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Brown is replacing beige in interior design color trends.

Brown is the New Beige in Interior Color Trends

Discover why this versatile hue is taking over neutral palettes.

Beige has long been a staple in interior design, celebrated for its neutrality and versatility. However, in recent months, another warm, inviting color has stepped into the spotlight. Brown, especially taupe, is emerging as the new beige in interior color trends, offering a cozy and sophisticated alternative to the classic neutral.

Neutrals such as taupe are grounding wall colors.

The New Beige: Brown Takes Center Stage in Interior Color Trends

Brown, particularly taupe, is becoming the new go-to neutral. This shade, reminiscent of velvety cocoa, provides a striking yet subtle backdrop for any room. When paired with complementary furniture and accents, taupe can range from neat and tailored to soft and welcoming.

Experts suggest introducing contrasts to taupe to enhance its appeal and prevent it from appearing too monotonous. Pairing it with other natural shades can create a well-balanced and inviting space.

Beige isn't completely out of style, but it's evolving.

Is Beige Out of Style?

Beige isn't completely out of style, but it's evolving. This year, beige is being complemented by earthy brown accents that add warmth and sophistication to interiors. Inspired by global travel and natural elements, current color palettes include rich shades of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and ochre. These earthy tones are perfect for creating a grounded yet elegant interior.

Brown’s versatility makes it an ideal choice for various applications, whether as a dominant color or a complementary accent. It effortlessly flatters well-drawn patterns and existing furnishings, making it a favored choice in interior color trends.

Offering myriad warm hues that sit harmoniously together, the brown color palette is loved by designers for its ability to create relaxed, grounding spaces with enduring appeal.

What Can I Use Instead of Beige? Embrace Brown in Interior Color Trends

Drawing inspiration from nature's rich earthy tones is an excellent way to create a warm and inviting space. Brown hues offer a harmonious blend that adds depth and character to any room.

For those looking to refresh their interiors, consider painting entire rooms in taupe, including walls, ceilings, and woodwork, to establish a cozy, neutral backdrop. Adding rustic wooden furniture and soft textiles can further enhance the warmth and comfort of the space.

Balancing brown with other natural colors like greens or burnt oranges evokes a sense of calm and connection to the natural world, making it a popular choice in today’s interior design.

Think of taupe as a mid-neutral rather than a color as it will complement a plethora of contrasting hues from burnt orange to verdant greens and inky blues.

Decorating with Brown: Tips for Creating Stylish Spaces

Brown doesn't have to be dull. When used effectively, it can create dynamic, inviting interiors. Here’s how to make the most of brown in different rooms:

1. Brown in the Kitchen

Brown pairs beautifully with green, creating a classic, comforting look reminiscent of natural landscapes. To add a dynamic twist, introduce unexpected pops of color, such as red, to make the space feel luxurious and sophisticated.

Using shades of brown in the kitchen.

2. Brown in the Living Room

Browns, especially honey-hued shades, are gaining popularity in living rooms for their ability to create cozy, enveloping spaces. Combining different tones of brown with soft textures can result in a timeless yet contemporary look.

Browns and honey-hued colors are re-taking their rightful place in our interiors.

3. Brown in the Bedroom

Incorporating rich brown tones in the bedroom can create a strong connection with nature. This color, when balanced with other hues like terracotta or deep greens, fosters a serene and timeless atmosphere.

This is a contemporary bedroom but the use of rich tones, shapes, and details creates a connection with nature that makes it appear almost timeless.

4. Brown in the Bathroom

Bathrooms are ideal spaces to indulge in deep, dark colors. Brown-veined marble and taupe cabinetry create a luxurious haven, perfect for relaxation. Adding layers of texture and warm lighting further enhances the space's inviting ambiance.

Bathrooms are somewhere you can indulge in deep, dark colors without upsetting the flow of your overall interior design.

Why Brown is a Top Choice in Interior Color Trends

As trends evolve, brown has emerged as the new beige, bringing warmth, sophistication, and versatility to interior design. Whether you're refreshing a living room, bedroom, or bathroom, brown offers endless possibilities for creating stylish, grounded spaces. Its ability to harmonize with other colors and textures makes it the top choice for those looking to stay on trend while maintaining a timeless aesthetic.

I hope ideas of utilizing all these many brown shades (and yes, even beige) have inspired you regarding any possible upgrades, renovations, or remodeling to your home or business! If you’d like me to help you consider the right shade of brown for any or all of your spaces, contact me. You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some wonderful decor and design approaches together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.


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7 Big Interior Color Trends for 2022

Here are some lovely interior color trends for 2022 – and how to use them in your home. You may have noticed, we’ve been moving towards a mindset of wellbeing lately. From calming neutrals countering the turbulence of the pandemic to cheerful and optimistic shades, this selection reflects that healing trend and incorporates aspects of wellbeing into the home.

Colors resonate in distinct ways for different people, and while some gravitate towards calming neutrals to counter the upheaval of the past couple of years, others choose to immerse themselves in positive, vivid colors, reaching for optimism. Frankly, I think all of it works to move things (us and all that is wrapped up in our lives) forward with a big smile to the future.

Dulux’s Bright Skies is a fresh and airy blue, Benjamin Moore chose a gentle shade of sage, while Farrow & Ball predicts a cheerful rainbow, from the spicy yellow Babouche No.223 to the lively Breakfast Room Green No.81. All of these make that healing statement of wellbeing for this 2022 year.

Here are some tips on how you can make the most of these 2022 interior color trends in your home.

1. Babouche – the sunny yellow

Named after the distinctive color of the leather slippers worn by men in Morocco, this shade of yellow can be described as ‘subdued sunshine.’

In 2022, we’ll relish brighter colors that herald a return to normality. The sunny and uncomplicated Babouche is perfect for embracing this – while bold, it never feels garish or overpowering.

Named after the distinctive color of the leather slippers worn by men in Morocco, this shade of yellow can be described as ‘subdued sunshine.’ Despite its bold hue, it’s not overly bright or overpowering, making it perfect for a larger room, where its cheerfulness will intensify. In terms of décor, opt for more minimalist companions, such as simple line drawings, or unobtrusive bright shades.

This buttery yellow can help to brighten a space with limited natural light, and when you consider the color wheel, this particular shade would sit well with a pale blue or a soft pink/red.

2. School House White – the updated neutral

Ideal for a background on which to feature dramatic, largescale artworks, or even vibrant, statement rugs, it’s hard to go wrong with this particular shade of white.

A soft, off-white shade, School House White is designed to look like white in a shaded area. Muted, timeless, and comfortingly familiar, this shade evokes the nostalgia of old schoolhouses. Due to its grounded, unassuming hue, this shade would pair easily with virtually any other color. Ideal for a background on which to feature dramatic, largescale artworks, or even vibrant, statement rugs, it’s hard to go wrong with this particular shade of white.

This shade will also amplify the power of Babouche if you like the idea of combining multiple 2022 interior color trends.

3. Bright Skies – the hopeful blue

This blue shade has the potential to be the new grey.

This airy and fresh shade breathes new life into any space. It will be a game-changer when people use this tone on their ceilings, with Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux, saying it makes the ceiling just ‘melt away.’ This hue is both uplifting and light, while simultaneously being soothing, familiar, and apt for a joyous safe haven. This selection by Dulux was influenced by the aftermath of the pandemic, with many of us craving freedom, expansion, and a return to nature.

This shade has the potential to be the new grey, in a turn towards color with less emphasis on neutrals.

4. Breakfast Room Green – the cheerful shade

This green shade complements plants, whether art-depicted, or real, and would work well to promote a sense of wellbeing within the home.

The most cheerful of Farrow & Ball’s greens – named after the east-facing rooms designed for languid mornings spent eating breakfast in the dawn light. This soft shade reflects the natural world we’ve often retreated to during the pandemic.

These last two years, many of us spent much of our time reconnecting with our gardens and falling back in love with nature. This shade complements plants, whether art-depicted, or real, and would work well to promote a sense of wellbeing within the home. Pair this shade with Stone Blue for a visual effect that is captivatingly familiar. Due to its calming nature, opt for artwork that speaks to wellbeing.

5. Incarnadine – the comforting red

This comforting shade of red would pair perfectly with warm woodwork and rustic gold touches.

Rich, warm, and oh-so-comforting, is Incarnadine. This shade combines traditional red while beckoning the spirit of the leisurely Mediterranean. This shade would pair perfectly with warm woodwork and rustic gold touches. Alternatively, angle it towards an edgy twist by pairing it with a bright white shade.

Heighten the contemporary feel in this glossy shade by combining it with a monochromatic palette, or go for opulence with plenty of velvets, deep forest greens or inky blues, and classic antique furniture.

6. October Mist – the palest green

A particularly calming color combination puts October Mist with deeper fern greens.

A soft grey-green, October Mist makes a great foundation color from which to build an earthy palette. Much like Breakfast Room Green, this shade encourages a reconnection with the great outdoors and is easy to introduce into your home.

October Mist does well in a farmhouse setting, combined with soft, nature-inspired tones – pale sky blues, a scorched earth red, or chalky whites. A particularly calming color combination puts October Mist with deeper fern greens.

7. Stone Blue – the vintage tone

Stone Blue - the vintage tone.

An appreciation of vintage style shows no sign of faltering in 2022, with the timeless Stone Blue by Farrow & Ball sitting alongside Dulux’s Bright Skies as the most on-trend blue shades.

Named after the indigo pigment imported in lumps during the 18th century, this warm and timeless blue can be used alongside other warm hues to create an inviting, vintage look. Alternatively, decorate with a cooler tone for a cleaner, more contemporary feel. Bonus points if you pair this shade with other simple and familiar colors that communicate that sense of folk and craftsmanship that is present throughout this palette.

Some very nice colors here, breathing new life into interiors looking for a refresh. Not all of the paints are easily available in the US, but there are a lot of workarounds and parallels. I just wanted you to see some lovely color trends making waves now. And, of course, I’m here to help you pull it all together and find your best personal palette for 2022.

If these colors have inspired you, just give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399 or message me in the window below this blog, and we can explore some lovely, colorful territory together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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