My friend Judith loves brown. She loves it in her clothing and in her interiors. It used to be that she had very little competition for brown items that came into the store. But this is no longer true, because brown is back in a big way in interior design.
Brown is Back In Interior Design: How The Brown Wave Got Started
Brown went out of fashion in the 1990’s because people began to associate it with a stoggy and old-fashioned feel. What replaced it? Gray. Gray was was new and felt streamlined and simplistic. And then along came the pandemic. People were forced to stay home, and all their all gray homes seemed too sterile. What they wanted more than anything was cozy and a connection to nature and the natural world. This craving is being satisfied by a new introduction of brown in interior design.
How To Use The Old Brown in New Ways
So brown is back in interior design. People started slowly, by buying brown wood furniture (see Brown Wood Furniture Hot Interior Design Trend) and it has grown from there. You can add brown wood furniture to your home too, but consider these new ways to add brown as well.
Intead of the color saturation of the 1970’s brown, the new way to use brown is more subtle. Keep in mind that brown is an intense color. Use it sensibly. Use brown in doses. You can start with accessories and decorative accents around the house. Use brown in your fabrics (curtains, pillows, throws, placemats). Or use it in dishware or tableware, like vases, baskets and trays. It’s also helpful to bring brown in in natural materials such as linen, raffia and wool that will complement the color’s earthy feel.
Quiet luxury is still a hot trend, and brown works well with this esthetic too, especially chocolate brown. You can use this color in paint, but again, remember subtlety. One chocolate brown accent wall is enough to evoke the cozy feeling. No need to paint the whole house brown.
Insider Tip: Because this trend is just emerging, you can still score great brown items at thrift and consignment stores, like Consignments Ltd. I won’t tell Judith that she has competition.
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