How To Decorate With Moody Browns and Rich Burgundy

One of the biggest design trends happening right now is the move away from cool, airy neutrals toward deep and warm colors, especially moody brown and rich burgundy.

If you’re new, hi! I’m Paige…a certified interior designer kind of obsessed about paint colors and how we use them in our homes.

In this post I’ll talk about why brown and burgundy paint colors are making a comeback, plus share exactly which brown and burgundy paint colors are designer favorites and give you some tips on how you can incorporate these colors into your home!

Why everyone is loving brown and burgundy paint colors now

As I mentioned in my post about the top 2026 interior design trends, homeowners are starting to swing away from the bright and airy aesthetic to something more warm and comforting.

There are a few reasons these colors are resonating right now:

• They feel protective and cocooning. In uncertain times, people naturally gravitate toward colors that feel safe and grounding.
• They work beautifully with natural materials. Brown and burgundy pair effortlessly with wood, stone, leather, linen, and brass.
• They feel classic when used thoughtfully. These colors have historical roots in traditional interiors, which gives them staying power.

Designer faves: Best brown and burgundy paint colors

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and incorporating a brown or burgundy paint color into your home, it helps to know exactly which paint color you should go with.

Now remember: I always recommend sampling several paint colors in your house before committing!

I’d recommend staying on the darker and richer side of the spectrum.

So look for the chocolate browns or espressos that feel deep and warm, or the plum-leaning wine reds and rich oxbloods of burgundy.

Here are a few designer-favorite colors:

Best moody brown paint colors

• Hearthstone Brown by Benjamin Moore
• Van Dyke Brown by Sherwin Williams
• Turkish Coffee by Sherwin Williams
• Wenge by Benjamin Moore

Best rich burgundy paint colors

• Bewitched by Benjamin Moore
• Sommelier by Sherwin Williams
• Marooned by Sherwin Williams
• Rookwood Dark Red by Sherwin Williams

3 ways I’d recommend you use brown or burgundy paint colors in your home

The biggest mistake I see people make with dark colors is treating them like accents instead of design statements. These colors work best when they’re used as whole-room paint colors!

Here are a few of ways you can try using these colors in your home:

1. Color drench a room

Go all-in by color drenching a room! Brown and burgundy look the most stunning when you fully commit to them.

So choose a room in your house (I’d recommend a home office, dining room, or bedroom) and color drench it. Paint all the walls, trim, and even the ceiling in the same color.

This will create a seamless, cocoon-like effect that really emphasizes the drama of the color.

2. Paint a low-lit room

A lot of people are afraid to use dark colors in already low-light rooms. But brown and burgundy paint colors THRIVE in rooms that don’t get intense direct sunlight!

The warmth of these colors will help off-set weak, cool lighting in north-facing rooms.

And if you have a room that doesn’t have any windows at all, like a powder room, you could use a brown or burgundy paint color to give the room a more ‘designer’ feel…especially if you pair it with gorgeous natural materials.

3. Paint cabinetry

If you’re still too nervous to paint a full room in these dark brown or burgundy colors, you can bring in the color on cabinetry. Bathroom vanity cabinets, kitchen cabinets, and even mudroom built-ins look really great in these rich colors!

If you’re still nervous about painting your room brown or burgundy, do this…

Even though paint color is one of the easiest and more affordable ways to update your home, I totally get that it can still be intimidating.

So if committing to a full room painted in brown or burgundy feels intimidating, you could still bring in these colors in different ways by decorating with:

• Upholstered furniture such as sofas, accent chairs, or headboards
• Curtains or drapery panels
• Area rugs with deep, warm undertones
• Throw blankets or pillows

My biggest takeaway for you would be to have fun with it! Embrace this new trend of warmth and richness in any way that you can afford and that brings you comfort.