Sumptuous Browns

Musings about neutrals rarely end in exclamation points. They're too safe, too recessive, too conventional. Not to worry: "When we speak about 'new neutrals,' we're no longer referring to just the off-whites," says Sheri Thompson, director of Sherwin-Williams Color Marketing and Design department. "It's now all about the 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. "We're not in an era of disposable fashion for the home, but we're definitely getting more short-term," says Michelle Lamb, senior editor of "The Trend Curve," which forecasts trends in color and design for home furnishings. 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.

Like their cousins, the typecast neutrals, the brown family is nicely versatile. 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. Browns beg for accent partners that pop-say, yellow-green or turquoise.

Too much rah-rah can be unsettling in a room. Browns may be serious, but they bring a beautiful balance.

Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect Sherwin-Williams paint colors. To confirm your color choices, visit your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store and refer to our in-store color cards.