Brown interior design trends are gaining popularity as designers move away from white and grey interiors. Shades such as chocolate, espresso and mushroom brown are bringing warmth, depth and comfort to modern homes.
Paint brands and design surveys also point to this shift. Pantone named Mocha Mousse its 2025 Color of the Year. Benjamin Moore selected Cinnamon Slate for 2025 and Silhouette for 2026. For 2027, Dunn-Edwards chose French Press Coffee, while C2 Paint named Pueblo and Little Greene selected Marle.
Why Brown Is Gaining Popularity
Homeowners are increasingly choosing warm colours to create comfortable, personal spaces. According to Samplize, brown appeared on 13.4% of homeowners’ paint shortlists, up from 9.2% two years earlier. The 2026 1stDibs Designer Trends Survey also identified chocolate brown as a leading trend, cited by 33% of 468 design professionals.
Designers say rich brown shades offer an alternative to all-white rooms. Lucas Goldbach of En Masse Architecture and Design noted that clients want homes that feel safe and personal. Nashville designer Robin Rains has also seen growing interest in deeper colours and stained-wood antiques.
How Designers Use Brown
Designers are using brown on walls, kitchen cabinets, furniture and decorative finishes. Mushroom and taupe shades work well with walnut, charcoal and natural wood. Plaster finishes, Roman clay and limewash can also add texture to brown walls.
The right colour combinations depend on the shade’s undertone. Cooler browns pair well with soft blue, sage and evergreen. Warmer browns complement cream, beige, tan and terracotta. Designers also combine chocolate brown with powder blue or magenta for contrast.
Modern brown interiors differ from the darker palettes of the 1970s and 1980s. Today, designers mix brown with varied textures, lighter colours and contemporary furniture. This approach creates layered interiors without relying on a single colour throughout the room.
