What Color Paint Goes with Dark Brown Furniture?

Here we answer what color paint goes with dark brown furniture including some matching factors to consider, and paint colors for bedroom & living room designs.
The first thing to keep in mind when selecting the color paint to go with your dark brown furniture is what mood or theme you want to create in your room. The color brown is generally perceived as a warm color but the atmosphere the earthen hue brings actually varies depending on its shade and undertones.

For dark brown furniture, for instance, that has cool undertones such as gray, a light blue paint is a fitting match. While warm undertones such as yellow will go best with furniture with a blue-green tinge.

Although, brown is not presented on the traditional color wheel and is usually presented as a dark shade of orange where the tangerine tone’s complementary color is blue. This makes blue colors a general match for your brown color.

 

Design Factors To Consider

• Size of the Room

• Amount of Natural Light 

• Theme 

Paint Colors For Bedroom With Dark Brown Furniture

Dark brown furniture generally is achieved by adding a mixture of black. Therefore, the best paint color to match your dark brown furniture will depend on the levels of orange and black added to your dark brown color.

Since you’re painting a bedroom, you want to go for a cozier atmosphere with your paint color. We’ve curated the best of the paint colors for a bedroom with the corresponding dark brown shades. Read our paint colors for bedroom with dark furniture guide for more like this.

Brown on Brown – Dark Brown with Warm Undertones

While we’ve been discussing undertones and the goal of not overwhelming a space, brown on brown can be a great option for more experienced decorators if you’re going for a cabin or rustic feel. The brown-on-brown color will need to have variations of the brown color to give a layered feel to your dark brown furniture. 

Cinnamon #652A0E – The reddish tone is great with varying colors of beige and cream such as Sherwin Williams Unfussy Beige or a lighter variation such as the Sherwin Williams Pineapple Cream (SW 1668) provides a soft transition.

You can use white accents such as the Sherwin Williams Shell White (SW 8917) or the Sherwin Williams Arcade White (SW 7100). 

Sherwin Williams Pineapple Cream (SW 1668)

Sherwin Williams Shell White (SW 8917)

Sherwin Williams Arcade White (SW 7100)

Brown on Gray – Dark Brown with Warm Undertones

Brunette #3B1E08. If your dark brown furniture covers a large area, a cool tone will make it more balanced and harmonious. Gray is a fitting paint color for bedroom walls that subdues dark brown furniture’s reddish undertones.

Choose a 70% white and 30% gray shade, such as Sherwin Williams Alpaca (SW 7022) or Farrow and Ball Cornforth White No.228. 

Sherwin Williams Alpaca (SW 7022)

Farrow and Ball Cornforth White No.228

Brown on Black – Dark Brown and Cool Undertones  

Cedar #4A3728 – A black paint color is great for rooms that receive a lot of light and strategic artificial lighting during the night to create that moody space. A black may not be for everyone, but it gives a relaxing atmosphere with the right elements and accent colors.

Benjamin Moore’s Nightfall

Benjamin Moore’s Soot black

Match your dark brown furniture with blacks with greenish or blue undertones, such as Benjamin Moore’s Nightfall and Soot black paints. Accent colors can include warmer white and cream shades such as Benjamin Moore’s Bashful or Swiss Coffee. 

Benjamin Moore’s Bashful

Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee

Brown on Green Blue – Dark Brown with Cool Undertones

Chocolate #2E1503- For a coastal-themed bedroom, green, blue paints with gray undertones will look great with your dark chocolate furniture. A soft aqua like Benjamin Moore Palladian blue is muted but cheerful and relaxing shade that helps your brown furniture visually pop.

Benjamin Moore Palladian blue

Marina Isle by Behr

Another option with a soft and darker shade of green is the Marina Isle by Behr. The gorgeous color pairs well with the earthy tone and will work great with accents such as deep greens and white.   

Living Room Paint Colors With Dark Brown Furniture

Unlike the bedroom, the living room will need a livelier and welcoming vibe where people can gather and feel comfortable. With dark brown furniture, there are certain colors you can work with to create a more cohesive space. You may read more about our best living room paint colors guide for more information. 

White for a Classic or Traditional Theme 

It’s hard to go wrong with the classic white wall paint, and since it’s a neutral color, it goes along pretty much with any color, especially dark tones.

Your dark brown furniture will look great against the white backdrop because of the obvious contrast. You can add two shades lighter from your furniture as your accent tones. 

Sherwin Williams: Chantilly Lace OC-65

Behr: Frost 57 

Benjamin Moore: White Heron OC -57 

Green for a Nature Theme 

Lighter shades of green are ideal for gathering spaces. According to color psychology, we associate green and brown with nature, which can have a calming and harmonious effect.

Even if the room becomes crowded, using this palette in rooms intended for gatherings can help your guests have a calm and relaxing time.

Sherwin Williams: Liveable Green LRV 61

Behr: Breezeway MQ3-21 (Color of the Year 2022)

Benjamin Moore: North Shore Green LRV 71

Gray for an Industrial Theme 

When you have a leather sofa with a dark brown color, a charcoal gray will create that industrial feel to the space. You may also create a transitional space or mid-century inspired room, depending on the style and profile of your furniture. Gray is a neutral hue that will work well regardless of the undertones of your dark brown living room furniture. 

Sherwin Williams: Misty 6232 

Behr: Silver Feather

Benjamin Moore: Iced Cube Silver 2121-50

Navy Blue for a Palladian Theme 

Behr Dark Navy is a fitting family room paint color if you have the perfect space for a dark hue, such as in larger rooms or brightly lit rooms. A dark navy blue looks stunning with white trim and molding with your dark brown furniture.

A navy-blue room with black and white accents has a crisp style. Behr’s Dark Navy can be paired with a variety of metal finishes, but keep them brushed or muted to avoid clashing with the rich wall color.

Sherwin Williams: Bracing Blue 6242

Behr: Night Flight 

Benjamin Moore: Newbury Point Blue 

What Color Makes Brown Furniture Pop?

When you want to showcase your brown furniture generally, the lightest color will give the best contrast to a brown color relative to the color temperature and shade. 

White Tie by Farrow and Ball

White Tie by Farrow and Ball

This color has a pale cream that brightens up a room effortlessly and, as a background, will allow other colors to be dominant yet not stale or boring due to its warm undertones. It’s a lovely hue that can also be used with other elements such as cabinets, moldings, or trims. 

Tallow by Farrow and Ball

Tallow by Farrow and Ball

If you’re looking for a peachy undertone, this color paint is the perfect choice as it warms up a room and is versatile to work with in achieving either a modern or a traditional interior. 

Belgravia by Maryland

Belgravia by Maryland

For a backdrop that showcases furniture while complementing the architecture of an interior, the matt finish of Belgravia is a great choice due to its classic tone. The white ground marble hue shows off the curvature of architectural elements while allowing the dark brown furniture to pop visually. 

What Colors Go With Chocolate Brown?

Chocolate brown goes excellently with navy, baby blue, or cobalt blues. But the earthen tone actually goes with almost every color. White, cream or sepia tones are great options for a softer color scheme, especially for an interior color palette. 

Best Cream Color for Chocolate Brown 

Soft Cream Color HEX #F9F9EO

Soft Cream Color HEX #F9F9EO, RGB (249,249, 224). The lovely hue works well for living rooms, kitchens, and other areas with larger square foot coverage, while the paint colors allow dark colors to thrive, such as the chocolate brown. 

Best Green Blue Color for Chocolate Brown

A Light Aqua almost mint in color HEX #C0E3E3 RGB (192, 227, 227) brings a cool and modern combination with your chocolate brown. If you’re worried chocolate brown might create an outdated look, this color tone is a safe combination. 

HEX #C0E3E3 RGB

Best Pale Pink Color for Chocolate Brown 

If you’re looking for a fun and comforting vibe out of your brown colors, the dusty pink will balance the earthy tone with the more vibrant and youthful shade. The Dusty Pink has a HEX code of #e1ad9d RGB (225, 173, 157). 

HEX code of #e1ad9d

Does Grey Go with Brown Furniture?

Grey and brown are both neutral colors, so that they will complement each other perfectly. True, some people may find a dominant neutral room uninteresting. And the use of the wrong shades of brown and grey can be overwhelming.

This is why the right shades of brown and grey must be balanced. It’s also crucial to think about the rest of the decorations in the area.

While brown and grey are both practical colors, combining them can be difficult. If your furniture is all brown, there are plenty of grey accents to choose from. Aside from the walls, all of your decorations may have some grey in them.

Visit our guide about what colors go good with brown for more related content.