What Colours Go with a Brown Sofa?
Words by Emma Hughes
October 16, 2023
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9m
Brown is one of the most reliable sofa colours for many reasons. It’s a wonderfully neutral colour that instantly brings warmth to your home. This also makes it incredibly easy to style. With so many options, the hard part is deciding which aesthetic you like most.
Get inspired as we feature a handful of ways to style brown sofas, as well as considering what colour scheme goes with brown leather sofas. From different fabrics to complementary curtains and accessories – we’re just besotted with brown couches.
Contents
What colours work best with a brown sofa?
Brown is warm, inviting and complements many colour variations and interior styles. Whether you’re keen on country rustic vibes and antique accessories, prefer a bold industrial look or seek something more subtle and Scandinavian – brown works well in just about any scheme.
Brown sofas fit nicely into a range of budgets too, whether it’s your first sofa or you’re planning your dream living room. From sophisticated Chesterfields to cushioned corner sofas, brown sofas can look opulent just as easily as they can look cosy. They’re often more forgiving if you have children or pets, too.
When brown is your canvas, there’s a wide range of colour choices available to bring your space to life. Here are some colour combos to consider...
A brown sofa with a hint of dusky pink
Brown and muted pink complement each other well, whether it’s with shaggy cushions, table lamps or wall art. Patterned rugs with pink hues also blend well with the warmth of both light and dark brown sofas.
Mustard yellows and emerald greens with a brown leather sofa
Contrast the rich warmth of a deep brown leather sofa with mustard yellow and vivid greens. These trendy colours pair perfectly with brown.
Yellow can help bring out reddish tones in brown sofas, while green is a natural call to earthy hues – full of life yet oh so cosy. Introduce colour to your space with block colour ornaments on a bookshelf, or a bold wall or curtain feature.
Brilliant white perfectly complements a light brown sofa
Create a blank canvas with striking white walls and feature wall art as a backdrop to your brown sofa. Wooden accents, plants, and cool neutrals can help achieve a Scandinavian look.
Sophisticated blues with a brown sofa
The beauty of a neutral brown sofa is that it pairs so easily with both warm and cool tones. Blue and brown together may not be your first choice, but the right shade of navy or a gorgeous azure blue can be an amazing match.
Throw on some cool-toned cushions to create a peaceful space or add a dash of brighter blue to help achieve a more playful, Mediterranean look.
Wake up warm tones with orange
When it comes to what colours go with a brown sofa, don’t be afraid to be bold. Like mustard, orange hues only enhance the warmth in a brown sofa. Pair copper accents with a soft tan couch, grab the roller and paint a terracotta orange feature wall or even add rust-orange accessories to 70s-inspired décor for a retro look.
Complement a brown sofa with shades of brown and beige
Muted neutrals are great for creating a modern space. Style a brown sofa with various shades of brown, beige and cream to create a relaxing blend of complementary tones.
When you’re designing a room in various shades of brown, don’t forget to introduce patterns and textures. Cushions, lighting, throws and rugs are a great place to start.
Make your brown sofa stand out with monochrome
Make your brown sofa a statement piece by styling it with monochrome furnishings. Use black and white geometric planters, dark cushions, white throws and stone-grey décor.
Staple decorative items such as round mirrors can tie the monochrome aesthetic together and make the room feel larger. Meanwhile, wooden fixtures help round out black and white accents, matching the natural warmth of a brown sofa.
What fabric is best for a brown sofa?
Deciding what kind of sofa suits your needs can be difficult. The great news is that you’ll find brown sofas in a range of materials, complementing many different interior styles. Some are available as a fabric and leather sofa combination if you love both.
With a wide selection of sofa materials to choose from, there isn’t one option that’s better than the rest. Whether you choose a leather or fabric sofa, the best one for you may depend on your needs, as well as your style preferences.
Brown leather sofa
Brown leather sofas are a great choice for busy households as they’re hypoallergenic, easy to wipe clean and long-lasting. Real and faux leather sofas look amazing in shades of brown, helping to ground your living space with warm, earthy tones.
Available in light and dark shades, brown leather sofas make for a great centrepiece. Choose a couple of two or three-seaters, or a corner leather sofa with a luxurious chaise.
Brown suede sofa
Soft to the touch and ever so stylish, a brown suede sofa is long-wearing and easy to maintain. They’re available in a variety of shades, from deep chocolate brown to light tan and eye-catching ochre.
You’ll find brown suede sofas in various styles, such as Chesterfield sofas and cosy three-seaters. Their texture makes them ideal for layering with different materials, such as soft throws, woven cushions, and alongside wood coffee tables.
Brown fabric sofa
Traditional and easy to style, brown fabric sofas are perfect for snuggling into. Fabric sofas often offer a broad selection of colour options, keep their shape well and are straightforward to care for. Opt for muted stone-brown sofas, patterned sofas or a tan sofa suite – perfect for a modern living room.
Brown boucle sofa
Fleecy and warm, a brown boucle sofa is perfect if you’re looking for something with extra softness and texture. With a selection of trendy colours to choose from, boucle sofas are an easy statement piece. Learn more about this oh so fashionable sofa material in our guide. Why not choose a stylish boucle loveseat and mix and match it with another leather or fabric piece?
What colour cushions go with a brown sofa?
Cushions are a great way of expressing your style while adding that extra comfort factor. Throw down some perfectly plump cushions and get cosy during that next movie marathon or night in with friends.
When deciding what colour cushions go with your brown sofa, consider contrasting colours and similar shades. Whether you have a light, tan or dark brown sofa, hues that complement its colour tone will look the best.
Cushion colours for a dark brown sofa
Cushion colours for a tan sofa
Depending on your style, you could pair your tan sofa with bright, playful colours such as yellow, or opt for bold geometric patterns.
Tan sofas also work beautifully with similar shades, such as neutral coloured cushions. Sand, beige, cream and stone hues look picture-perfect when layered with tan, helping to create a calming ambience.
Cushion colours for a light brown sofa
Light brown sofas are some of the most versatile out there. Muted colours such as grey, lilac and dusky pink are ideal for a light brown sofa. If you can’t decide, create a rotation of cushion covers so you can regularly refresh your colour scheme.
Cushion colours for a rust-brown sofa
Wake up the red hues of rust-brown sofas with warm colours in shades of red, soft orange and blush pink. You can also contrast the warmth with green and blue, or let the rust sofa colour stand out with grey cushions.
What colour curtains go with a brown sofa?
Choosing curtains is often an investment much like your other living room furniture.
Neutral colours such as white, cream and grey work well with a brown sofa, or you could make a statement with something like sage green.
Voile curtains can help complete the room, or why not try layering them with floor-length drapes? Likewise, neutral Roman blinds pair well with a brown sofa too. You could also reach for wooden shutters and blinds in white or natural wood hues.
What colour rug goes with a brown sofa?
If you have hard flooring instead of carpet, a rug can quickly bring a room together and help soften the space. As the focal point of your living room, it’s important to choose wisely.
The aim is to marry your brown sofa with the rest of your furniture and décor. We’d recommend soft cream sheepskin and faux rugs for cosy nights in, or soft, textured rugs in sand or grey.
Patterned rugs with complementary colours also make great accessories to a brown sofa. This could include modern monochrome designs or traditional oriental and antique-style rugs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a brown sofa go with grey?
Absolutely, grey and brown sofas are a wonderful pair. Both colours are neutrals, making them an easy combination. You can introduce shades of grey and brown with a dark brown sofa, grey cushions, light grey voile curtains and a natural wood coffee table.
How do you make a brown leather sofa look nice?
Brown leather sofas are incredibly versatile. Introducing various neutral shades is potentially the easiest way to create a cohesive living space around a brown leather sofa. Add complementary colours and textures using cushions, throws, rugs and coffee tables.
What colour carpet goes with a brown sofa?
Neutral carpets complement brown sofas the best. Depending on your living room aesthetic, choose subtle carpet colours such as cream, ivory, beige and stone grey. You can even find carpets and furnishings in “greige” – a mix between grey and beige.
Does brown leather go with everything?
Brown leather sofas are popular staples for good reason. They’re neutral, which means whatever you choose will go with just about anything you like – good news for indecisive home designers! Pair brown leather sofas with minimalist hues, relaxing navy blue or playful yellows are the ideal choice.
What colours make a living room look bigger and brighter?
Paler colours such as off-white, neutrals and gentle blush pink can give the impression of a larger, more airy space.
Learn more about pairing colours and sofas
Still searching for the right sofa for your living space? Feel inspired and explore the Your House blog for more home style guidance and tips.
• What colours go with a green sofa?
• What colours go with a grey sofa?
• Corner sofa buying guide
Get cosy and fall in love with a brown sofa from Barker and Stonehouse. Choose from leather chaise sofas, soft boucle sofas and more.
Find the perfect brown sofa today.