Brown Paint -- It's Not the Way It Used to Be

If you love brown, you haven't seen much of your favourite colour in decorating mags lately. If you're seeing brown at all, it's showing up in natural materials  like wood and leather that just happen to be brown.

Earth colours have tended toward gold, caramel, and flesh tones rather than a straightforward brown.

For the upcoming season, though, we're seeing a new kind of brown paint. Not paint made with brown pigment, but yellows and reds mixed together for shades that are more complex and nuanced. A modern brown paint might be almost purple, almost pink, or a yellow shade like the hottest mustard. Greyed browns in the taupe family are gaining ground, too.

Are you determined to go with chocolate brown or espresso brown? Pair it with teal for the newest look. For exterior painting, save that deepest brown for the shutters and doors of the house, and choose a taupe or toffee shade for the main walls.

Really, really love brown? Go ahead. It's your home. Fashions come and go, but your favourite colour can make you happy regardless of the trends.