Site Navigation


The Color Brown

The color of security, protection and material wealth

The color brown is a serious, down-to-earth color signifying stability, structure and support.

Relating to the protection and support of the family unit, with a keen sense of duty and responsibility, brown takes its obligations seriously. It encourages a strong need for security and a sense of belonging, with family and friends being of utmost importance.

In the meaning of colors, brown is the color of material security and the accumulation of material possessions.


The color brown relates to quality in everything - a comfortable home, the best food and drink and loyal companionship. It is a color of physical comfort, simplicity and quality. From a negative perspective it can also give the impression of cheapness and stinginess in certain circumstances.

Brown is friendly and approachable. It is loyal, trustworthy and dependable in a practical and realistic way.

In color psychology, brown is honest, genuine and sincere. It relates to the hardworking, the industrious and reliable, with both feet planted firmly on the ground.

It is sensual, sensitive and warm, engulfing one in a feeling of calmness and comfort.

It is a practical and sensible color which implies common sense. It hides the dirt!

The color brown is associated with wholesome, natural and organic produce and anything related to the great outdoors, agriculture and farming.

Brown is a frugal color - it is not associated with frivolity, excess or waste in any form. While it is materialistic, it values quality above all else, and everything in moderation.

Some browns can show a degree of sophistication or elegance, depending on other colors associated with the brown. For example, brown with a soft white or ivory can appear stylish and classy, although more casual than black with soft white or ivory.


Brown suppresses the emotions, creating a safe haven from the stresses of the outside world within which problems can be contemplated and solved.

Brown is a color of structure, although by no means does it encourage perfectionism - rather it encourages orderliness and organization.

The color brown gives reassurance. It is quietly confident but never the life of the party! Brown does not seek attention - it prefers to stay in the background, allowing other colors around it to shine.

Brown is solid with strength and maturity. It prefers to function in its own safe little world - it is not carefree and spontaneous and doesn't like surprises. It can be considered dull, boring and unexciting by many. In fact it is one of the least preferred colors in the western world, along with orange and yellow.

Brown is a predominant color on the planet, along with green. Brown is comforting and stabilizing, while green is balancing and rejuvenating, just what we all need to help us deal with the stresses of modern life.

The psychological meaning of the color brown can vary slightly depending on the colors which are mixed together to create the brown. Brown can be a combination of black, yellow, orange, red, gray, green, blue, pink and purple, and each of the colors in it will add a variation to the meaning.

If your favorite color is brown, it will reflect in your personality! Personality color brown will give you more information on this.

If you are thinking of using brown in a business application, read about the meanings of colors in business.


Positive and Negative Traits of Brown

Positive keywords include: down-to-earth, wholesome, practical, approachable, friendly, stable, structured, supportive, comforting, reliable, protective, strength, quietly confident, sensual, sensitive, warm, reassured, honest, sincere, quality.

Negative keywords include: dull, boring, frugal, materialistic, lack of humor, lack of sophistication, predictable, cheap and stingy



Brown Represents:

Stability: Reassuring and comforting, earthy and contained.

Structure: It encourages orderliness and organization.

Security: Safe and protective - a refuge from the chaos of the outside world and a sense of belonging.

Natural and wholesome: related to the earth, nutrition, health and goodness.


Effects of Brown:

Comforting: Sensual and warm, friendly and approachable, brown engulfs one in a feeling of calm and safety

Protective: creates a safe haven of support for family and friends

Materialistic: it encourages material security and the accumulation of possessions


Variations of the Color Brown:

Light Brown: is friendly and approachable, sincere, honest and genuine

Dark brown: is strong yet sad and depressive, materialistic yet prudent

Tan: is ageless and timeless, straightforward, uncomplicated and natural

Ivory: is calming, yet encouraging, with a reserved style of simple sophistication

Beige: is practical and reliable, conservative, constant, unchanging and loyal



To go to the meanings of colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple, turquoise, pink, magenta, gray, black, white, silver, gold.


To go to Personality Color



To return from The Color Brown to the Home Page


To return to the Meaning of Colors



Like to join our Facebook community?

Click here




New! Comments

Have your say about what you have just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.
Share this page: