Brown Rugs Buying Guide
Brown is the color of rich coffee, hot cocoa, nutmeg and all things warm and cozy. If you’re ready to cuddle up to a comfortable, sophisticated brown area rug, read on for tips on working a brown rug into your space.
Why Choose a Brown Area Rug?
As the hue associated with the woods, fall, rich earth and warming beverages, it makes sense that people tend to feel comforted around the color brown. As a warm neutral, brown works well with other neutral hues including cream, beige and warmer tones of gray. But beyond solidly neutral palettes, brown also works especially well as a foil for other colors, helping them really pop. From creamy cappuccino to deepest espresso, there’s sure to be a shade of brown that appeals.
Know your browns:
- Cappuccino: Pale and creamy like the frothy coffee drink.
- Fawn: A light gray-brown.
- Mushroom: A medium-light brown, warming and easy to work with.
- Chestnut: A warm, reddish brown.
- Milk chocolate: A rich medium brown.
- Cocoa: A rich dark brown.
- Walnut: A very dark, rich brown.
- Espresso: The darkest of the dark browns, espresso can look almost black in certain lights.
Variations of brown area rugs to look for:
- Traditional: A classic oriental rug is a can’t-miss design item for any home. Look for one in soft fawn or bolder espresso.
- Southwestern: Desert and tribal motifs are a natural choice in warm, earthy browns.
- Botanical and Floral Print: These naturalistic designs look lovely in earthy brown tones.
- Geometric: Modern geometric prints bring crisp definition and a youthful element to a space.
- Striped: Classic stripes in brown and white are easy, neutral and go with anything.
- Overdyed: This hybrid between a traditional oriental style rug and modern super-saturated color makes for a rug that works with a wide range of styles.
- Shag: If you’re looking for a super-soft and plush rug to sink your toes into, a shag rug is what you need. Look for shag rugs in solid brown, or in a range of prints.
Material Matters
Brown area rugs come in a range of materials and textures, from soft wool to indoor-outdoor versions. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular materials.
- Wool: Wool is a high quality rug material that makes for a soft and natural feel underfoot. Wool has natural soil and stain resistance.
- Cotton: Made from the soft tufts of the cotton plant, cotton is a budget-friendly material that feels soft underfoot. Sometimes blended with synthetic fibers to make a more durable rug.
- Natural fiber: The most popular natural fiber rugs are made from jute or sisal.
- Indoor-Outdoor: Made from synthetic materials designed to withstand sun, sand, and weather, this is a good choice for patios and high-traffic zones.
- Hand-tufted: Hand-tufted rugs are created by pushing yarns into a fabric base. The surface pile is then cut to create a cushy, soft feel.
- Synthetic: Examples of synthetic materials used in rugs are nylon, polyester, polypropylene and viscose. Also called olefin, polypropylene is a synthetic fiber that is strong, colorfast, and comfortable.
Where to use brown area rugs:
- Warm up a cozy living room with a brown botanical print rug.
- Anchor a formal dining area with a rich brown oriental rug.
- Bring sophistication to a white kitchen with an overdyed brown runner.
- Create an elegant study with an espresso geometric print rug.
- Sink your toes into a warm brown shag rug in the bedroom.
- Put a practical dark brown indoor-outdoor rug in the mudroom.
Decorating with Brown Area Rugs
Brown is rich, warming and comfortable, making it one of the easiest colors to work with in home design. However, you can have too much of a good thing when it comes to brown! Avoid brown burnout by mixing in plenty of crisp white for contrast, and be sure to include a wide range of interesting textures from nubby natural fibers to gleaming metallics to keep things interesting.
Color pairing tips for brown area rugs:
- Brown and gold: This is an elegant combination ideal for traditional, contemporary and formal spaces.
- Brown and neutrals: Easy, simple, and foolproof, this is a great color scheme to go for if you like your decorating natural and organic or farmhouse-style.
- Brown and white: Brown and white is an easy, classic combination.
- Brown and blue: Calm, sophisticated and modern, brown and blue make a soothing pairing that appeals to both men and women.
- Brown and red: Rich and elegant, brown and red bring to mind fall colors and traditional spaces.
- Brown and pink: Uplifting and cheerful, brown and pink make a fun and unexpected combo.
Styling Tips for Brown Area Rugs
Styling tips for every room:
- Living room: Layer a brown southwestern style rug over a larger natural fiber rug, and pair with a leather sofa and rustic wood coffee table.
- Entry: Put a brown and white striped rug in the mudroom along with vintage school lockers and an oversize framed photograph.
- Dining Room: Pair a brown oriental style rug with a dark wood dining set and hang sepia-toned art photographs on the walls.
- Master bedroom: Roll out a plush moroccan style shag rug in shades of brown and cream. Pair with crisp white bed linens, latte-hued walls and modern black swing-arm sconces.
- Teen Bedroom: Pair a modern brown geometric print rug with pale aqua blue walls and white or wood furniture.
Find Your Perfect Brown Area Rug
Use these shortcuts to narrow down your search results and find just the right brown area rug for you.
