Introduction

Today, we’re presenting our concepts for styling with rich dark wood and classic brown furnishings. These tips will help you fall in love with this furniture style and find new ways to introduce them into your home.

Merits of brown furniture

Brown furnishings imbue a home with warmth, character, heritage, and opulence.ension. The deep brown hue evident in traditional furniture comes through rich timbers of mahogany, cedar, fruitwood, and more. These woods are present in timber floorboards, rich ceiling beams, architraves, wall panelling, and larger furniture pieces.

Types of wood you have to select for brown furniture style

The age, style, and type of wood you select can affect the value and quality of the furniture. A burl or bur is a tree growth commonly found in the form of a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch that is filled with tiny knots from dormant buds. On the inside, it has beautiful, unique swirls and eye-catching patterns. Due to its distinctive appearance, burl wood can be pricier, so opting for decorative pieces such as trays, picture frames, and boxes is a lovely way to introduce this wood.

Add some materials To bring life to brown furniture.

Brown furniture forms an excellent base for an interior when paired with fresh accents, complementary colours, and natural materials. To bring life to brown furniture, we love to incorporate accents of nickel, warm metallics, glassware, crisp white cotton, natural linens, and fresh foliage and floral arrangements.

 Create a balance of classic and modern elements.

For an eclectic flair, create a balance of classic and modern elements by pairing your brown furniture piece with a modern upholstered chair, abstract art, a contemporary floor rug, or a dramatic modern ceiling pendant. Adding pieces with lustre and reflection will lift and energize brown furniture. Include pewter picture frames, beaded or gilded mirrors, lustrous ceramic or metal lamp bases, crystal candelabras, glass candle holders, and glossy blue and white ceramics or ginger jars.

Add visual contrast in furniture style

Aim to include a mix of wood finishes or painted furniture pieces alongside your brown furniture to add visual contrast, as all brown furniture suites can sometimes appear a bit more old-fashioned. Mixing wood species, tones, or finishes will help your home feel layered, lived-in, and curated over time. Start by evaluating the dominant wood tone in your space. This could be your flooring, built-in cabinetry, wall panelling, or your most oversized brown furniture item. Next, identify the colour temperature or undertones.

Brown furniture can feature undertones.

Brown furniture can feature undertones that will appear orange, yellow, red, greyish-blue, beige, or dark brown. Once you’ve identified whether you have warm, cool, or neutral undertones, select accent furniture and decor that feature similar undertones—incorporating a mix of grain patterns, colours, and finishes to create visual interest and continuity.

Some key brown furniture pieces

We would love to have on display the following:

An elegant wooden grandfather clock.

A large mahogany dining table.

A wooden sleigh bed.

A chest of drawers or bedside cabinets.

A central round pedestal table.

A vintage desk.

An antique writing desk.

Use a primer first to repaint your darker wood pieces in furniture style.

If you wish to repaint your darker wood pieces, we recommend using a primer first to stop the tannins from leaching out and staining the paint colour. Alternatively, restoring an antique piece, such as a pedestal table in a deep ebony, will add drama, contrast, and modernity.

For classic and elegant interior furniture style

For a classic and elegant interior, pair with neutrals of ivory, beige, oyster tan, warm metallics, and pastel blues, pinks, and greens. Lastly, create a Hamptons look by contrasting dark brown furniture with shades of white, indigo, navy, celadon greens, duck egg blues, and painted timbers.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for being with us. We hope these brown furniture styling tips inspire you.