The color brown: meaning and palettes to use it
For years brown was the color nobody wanted. Today it's one of the most used by brands that want to feel warm, handmade and honest. Here's what it means and how to use it.
Click a color to copy its code.
What the color brown means
It's linked to earth, wood, stability, simplicity and the natural. It gives a sense of solidity and of something made by hand.
Its downside is looking dated or dull, especially in muted tones over large areas.
What brown says about a brand
It works for coffee, chocolate, bakeries, crafts, sustainable fashion and interiors. It conveys quality without showing off.
Light browns and camel are elegant; dark browns, solid and masculine; reddish browns, warm and autumnal.
Not every shade of brown says the same thing
Coffee
Warm and approachable.
Chocolate
Rich and indulgent.
Camel
Elegant and classic.
Sand
Natural and bright.
Palettes with brown to copy
Each swatch shows the contrast of the text that reads best on top of it. From 4.5:1 it works for body text.
Coffee shop
Cafes, bakeries, food
Camel
Fashion, leather, interiors
Fall
Seasonal campaigns, editorial
What goes with brown
- Goes well with
- Cream, olive green, petrol blue, terracotta orange and off-white.
- Use with care
- Black (it muddies it) and cool grays.
Brown around the world
Even within Spanish the name changes: Mexico says café and Spain says marrón for the same color. Worth knowing if your campaign copy has to work in both markets.
In both countries brown is the color of earth, wood and traditional cooking, which is why so many artisan products choose it.
Design with this palette, for free
Copy the codes and take them to Polimake's design canvas: social posts, covers and thumbnails with your own photos, no subscription needed.
Frequently asked questions
- Are “marrón” and “café” the same color?
- Yes. Both mean brown in Spanish: “café” is the usual word in Mexico and much of Latin America, “marrón” in Spain.
- What goes with brown?
- Cream, olive green, petrol blue and terracotta orange.