1. OPT FOR A WRAPAROUND DARK-CHOCOLATE SCHEME
We love how this striking Chocolate Colour paint shade by Little Greene both complements and modernizes the ornate period details of this cocooning living room. 'Deep, rich browns work wonderfully as an alternative where you might previously have considered black, charcoal or a dark blue, bringing a restful and warm atmosphere to a living space,' says Ruth from Little Greene.
2. CONSIDER OLIVE-BROWN FOR A SOFTER TAKE ON STRONG COLOR
If you'd like to go for a warm, dark shade but aren't completely sold on the idea of brown, consider khaki or an olive-brown tone. Moody, muddy hues such as these offer a similar earthiness, but can often seem a little more approachable. The green notes help to lift the strong color, while still retaining the luxurious feel, as this timeless corner of Heckfield Place proves.
3. USE VERSATILE COFFEE SHADES TO BRIDGE OLD AND NEW
When Avenue Design Studio and Hedda Pier set to work transforming this Dutch townhouse in Haarlem, they devised a color scheme that would sit comfortably with the home's traditional architecture while providing a modern stamp.
4. COMBINE TOBACCO HUES WITH RED AND OCHRE UPHOLSTERY
Built in 1929, Hotel Rochechouart is a charming and intimate Art Deco design gem located at the foot of Montmartre in Paris. It was recently renovated by Festen Architecture, who developed an autumnal 1920s color palette for the redesign, which is made up of muted greens, bronze, ochre, tobacco, mocha, terracotta and faded white.
5. MIX BROWN WITH DARK WOOD FOR A TONAL SCHEME
'In this apartment we had a lot of height and natural light, so it was the perfect canvas for a darker tone on the walls to create elegance and warmth,' says Mariana Morales of Mexican architecture and interiors studio Direccion, who chose a deep grey-brown shade to envelop the space.