We all know that different colours affect our emotions. That’s simply the psychology of colour and a reminder of the power that our paint and decor choices make.

Knowing that colour affects the way people feel, it’s no surprise that hardly a project of mine over the past two years hasn’t had the ask for a “warm and cozy” feel. The easiest way to bring that is with our paint colours and accessories.

Brown Is Taking Over Our Interiors In 2022

Brown truly is taking over as the leading new trend in interior decor and design. But why? What has influenced this huge shift that we haven’t seen the likes of in years?

Brown is all about the earth, literally making us feel grounded, calm, and maybe even a little more resilient. When we surround ourselves with brown we feel a strong sense of safety and security.

Photo Angelo Pantaziz — photo angelo pantaziz

In these turbulent times, it’s no wonder this is one of the strong contenders in the colour trends marketplace right now. It’s definitely seeing a huge resurgence in home decor and interior design, as well as in the fashion industry. The two industries seem to regularly influence each other. I’m no longer certain which one leads anymore. In any case, we’re definitely embracing the colour brown and the 70’s influence again.

Is Grey Still Popular For 2022?

I don’t think so. From my research and having a close ear to the latest in the industry, grey is on it’s way out. That made me offer up a resigned smile because the entire main floor of our house has grey walls. We have been in our new builder home for 4 years, opting for a very soft light grey at the time, as we caught the tail end of this trend.

We’re saying goodbye to grey after all these years and revisiting beautiful beige colour shades in a big way. However, it is not the builder beige of the past. Actually, none of these browns, tans, cinnamons, creams and caramels are quite the same as the 70’s vibe they evoke, but they are similar. They all speak instead to a sense of hospitality, refinement and warmth.

The Relationship Between Humans And Nature

We are longing to feel close to nature and equally to be comforted by it. You’ve heard me say it before. Having nature elements in our home decor is a proven strategy to improve our health and wellness. There’s more about that topic in my blog post about Biophillia Decor And Design.

Brown Decor Ideas

It’s all fine and well to learn about the new brown decor trend, but how do we apply this to the decor and design choices in our own homes? Is brown in your decor really going to improve your well-being? Where do you add brown to your existing decor?

I’m so glad you asked!

First of all, don’t let your overwhelm take over and make every single choice be brown. That’s not going to help.

Here are a few practical tips and ideas to get you started in the right direction.

Organic brown linen fabrics perhaps on a family room sofa or some toss cushions
What about the living room decked out in rich chocolate silk velvet chairs
Copy Mark K. Sikes choice of chocolate brown lacquered walls with ivory accents to create a truly Chic living room
Try some chocolate grasscloth with terracotta for a very “now” look and feel
Add lots of cream and white to keep things fresh

Design Principles Of A Well Decorated Space

Balance and contrast are two big design factors of any well put together space. Don’t just grab everything that’s the same neutral we’re about to see in the stores and put it all together in your room.

Add colour; your own favourite colour. It will make you happy, and will likely stand the test of time for your personal space.

Grey flooring and tile might not be on trend, but don’t worry about replacing right yet. A good decorator can help you find a solution around it. Actually, a good decorator can work around a lot of existing pieces in your space and add in these lovely rich new tones with accents, accessories, and small furnishings to bring in this new trend without breaking the bank.

We’ve said goodbye to white-on-white-on-white minimalism that became too stark and extremely uninteresting. Sitting at home staring at our walls during this pandemic has made us crave colour and warmth. Hello brown! Your comforting, timeless beauty is a most welcome “new” neutral that seems to be just what we’ve been looking for. Grounding, timeless and warm.

The new brown colour trend 2022 is offering goes perfectly with any of the primary colours, the rich jewel tones and all the other neutrals we already love.