Chocolate Brown Lives or Dies by Its Companion, Designers Say

A deep brown room reads one of two ways when a buyer walks through the door of a house: rich and settled, or heavy and dull. According to designers consulted by Veranda, the difference comes down to what sits beside it. The magazine gathered seven companion shades the pros say let the brown do its best work, and noted that certain choices drain it instead. For anyone dressing a Palm Beach library or a Nashville study before it goes to market, it is a reminder that the second color on the wall matters as much as the first.

With reporting from Veranda.