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Browns are back

From the Resene decorating blog

Does Brown still make you frown? Well, it shouldn't. There are some ways to make brown look wonderful in your home – and its popularity is back on the rise.

You may not realise it, but brown is much more than one shade. There are red browns, purple browns and pale browns like taupe, plus many more. It’s a great hue to bring into a home thanks to its depth and neutrality. Browns are typically warm tones so having the right décor and neighbouring walls in colours that pair well is important. The key is finding the right tone that works for you.

A lounge with a moccachino hued backdrop

A neutral home entryway with light brown trims

Lounge: Resene Wallpaper Collection KOS504 features a moccachino hued backdrop with a fun floral design in shades of yellow, green and blue. It’s great for a statement wall in a living room, especially in combination with flooring in Resene Concrete and a neutral sofa balanced with decorative accents such as a pair of ottomans in Resene Japonica and Resene Galliano.  Entryway: Walls in Resene Rice Cake, plywood floors finished in Resene Aquaclear, trims in Resene Tablelands, vases in (from left to right) in Resene Smitten, Resene Hive, Resene Just Dance and Resene Twisted Sister, DIY artwork in Resene Tablelands, Resene Smitten, Resene Ethereal, Resene Twisted Sister, Resene Hive and Resene Just Dance and striped lampshade in Resene Quarter Bokara Grey and Resene Hive. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

Coffee browns

Classic, balanced coffee browns like Resene Toorak, Resene Irish Coffee and Resene Espresso pair well with terracotta tones like Resene Desperado, Resene Raging Bull and Resene Crail. The warmth from both sets of colour play together well and can offer a cosy environment. Try pairing them with lighter tones couches and bedding to brighten up the space and to inject some life. You can also add home décor pieces like candles, trays, and lamps in warm pinks to add pops of colour in Resene Rapture, Resene Glorious and Resene Sunglo.

You can also mix things up by adding some deep brown décor pieces into your home in tones like Resene Black Magic, Resene Sepia, Resene Sambuca and Resene Wood Bark. Small items like candles, pot plants, photo frames, and cushions are quick-fire ways to add a new colour and theme to a space. Blankets and other bedding is also a great way to completely change the colour palette of a room. Try adding these in through home décor pieces in colours like Resene Cinnamon, Resene Chelsea Gem, Resene Kalgoorie Sands and Resene Calico.

Red and Purple Browns

Those browns with red and violet undertones are often much richer than more neutral browns and add an extra level of cosiness to a room. Particularly good for a feature wall surrounded by earthy green tones such as Resene Seaweed, Resene Paddock and Resene Caper, red browns to try are Resene Digeridoo and Resene Moccaccino and two great purple browns are Resene Spitfire and Resene Persian Red. These colours work well in hallways and living rooms. If you are feeling adventurous, combine these colours with yellows and greens like Resene Chenin, Resene Lemon Twist or Resene Saratoga.

A dark brown lounge

A dark brown moodboard

Lounge: Wall and floor in Resene Suits, fireplace in Resene Noir, side table in Resene Thunder Road, basket in Resene Rebel, round vase Resene Route 66, small ribbed vase in Resene Grey Seal, tall vase in Resene Moccasin. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Melanie Jenkins.  Moodboard: Timber flooring in Resene Suits, vase in Resene Noir, tealight holder in Resene Barnstorm and A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from left) Resene Thunder Road, Resene Moccasin, Resene Route 66, Resene Rebel, Resene Poured Milk and Resene Noir. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Melanie Jenkins.

Taupes

A classic colour whose popularity comes back around time and time again, taupes work well in most homes and can be made fun by pairing them with soft pinks, blues, and greens. These tones can work great in a bathroom, bedrooms to create a safe oasis. Some easily paired taupes are Resene Hurricane, Resene Kabul and Resene Zorba. To pair with soft blues and greens reach for Resene Ship Cove and Resene Echo Blue or Resene Sea Nymph and Resene Xanadu. For soft pink pairings, consider Resene Vintage, Resene Alluring, and Resene Gelato.

Spiced browns

Browns that would look right at home in a spice market are particularly popular hues at the moment. Look to rich, aptly named shades like Resene Cumin, Resene Cinnamon, Resene Moroccan Spice and Resene Korma for building a tonal scheme. Or, combine them with saffron yellows like Resene Noosa, bitter oranges like Resene Alert Tan, or capsicum reds like Resene Salsa for an exotic and sophisticated look.

How caramel colours can create an exotic eclectic space

A sophisticated sitting room with a rich brown pattern

Dining room: This dining space featuring Resene Wallpaper Collection E386541 (left) and E386551 (right) demonstrates how well caramel colours and blacks can be combined together to create an exotic eclectic space.  Sitting room: Resene Wallpaper Collection EAR406 lines this built-in banquet. Try pairing its rich brown pattern with a moss green like Resene Avocado and a coastal navy blue like Resene Elephant for a sophisticated on-trend look.

Caramel browns

Sticky sweet caramel browns have been having a moment, too. Toasty hues like Resene Toffee, Resene Pendragon, Resene Gold Coast and Resene Twine are ideal for building a cosy and cocooning colour scheme in a lounge when layered on top of smouldering charcoal walls in Resene Foundry. These shades are well suited for masculine spaces, especially when blended with leather and deep timber stain tones such as Resene Colorwood English Walnut, Resene Colorwood Treehouse or Resene Colorwood Bark.


Resene Poured Milk

Resene Grey Seal

Resene Tablelands

Resene Ethereal

Resene Just Dance

Resene Twisted Sister

Resene Barnstorm

Resene Route 66

Resene Moccaccino

Resene Thunder Road

Resene Suits

Resene Noir

February 25, 2020

Visit your local Resene ColorShop for more colour ideas and all the expert advice and products you need for a superb finish on all your decorating projects.

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