Shades of Brown – A Deep Dive into the Brown Color Palette

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When you think of the color brown, what do you think of? Wait, we do not want to know. The different shades of brown mean different things to everyone. You might think of the mixed textures of bark ranging in dark to light brown colors. You might think of chocolate ice cream, or better yet chocolate cake! Or you might have fond memories of making mud pies as a child. Brown is an underrated hue in the color wheel of life, it is about time more of us understood the different types of brown, the brown color palette is not as dull as you might think. Keep reading to find out more about the intricacies of the brown color. Here you will learn about the different brown color names, from dark to light brown colors, as well as what the brown hex code is.

Did You Know?

Did you know that our eyes are actually limited when it comes to color perception? Most colors look brown to us – even the ones that are more orange or green. Mixing each of the three primary colors together, respectively, will make the different brown shades. In order to get a more of a light brown color, you must mix in more white to your brown mixture and a little black for darker browns. We have an in-depth tutorial on what colors make brown. If want to dive deeper, you can also check out our color mixing tutorial.

Our natural world is filled with brown color and different brown shades, from the barks of trees, soil, and sand, animals, bugs, you name it. It is a color that is often used to represent earth and the all-natural vibes. Not only that but there are a whole bunch of means for this deceivingly dull color. Colors have a big impact on our emotional status and this is often unnoticed, hidden in our subliminal minds.  Keep reading to find out more.

What Does Brown Represent?

Brown can be used to represent integrity, honesty, and reliability. As we mentioned earlier, the color brown is most often used in connection to nature, it takes the down-to-earth phrase to a different level. Brown is a strong and flamboyant color, it is what it is, and that most likely connects it with honesty and reliability.

Have you ever wondered why offices tend to keep to their browns and beiges, in terms of interior design? It is because brown is a grounding color that can help to prevent stress levels from rising too high and keep you focused in the present moment.  

Different Brown Shades

There are three categories that make up the color brown. These categories are of different types of brown, namely light brown shades, dark brown shades, and finally, beige shades. The brown color palette ranges within each category. This means you will have some browns that look almost red or green. Fortunately for us, there are brown color codes, or brown hex codes available so that you can easily find each of the specific brown shades you are looking for.

Dark Brown Shades

The depth of dark brown is luxurious at best. There is so much of it in our natural world, from dark oak trees, nutrient-rich mud and soil leaves in the Autumn months, and certain coats of animals. There are a large number of brown colors, each of them having its own brown color code, and its own brown color name.

Color is also a personally perceived aspect of life, this is seen when people argue whether certain blues are not green, or some browns like auburn are actually red.

Bistre Brown

This color, when first perceived, can come across as a cool brown color. It is one of the darkest shades of brown and it gives the air a slate grey color. It is made out of a similar color combination that Tuscan brown is also made from.

Taupe Brown

If you thought that bistre brown has a slate grey feeling to it, then take a look at how similar this color is, but instead of it having a slate grey undertone it has a lighter grey. This is an essential brown to have as a part of your brown color palette.

Café Noir Brown

Tuscan brown and dark brown are definitely the most similar to this shade of brown, but it is one of the darkest of all the brown colors available. See the brown hex code and the color codes below.

Deep Coffee Brown

Autumn leaves come in various different types of brown colors. You might need one that has a red-ish to blue-ish tinge, and in that case, you should go for a deep coffee brown.

Dark Brown

Dark brown is not as simple as choosing the dark brown crayon in school. It is similar to the colors you would find chocolate to be. It is a rich color that adds a lot of depth to paintings.

Tuscan Brown

If you are looking to paint the bark of a tree, Tuscan brown is the better choice. This color brown teeters on the edge of being classified as dark or light brown.

Bole Brown

Bole brown is the color that teeters on the edge of either being classified as a medium brown or a dark brown. It is not as red as a burgundy brown would be but it is still one of the most necessary shades of brown.

Sepia Brown

If you are familiar with editing pictures and adding filters onto them you might be familiar with the term sepia. It has a yellowish undertone and promises some beautiful sunset tones.

Russet Brown

This color brown has a slightly red-ish undertone as opposed to a yellow one, like with sepia. If you think of antique furniture made from wood, you will get the right idea of the coloring.

Saddle Brown

This color is only slightly different from russet brown in that it is more of a warmer color than russet, as well as lighter. Instead of having a red undertone, it has an orange one.

Sienna Brown

The two colors that are the most similar to sienna brown are russet brown and mahogany brown. They are all slightly on the red side of all colors.

Rust Brown

This is a confusing shade of brown, one that most would be certain is actually more orange than brown – but it is brown. When you see rust that forms on metal, that is the color of rust-brown, funnily enough.

Mahogany Brown

Mahogany is a word that is familiar to most of us, it is a shade of brown that is rich and luxurious with a warm feel to it. Mahogany can easily be made in comparison to the color of cinnamon. The name comes from mahogany wood, based on its natural color.

Burnt Umber

If you are a painter by hobby or profession you will most likely be very familiar with the name burnt umber. It is a popular color in painting palettes. It is a popular color to use when painting sunsets.

Rufous Brown

Auburn brown is a similar color to rufous-brown in that they are both possess a reddish undertone. The difference is that rufous-brown has less blue, which makes it seem less purple-like.

Auburn Brown

Finally, we come to the last of the dark brown shades which are auburn brown. You might mistake this shade of brown with burgundy but do not be fooled, it is auburn.

Shades of Light Brown Color

All of the dark shades of brown have been listed above, it is now time to get into the light shade of brown. Here we will list each brown color name and their brown color codes will be listed below each color, as well as their hex codes.

Dirt Brown

Dirt brown is not to be thought of in a negative sense just because of its name, which underrated it immensely. This color teeters on the edge of being either beige or brown and it can be described as a darker and more grey tan color

Chamoisee Brown

Chamoisee brown can be compared to beaver brown and it is warmer than taupe brown. It is useful to have on your color palette because it gives a warm and inviting feel.

Coconut Brown

When you look at the out shell of a coconut, that is what this color is most like – which is how it got its name, but it is a lighter version than that brown. Chamois brown is the most similar comparison.

Chestnut Brown

Chestnut trees produce fruit that is the exact color of chestnut brown, which is most likely the route of its name. The fruit is not as red as the actual color chestnut brown but has more of a pink-toned feel to it.

Windsor Tan Brown

In terms of light browns, Windsor brown may be one of the darkest ones on the list. It possesses a warm feel that keeps you grounded.

Golden Brown

Golden honey or golden syrup might not quite make the match exactly but they will be a similar color to a golden brown. This is a very useful color when painting sunsets or scenes from the magic hour.

Ginger Brown

No, not the fresh ginger, this is in reference to the baked gingerbread men, which this brown color is the most similar to. This brown is warm and leaves you feeling comforted.

Light Brown

Light brown, within the light brown category, can be a little bit confusing. This brown feels warm when you look at it and leaves a noticeable impression. Ochre brown is the most similar comparison to make to this brown.

Cinnamon Brown

We know that we used cinnamon as a reference to understand one of the dark brown colors, but this brown has more orange in the mixture making it even more cinnamon-like. It is a versatile and useful color to keep in your color palette.

Copper Brown

Copper has a beautifully rich and golden color to it when untarnished. This color reflects the color of copper beautifully, although it may not be as vibrant as the actual metal. This color is fashionable and can be used to match and contrast other colors beautifully. 

Ochre Brown

If you are on the hunt for a warmer and more welcoming shade of brown, ochre is the answer. Ochre brown is not very different from the color of bronze metal in that they both have slightly orange undertones.

Bronze Brown

Now for bronze brown. This color possesses more orange in the makeup which makes it warmer than the color copper brown. The name of this color is derived from metal.

Peru Brown

If you can think of the color beige, you will have a rough idea of what this color looks like. This is a beautiful warming color that teeters between being either beige or light brown. Peru brown is one of the lighter browns in the light brown classification. 

Brass Brown

This color might seem like it’s mixed with a whole lot of hues, which is actually the case. Brass brown has blue-ish undertones as well as being a more yellow-toned brown color. Because it has warm and cool hints it can be used in various contrasting scenarios and artworks. This color will be used a lot when painting the autumn hues, or just about any nature-based painting.

Shades of Beige Brown Color

Now for the third and final brown classification. Beige is what we now refer to as any brown that is lighter than the light brown classification. These come with a variety of different beige browns, all equipped with their own beige or brown color name. Keep reading to find out more about the different types of brown, or beige.

Ecru Brown

Ecru brow has an interesting name. The color of this brown is a very light brown or beige, and it possesses a yellow-ish undertone that might be compared to the color of sand even though it is actually darker.

Khaki Brown

Khaki is a popular color with men’s pants and safari wear. It is one of the darker versions of beige than the others but it does have a beautiful nude effect when added to make-up or fashion.

Dark Vanilla Brown

This sounds like a deliciously luxurious color that makes you think of dessert. Even with its grey-ish feel, its comparisons are most similar to sand, and the color taupe brown.

Sand Brown

Sand brown should seem self-explanatory to anyone who is familiar with sand from a beach, which is pretty much everyone who has visited the seaside.  This light beige is cool in feel and is the most similar to bisque brown.

Tan Brown

Tan is one of the most commonly used colors in today’s world of interior design and fashion. It is a beautiful neutral color that works with so many other colors. It is one of the darker versions of beige which is probably what makes it so unforgettable.

Wood Brown

If you think of beautiful houses that have those oak flooring, then you have the best reference to this color. Fawn beige is a bit warmer than wood brown but both are very similar.

Deer Brown

Close Your eyes and visualize Disney’s Bambi – that is the correct color to imagine when thinking of deer brown. It is a warm color that is one of the more dark versions of the beige classification.

Café au Lait Brown

Not to be confused with the name of the dark brown color dark coffee brown or cafe noir brown, Cafe au lait brown is a much lighter beige than those brown colors. The name cafe au lat means coffee with milk, which is where it gets its name from.

Beaver Brown

Beaver brown gets its name from the cute, dam-building animals. This brown has a more grey feel to it, but it can be easily paired with taupe brown, even though it is more cool than warm.

Antique Brass Brown

Color naming can be very specific, like where brass brown is not the same as antique brass brown because antique brass brown is more cool than warm in undertone and it is far lighter in shade.

Tumbleweed Brown

Tumbleweed brown has quite a cool feel to it in comparison to the other beige colors. It also has a pink tinge to its more orange-like undertone.

Fawn Brown

Fawn brown is similar to deer brown but it is much lighter. The name is derived from the name for a baby deer which are also much lighter in coloring at such a young age. Fan brown is warm in feel with undertones of yellow.

Burlywood Brown

If you were an artist you might feel the need to compare this color to the color tan brown, however, it is pinker or peach-like in color than it is orange.

Wheat Brown

Wheat brown is so pale in color that it is commonly mistaken for a shade of white. This color gets its name from the fluffy white flowers that make the grain wheat, but it does have more hints of a peachy color as well.

Champagne Brown

Champagne brown is a very fashionable color in marketing fashion, interior design, you name it. It gives off a warmer feel than the typical beige color and it is only slightly darker.

Almond Brown

Almond brown has a warmer feel to it than the other types of beige even with its almost grey-ish tinge. It teeters on the edges of being classified as one of three, grey, white, or brown.

Bisque Brown

Bisque soup is where this color gets its name from, although the soup is more peachy than the actual bisque color is nuder. This color is versatile in that it can be paired with many other colors beautifully.

Bone Brown

Bone brown is one of the more yellow-ish shades of beige. It is an extremely light color that has hints of grey in the mixture. It gets its name quite obviously from bones or ivory.

Beige Brown

It would be fitting to end the list of beige colors with a beige-brown, which is why we did.  It is more than often confused with an ff-white color when it is actually classified as a beige. This is one of the most important colors to have on your color palette.

Now that we have discussed in detail the different shades of brown, you might need to sit back and think about all the different colors that are swirling through your head at this present moment. Hopefully, we have managed to convince you that brown is not as dull and lifeless as you may have previously thought, but rather, it is full of life and vibrancy – you just need to see it in a different light.

Larissa Meyer( Art Addict, Illustrator and Graphic Designer )

Larissa Meyer is a 32-year-old mother from Michigan and creative spirit since childhood. Her passion for painting and drawing has led her to an education as an illustrator and a career as a freelance graphic designer. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and a degree in Graphic Design. Larissa is a talented artist who is able to master a wide range of styles and techniques to bring her artistic vision to life. Her greatest passion is currently fluid painting and epoxy resin art. Larissa’s love for art and her knowledge and experience in illustration make her the perfect Creative Director for our fluid-painting.com team. She is the creative head of our team and shares her passion and knowledge with our community through articles and tutorials.

As a mother of a 2-year-old daughter, Larissa also understands the importance of fostering creativity in early childhood. She uses her experience and knowledge to help other parents inspire their children and develop their artistic skills as well.

Learn more about Larissa Meyer and about us.