Down-to-Earth

Brown is a natural, down-to-earth neutral color. It is found in earth, wood, and stone.

While brown conveys a wholesome earthiness, it's darkest and lightest shades from chocolate brown to pale beige and golden-brown are rich, refined, even elegant. It is a warm color that can stimulate the appetite. Some of the positive attributes of brown are simplicity, friendliness, dependability, and health.

Brown and its lighter cousins in tan, taupe, beige, or cream make excellent backgrounds helping accompanying colors appear richer, brighter. Shades of brown coupled with green are an especially earthy pair, often used to convey the concept of recycling or earth-friendly products.

Beige, can take on some of the attributes of yellow or pink when touched with those shades.

The other neutrals: Gray, Silver, Black and White.

• Brown Color Combinations

These color palettes feature shades of brown. Although I've made a few suggestions here and there about the 'amount' of each color to use, experiment. For best results don't use even amounts of each color in the palette. Choose one or two dominant colors and use the rest for accents. Keep in mind that due to the differences between color in print and on the Web that these colors may not appear the same on paper as they appear here on the screen.

These aren't just random color combinations. Each of these are based on actual historic and modern formulas used in posters, packaging, ads, and other design work over the past century.

For a much more comprehensive selection of color combinations refer to The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations by Leslie Cabarga.

C40M65Y70K50 | C30M90Y100 | C20M13Y13 | C40M40Y70K3 | C40K100
Shades of brown and a touch of gray with a dark earthy orangy red.

C40M75Y80 | M10Y35 | C40Y70K10 | C100Y50
Earthy doesn't mean lifeless. These shades of brown and tan are enlivened with a bright teal accent.

C25M80Y90Y25 | C65M3Y65K15 | C5M85Y90 | C5M55Y85 | M20Y40 | C40K100
Here's a wonderfully earthy palette of brown, green, and orange.

M10Y20K15 | K45 | M40Y40K70 | White
Neutrals combine for an unusual look. Make the gray a splash of metallic silver ink and it's not so dull a combo as you might think.

M90Y100 | C15M35Y60K3 | C30M55Y100K30 | C40K100 | White
Black and brown create a strong neutral background for a splash of orange-red. Use a touch of white to provide light and contrast.

C7M5Y15 | M40Y25 | C30M55Y60K15 | C50K100
A pale pink and light brown work nicely together with a beige and black for this neutral art deco color scheme. Use more of the pink to wake it up a bit.

M30Y80 | M50Y100 | C15M40Y60K20 | C50K100 | White
A light brown brings out the earthiness of these citrus orange shades. Lighten with a touch of white for accent.

C80M100Y100K15 | M60Y80K10 | M35Y100 | M15Y35K25 | C40K100
A dark chocolate brown as a background works nicely with this orangey brown and yellow. The gray adds a touch of lightness.

Seven colors in shades of yellow, brown, and green combine for this Victorian era color scheme.