’t! When placed in a primarily brown space, orange accents will serve as the perfect energizer for the room. A pop of orange in a brown room is very sophisticated and glamorous, especially against darker woods. For a more warm, sophisticated color scheme, you can try pairing a dark chocolate background with orange and cream accents.

Brown & Green

Brown is a color perceived as natural and neutral so pairing it with green plays just makes sense. Lighter shades of green like mint soften the darker furniture in a room. Using darker shades of green paired with dark brown accents or wooden furniture creates a darker, moody vibe that would work for a den or office space. There are few combinations of green and brown that wouldn’t compliment each other thanks to the two colors being natural in nature.

Brown & Yellow

Consider pairing yellow with brown. Pairing brown with yellow creates a contemporary vibe in a bedroom or sitting room. Using the 60-30-10 rule would work well when pairing yellow and brown. 60% of the room should be a neutral shade such as white, with 30% of the room decorated in various shades of brown, while 10% is reserved for yellow accents.

Brown & Purple

A more unexpected pairing is brown and purple. Deeper shades of purples and browns can make larger spaces feel warm and rich. When pairing purple and brown, always focus on the opposites. Darker woods like walnut pair well with pastel purples, and lighter brown woods pair well with deep shades of purple like plum or bright shades like amethyst. Brown and purple work very well in a room with gold accents and the colors can create a cozy, moody, and luxurious space.

Brown & Blue

You won’t find brown on the traditional color wheel, but since its closest shade is orange, blues is an obvious complementary color for brown. Combining blue and brown tones can make a relaxing environment. Brown paired with dark navy blue makes a room feel refined with the dark colors, whereas pale blue paired with beige or a lighter wood creates a more serene environment. The cool tones in shades of blue mix well with the warm browns of darker wooden furniture without leaving the room feeling too dark or heavy.

Brown & Pink

Brown and pink may be an unlikely pair, but they work really well together. Pairing brown with shades like rose or fuchsia creates a feminine space without overdoing it. If you’re going ahead with a pink room, the natural order would be to start with a brown base and brown or wooden furniture, using shades of pink as your accents in things like pillows, curtains, or artwork.

Brown & Black

Brown and black are neutrals that work well together and create a classic color palette in any room. When using black as one of your main colors, you must make sure to balance it well. Lighter shades of brown work better so the room doesn’t appear too dark. In spaces with black furniture, brown accents can add depth and interest to the room, while black can create drama against brown furniture.

Brown & Red

When it comes to pairing brown with red, it’s all about the shade of red that you choose. A room such as a home library or study might call for a moody color palette centered around darker hues of red, whereas a clean, modern bedroom can benefit from a pop of color in the form of a bright red throw blanket or reading chair.

The color brown is a wonderful neutral that can both carry or accent a room design. From deep rich chocolate to soft, muted taupe, brown is the great equalizer and goes with everything.

If you want to see more info on the color of the month club or purchase any of the specific paint colors I mentioned, go to Amy Howard Home.

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

Decor

Beautiful Cabinet Color

Beautiful Cabinet Color

I am asked all the time about the color of our kitchen cabinets. Unfortunately our cabinets came finished in this beautiful cabinet color, and although I had them color-matched, I was never able to direct you to a specific brand or color – until TODAY!

I partnered with Amy Howard Home to share their Color of the Month, and I was thrilled when I opened up the can.

This month’s Color of the Month is Front Porch Swing, and it is a beautiful, bluish-gray which is almost an EXACT match to my kitchen cabinets!

In order to gain access to this color and any of the past colors, you will need to join The Color of the Month Club. The Color of the Month Club is a monthly subscription where Color of the Month subscribers will receive a new color every month exclusive to the club.

It’s just slightly bluer and a little darker, but it’s REALLY close.

This paint (Amy Howard Home One Step Paint) is like magic. It goes on smooth and requires no sanding, prepping, or priming. I have One Step Paint on our laundry room cabinets, and it has held up so well for years. I like to seal it with this Matte Sealer. One Step Paint is perfect for everyone from beginners to professionals.

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I painted a stool (which you can find HERE) in the color Front Porch Swing, and it is SO pretty!

If you’re not already decorating with blue gray, you’ll want to consider adding it into your decor – and possibly even your cabinets since it is a beautiful cabinet color. It’s a color that works with most decor styles and brings calm to any space.

Let’s talk about the color theory behind blue gray.

Blue gray is a simple as mixing a little blue with a little gray.

Image Via The Virtual Instructor

Gray is an intermediate color between black and white. It’s a neutral color or achromatic color that means without color because it’s derived from white and black.

Now, gray doesn’t stop here. There are cool grays (like the blue gray we’re discussing) and warm grays.

Image via The Virtual Instructor

When infused with blue, gray has the ability to take on the hues of these colors in a way that gives gray a completely fresh look.

Blue is the perfect addition gray. It’s a primary color and can build a sense of calm. It’s the most loved color which is why it’s so great for decorating.

History of blues and grays…

A little history behind gray: in the Middle Ages, gray was the color of undyed wool and the most common color worn by the peasants on the poor.

During the Renaissance, gray began to play an important role in fashion and art. Black became the most popular color of the nobility, particularly in Italy, France, and Spain, and grey and white were harmonious with it.

Grey became a highly fashionable color in the 18th century, both for women’s dresses and for men’s waistcoats and coats. It looked particularly luminous coloring the silk and satin fabrics worn by the nobility and wealthy.

The grey business suit appeared in the mid-19th century in London; light grey in summer, dark grey in winter; replacing the more colorful palette of men’s clothing early in the century.

Fast forward to now, and gray has reigned high in home decor for close to a decade now.

Using blue gray in decor

Blue Gray works well with many different colors and your options are really endless since it often acts as a neutral.

As I mentioned earlier, I have blue gray cabinets in our kitchen. I crave color, so I added pops of pink and love the contrast of the cabinets with the darker navy walls in the next room.

Blue gray looks gorgeous with natural woods. Notice how the vanity highlights any grays in the wood floor.

Blue gray also work well with black. The addition of black doesn’t make this space less dark, but it adds a touch of sophistication – especially with the black and gold combo.

I created color palettes using Front Porch Swing and other Amy Howard One Step Paint colors.

One Step Paint Color Palettes:

The first is color combo is very soothing.

Front Porch SwingBallet WhitePalmer Pink

This next color palette adds some more blues to the mix and a green (which remember is created using blue and yellow).

Front Porch SwingCartouche GreenLakai Blue

The final palette is a little more bold, and although there’s another blue, I’ve also added a pinkish red.

Front Porch SwingChinese RedLading Singing the Blues

Where would you add blue gray to your home?

Go create something!

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

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