An Ode to the Brown Couch
Image via redonline.co.uk
We’ve all had a brown couch in our lives at some point. You know the one… it might have been the hand-me-down that took up residence with you in your first apartment, with one roommate or another always sprawled across it, legs slung over the armrest. Maybe it was less of a couch and more of an overstuffed chair arranged just close enough to the front door to be a constant receptacle for jackets, scarves, and the occasional pair of mittens, flung off after stepping in from the January chill. Perhaps it took the form of a perfectly worn in leather bench that abutted the foot of your bed, where you sat every morning lacing up your sneakers for your sunrise three mile run. Regardless of what form it took, we’ve all known, and loved, a brown couch.
Image via kennedyroseinteriors.com
Image via Better Homes and Gardens
Brown furniture can occasionally get an unwarranted negative reputation as outdated, shabby, and boring. I’m here to tell you that brown furniture is, well, quite the opposite! For one, it can infuse a space with any number of aesthetics from midcentury modern to southwestern, bohemian to maximalist glam, and everything in between. Secondly, brown plays nice with lots of tones on the color wheel. It will make palettes pop, and looks particularly rich with neutrals such as cream, dove grey, and eggshell, as well as jewel tones like punchy turquoise, royal purple, and oxblood.
Finally, brown furniture should be beloved for its ability to hide and resist stains, making it a practical choice for households with pets or children. The next time you gasp as you accidentally splash some red wine over the lip of your glass while laughing along to that old episode of The Office, have no fear, your brown couch will have your back!
Palazzo Mongio Dell’Elefante Della Torre in Milan