Sumptuous Browns
Musings about neutrals rarely end in exclamation points. They're too safe, too recessive, too conventional. Not to worry. This season it's all about beautiful midtones and deep shades. Think cinnamon, gourmet chocolate, Turkish coffee. Think tortoiseshell. Think skin tones from ports around the world.
Brown is grounded with a permanence that's attractive when one is buying investment furniture or specifying cabinetry and wood floors. Such expenditures don't allow for flights of fancy every three years, the most recent bell curve for a trend. Still, even big-ticket reflexes are tending toward deeper coloration; gaining favor are dark, exotic woods in both sleek, contemporary furniture and distressed, rustic pieces.
Light values of brown - Balanced Beige and Lightweight Beige - impart softness and warmth, creating gentle yet interesting transitions from one space to the next. Midtone browns, such as Mocha and Interface Tan, make dramatically neutral backdrops, allowing for contrast with architectural details, furniture and appointments.
