1. Brown is one of the oldest, but also one of the most contentious colors to decorate with today.
At its best, brown leather is a classic, versatile option. It can look great in many different styles
of homes and can work in nearly any room in your home. In this guide we’ll examine some of
the possibilities and issues you may find when decorating with brown.
Before we get started, though, let’s discuss two basic rules. First, think about what you intend to
use the room for. Formal spaces are a good place to use brown leather for decoration. Informal
spaces may be better for fabrics or less structured pieces. Second, remember to use contrast!
Browns will not always hold a room by themselves. Sometimes just using different shades of
brown are sufficient to tie a room together. If you do this you’ll avoid being boring, too dark, or
too conservative.
Types of Browns and Brown Materials
When most people think brown, they probably immediately think of a dark, almond brown
leather. While this is certainly one option, brown is such a versatile color that there are a lot
more varieties available. We’ve outlined a few below, though this is by no means a
comprehensive list.
Tan
Tan can be creamy, khaki or very dark, depending on the material. Tan is often seen in leathers
(think the color of baseball glove leather) but can also be seen in fabric options. Tan works great
where you want to maintain light because it will reflect the sun and artificial light sources, giving
a room a warm feel.
Shades of tan - Courtesy www.google.com
Tan works great in darker rooms or rooms where you have a lighter, more neutral color palette.
Tan will tend to accentuate but not clash with other colors, making it the easiest color
on the brown spectrum to use, and a common choice for designers.
We took this shot of a friend’s casual living room. The tan fabric sofa offers a cool and inviting
place to relax and contrasts well with the lighter walls and wood floors. We think this is a great
example of how to use a lighter colored brown successfully.
Light Brown
Lighter browns are a few shades darker than tan. These colors, in both cloth and leather, fell
largely out of favor in the early 2000s, making them ripe for a long overdue style revival. Light
brown was commonly used during the 1960’s and 1970’s and often featured in modern style
furniture. A rich light brown leather goes great with blues or other bold color choices. If you have
cool lighting, a light brown will provide warmth to a room. A light brown is especially good for
living rooms where you want to keep the energy level up while not over complicating the space.

2. We took the above photo of a friend’s formal living room. Notice that the light brown shades
offer contrast to each other while still being warm and inviting. This shot was taken in cool
morning light.
We snapped the same room in evening light as well. Here you can see that despite the color
change, the solid browns and tans really anchor the room.
Dark Brown
Dark browns are among the most common colors we see in furniture today. They suggest class,
sophistication, and style. Dark brown leathers in particular are great in brighter rooms as their
rich undertones can really stand out. A brown leather sectional or sofa in a living room will stand
apart as sophisticated and masculine, more so than the other shades of brown. When
decorating with dark brown make sure to decide if the furniture will be the center of attention or
if it should take on a more subtle role. Remember, dark brown materials will not reflect a lot of
light so make sure you have adequate lighting in your home. Think of placing dark brown leather
where you have other warm, rich colors that it can complement. We decorate with dark browns
in living rooms where we can accent with warm lighting, such as a fireplace or winter window.
The room below shows a great example of how to use a rich, dark brown leather. Notice that the
natural light provides great illumination and allows the dark colors to shine rather than fade.
Espresso or Chocolate
Espresso and Chocolate browns are dark enough that they are almost black. We usually see
these shades used for frames, wooden furniture, or other areas where heavy contrast is
preferred. Espresso can stand out in lighter rooms where it provides depth and gravity.
CONTEMPORARY SOFA SET IN BROWNFABRIC F59
In the photo above, you can see that the brown fabric provides a contrast to the lighter hues
used in the rest of the room. Notice how the dark fabric absorbs rather than reflects light.
Be careful when you use espresso or chocolate browns as these colors can appear almost
black.
TWO PIECE CONTEMPORARY LEATHER SOFA SET SBO5905
While we like the piece, we feel that this effort doesn’t contrast enough. The dark shades don’t
stand out from the back background, making the whole room look too heavy.
Conclusion

3. We’ve taken you on a quick tour covering some of the issues surrounding decorating with
brown. Brown can be a challenging color, but we strongly feel that you should incorporate brown
into your decorating style. Take a further look through our site to see some of the options we
have for tan, light brown, dark brown, and espresso colored furniture. Remember, whatever you
do, think through your choices and make sure the colors you choose for each room suit them.
Good luck and good decorating with brown!