Colors to avoid pairing with brown – 5 shades that don’t work with fall’s biggest color trend

Considering a room makeover for fall and you’re looking for some color inspiration? Brown has definitely been gaining some traction over the past few months, and it's a shade that's only going to grow in popularity as we go into fall. Cozy, cocooning and warm it's the perfect shade for fall decorating.

However, there are shades you should avoid pairing with brown. And although it's a versatile shade when used alone, or mixed in as part of a neutral scheme, it can be tricky to pair with other colors. So we spoke with color experts to find out exactly which pairings won't work when decorating with brown and tips you should be following instead.

What Are The Colors To Avoid Pairing With Brown?

It's important to go with your heart when you decide to redecorate a room but if you're set on painting your space brown then you're going to want to be aware of what color combinations just won't work. We've listed five colors below that the experts say you should avoid.

1. Yellow

Even though decorating with yellow is a popular color for fall decorating, pairing it with brown might not be the best idea. Ayten Nadeau, founder of I-TEN Designs says ‘Though autumn’s golden tones are lovely, bright yellow clashes with brown, creating an unsettling contrast that disrupts the warm, cozy atmosphere’.

Nureed Saeed from Nu Interiors agrees and goes on to say ‘When a room features brown, best to avoid yellow and orange. Yellow and brown can go Charlie Brown very quickly!'

However, if you are keen to feature yellow in your room scheme, try and keep it minimal. Perhaps a piece of artwork you love has pops of yellow in it. That’s fine, as long as you don’t pair brown and yellow in equal parts.

2. Vivid red

One of the main things that is appealing about a brown color scheme is the sumptuous and rich look it provides. If this is the thing that draws you to brown interiors then you may want to avoid pairing it with red.

‘Bold reds can overpower brown’s subtle elegance, resulting in a discordant and visually overwhelming effect’, explains Ayten. Instead, consider choosing a more muted tone of red, like a rusty red, to complement the undertones of brown.

3. Green

Green and brown is a tricky color combination to get right, it can easily start to look muddy and undefined.

Rosanna Bassford, founder and principal at Memmo Interiors says 'Green can be a hard color to pair with brown. In the wrong shades, it’ll make your room look like a tree, and not in a good way. I prefer to pair brown with warm, neutral tones in the same color family like camel and cream.'

Or, if you’ve got your heart set on a green and brown scheme. Choose a khaki shade and brighten things up with pops of white – you could even opt for a fun patterned wallpaper.

4. Pure white

Brown is extremely rich in tone and is undeniably warm and inviting. Try not to work against this too much by pairing it with a stark white. Instead, opt for a variety of more neutral tones instead.

'While white can be a clean neutral, its starkness against brown can feel cold and undermine the rich, cozy ambiance of fall. For a cohesive fall design, pair brown with warmer, earthy tones like burnt orange, deep burgundy, and muted olive green. These shades enhance brown’s natural richness and reflect the season’s warmth, creating a harmonious and inviting space’, suggests Ayten.

Brighten up a brown kitchen by painting the walls in beige or off-white.

5. Orange

Leaning towards an orange and brown scheme? It’s important you get the tones right to create a match made in heaven rather than a decorating disaster.

‘Orange and brown can look like Halloween decor or the Thanksgiving cornucopia. Try pairing brown with soft terracottas or pinks instead. Brown and pink looks like a Mia Mia runway from 1993 – love it’, says Nureed.

Take inspiration from the Benjamin Moore bedroom color scheme pictured above and pair a brown feature wall with muted orange and pink accessories.

Brown can be a hard color to get right, especially if you’re using it as the main focal point of a room.

Take your time in deciding what color pairings work best and be sure to create a visual moodboard beforehand, to make sure your desired combinations work in the space that you’re decorating.

Try to avoid vibrant shades and opt for more muted tones instead that will complement the richness of brown rather than fighting against it.