Our monthly series asks: How do you bring color into luxury design? Brown adds moody warmth to interiors, writes Jill Krasny

Palo Alto, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – San Francisco Brokerage

Some homes make a lasting impression while others quickly fade from the mind. The design and color scheme is almost always a factor. Black and white is a classic pairing, while burgundy adds undeniable atmosphere. Brown—which our series in color design looks at next—brings cozy drama to any space, says London-based interior designer Sarah Brown.

“It’s common to see a lot of brown moldings and paneling in historic houses, as opposed to brown-painted rooms,” Brown says. Lined with portraits of family and friends, the Long Gallery at Ham House, a sweeping 17th-century Stuart mansion on the banks of the River Thames in Richmond, U.K., is a prime example. “The brown gives the interior a structural soul,” she says, “while warding off the elements” in the days before drywall cladding became a mainstay of residential construction.

Meanwhile, the 19th-century “brownstone” townhouse is an architectural mainstay of U.S. cities such as New York—across both Manhattan and Brooklyn—and Boston.

Stockholm, Sweden | Sweden Sotheby’s International Realty

A thoughtfully renovated apartment in Stockholm, within an 1891 building designed by architect Alfred Hellerstrӧm, feels “extremely warm and cocooning,” notes Brown, thanks to its richly detailed moldings and varied tones of brown. “The fabric choices add texture, though pattern has been kept to a minimum so as not to detract from [Swedish artist Vicke Andrén’s] beautifully painted ceiling,” she says of the contemporary and vintage furnishings. “The lighting also makes the room’s earthy palette glow.”

Though some clients can view brown with suspicion—associated as it is with the tackier end of ’70s-era decor, says Brown—more are using the paint shade to brighten rooms lacking natural light. “The color works particularly well in a gloss or lacquered finish,” says Brown, “as the light bounces around, making the room feel rich and inviting.”

Westminster, London | United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty

A luxury residence in Westminster, London, conceived by Banda, the UK-based practice of developer-designer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, pairs cream-colored walls with contemporary brown furnishings to stunning effect. The goal was to craft a livable, welcoming space, and the bespoke skirted sofa, Dedar-fabric-covered stools and roomy club chairs more than deliver.

Wooden flooring, fixtures and finishes also offer a wealth of opportunity to experiment with brown color schemes, while connecting interiors with their natural surroundings.

Portland, Oregon | Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty

A contemporary house in Portland, Oregon, brings the outdoors in with expansive iron-framed windows. “The brown wood choices directly reflect what is going on outside,” says Brown, citing the walnut slab cabinetry and wide-plank oak floors.

Coda, a new-build eco home in Byron Bay, Australia, similarly balances walnut joinery and soaring ceilings with jaw-dropping views of the hills and mountains.

Byron Bay, Australia | Byron Bay Sotheby’s International Realty

On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, a landmarked 1884 townhouse built by architect Ralph Samuel Townsend abounds with pre-war New York charm, from its heavy oak and mahogany millwork to its original pier mirrors and crown molding.

Decorating the library in a deep, masculine brown helps enhance those features, says Brown, making the room “perfect for cozying up with a book on a cold autumn day.”

Manhattan, New York | Sotheby’s International Realty – Downtown Manhattan Brokerage

On the opposite coast, in Palo Alto’s Clarendon Heights, the Duncan House—a dream mid-century modern property designed by Charles Warren Callister in 1959—feels in sync with its verdant surroundings.

Here, floor-to-ceiling windows put the leafy views front and center, while skylights drench the wood-clad walls in icy-cool blue light. Even overlooked spaces such as the shower and walk-in closet feature paneling, bringing cohesion to this remarkable home.

Explore our Color Chart series: bold red, joyful pink, zingy orange, versatile turquoise, uplifting yellow, natural lilac, historic terracotta, classic green, calming white, sophisticated navy, rich burgundy and impactful monochrome