We wrote about the The Brown Age color trend a few years ago, but it's clear to see this trend is here to stay a little longer!

Combined with the current rust trend that is still making waves in 2022, it's clear to see these two hues aren't going anywhere any time soon.

The retro obsession of the recent years has been quietly sneaking in pops of brown in interior design and fashion, and we have now reached a point deserving of a grand announcement. 

The future seems brown and we promise it will be much better than it sounds.

With grey out of the picture, interior color schemes are showing signs of warming up.

Replacing light grey, beige has taken the throne as a go-to neutral of the moment, offering dreamy elegance instead of cold reason. But it is not just grey we are about to leave behind. It is time to say our farewells to black too. Yes, you saw it well. And it’s all due to the seventies revival.

Slowly but firmly, overpowering black is being replaced with a more open and collaborative brown. Those with an eye for fashion will confirm that black is gradually disappearing from the catwalks of the recent seasons. Instead, tone-on-tone brown and brown paired with red, teal and green are stealing the spotlights.

Brown interior color trend

Edelkoort, one of the most influential trend forecasters of our time, is the loudest advocate of the brown color trend. She is the one responsible for coining the “The Brown Age” term.

Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute also confirms “Browns are important across the gamut and are inspired by dried seaweed and driftwood”.

WGSN, a premier trend forecaster, also predicted the comeback of brown in the luxury hospitality sector and fashion. Shervin Williams was also on track when they announced Cavern Clay as the color of 2019, and so was Dulux with their Spiced Honey.

But warm terracotta and golden beige are already showing signs of maturing. If you take a closer look into the current interior design color trends, you’ll see that the colors are still earthy, but much, much darker.

Gudy Herder from Eclectic Trends notes: “If we talk only hue, one reason why Brown rises is for sure the desire to move away from a pinkish and reddish terracotta palette seen for a long time. Brown is only a natural progression.”

From chocolate brown to caramel

The brown interior color trend will be represented by dark brown, chocolate brown, cinnamon and caramel.

The overall demand for sustainability and our growing need to feel more connected to nature make brown a logical candidate for the color of the year.

The fact that brown is often associated with poverty and decomposing and that, no so long ago, we received a visual overdose of brown interiors everywhere around made brown the least desirable color for years. But its nostalgic feel prevails!

But according to psychologists, brown also stands for stability, reliability and safety. It reminds us of simpler times, recalls ancient rituals and brings to mind a more down to earth lifestyle. Brown is natural, comfortable and familiar.

And plays well with almost any color scheme.

The changing times require changing measures. Will the brown color trend live up to the expectations?