Investigating the symbolism, common associations, psychology and meaning of color brown. How does it influence us and what does it say about your personality if it’s your favorite color, or if you use brown in interior design?
Color Brown Meaning & Symbolism
Brown is a combination of a few different colors, including, orange, yellow, red, green, blue and purple depending on the shade. Its characteristics are made up of all these different colors. Brown’s meaning changes slightly depending on which of these colors is more dominant.
The color brown, like green, is connected to life, growth and the color of the earth. Brown in color psychology is a color of sincerity, reliability, honesty and loyalty. It relates to maturity and being sensible.
Similar to green, brown is also associated with nature and natural organic health products. Brown also has strong associations with the great outdoors and farming. Brown is the color of soil and the earth. It’s the stable foundation from which things grow and are built.
Brown is definitely not the most popular color there is. It can appear to many people to be unattractive, boring, dull, simple and uninteresting. However, wood as a material, and the color brown combined is often seen as high status, elegant and sophisticated.
Wearing Brown Meaning
In the modern western world you don’t get many people wearing brown. With a few exceptions, it is not a very attractive color to wear. It may mean that someone wasn’t fashion conscious and not focused on their appearance. They probably have a reserved, perhaps intuitive personality. Not a great deal of thought goes into what they wear or how they are being perceived.
However, there are always exceptions to this, wearing suede/brown leather, or a women wearing a brown dress to match her eyes. This would show a strong interest in appearances, fashion or status.
Personality if Brown is a Favorite Color
You are down to earth, practical, straight talking, always to the point.
Brown is a color that has strong connections to the earth. It would suggest a love for the great outdoors, not afraid of getting your feet dirty, or hands for that matter.
You are reserved and introverted in temperament, you are not naturally looking to be noticed or seeking attention.
You have a friendly and approachable personality, helpful, you will lend a hand to those that need it.
You are responsible, trustworthy, confident but not forthcoming about it.
You like the basics; home life, family and physical contact.
You are cautious when it comes to spending money. You only buy what you need, you focus on the necessities in life.
You are mostly thoughtful about choices in life, thinking in depth before making a decision or acting.
Influences of Brown
Safety
Brown can encourage feelings of safety and security.
Comforting
Brown is a welcoming, warm and relaxing color which often makes it a good choice for interior design.
Boring
Brown can seem dull, boring, perhaps even depressing and uninspiring. However, this depends on the shade and how it’s used.
Business & Branding
The color brown is used for the branding of many products. It’s the color of coffee beans and chocolate, so we naturally associate the color with those products. Because brown is associated with the earth and growth, it naturally makes a good choice of vegetable and organic-related products. Brown may also be used in a logo decision for connections or associations with comfort, practicality, honesty and stability.
Examples:
- M&Ms
- Gloria Jean’s Coffees
- UPS
- Cotton
- Cracker Barrel
- Gourmet Coffee
- Organic Horizons
- Cafetto
- OrganicKidz
- Aero
Meaning of Brown Gemstones
When we think of gemstones, brown is probably one of the last colors that we think of. However, a surprising number of gemstones can be found with a brown coloration. These include, diamonds, jasper, moodstone, quartz, opal, garnet and a great many more.
The general meaning of brown gemstones is that they are believed to help bring stability and balance to one’s life.
Interesting Facts
Brown is basically dark orange. to create it with paint, simply add black.
Brown pigments have come from various sources, including man-made chemicals, sienna, umber and cuttlefish ink.
Brown glass is made by including nickel into the mixture.
The world’s most common eye color is brown.
Apparently, in the Japanese language there is no word for brown, but rather it has to be described using multiple words and phrases.
Color Phrases or Expressions
Brownnose: Means someone is trying to get ahead or gain favor with someone by giving them attention or compliments.
Brown as a berry: Referring to someone who has gone very brown via sun exposure, basically they have a good sun tan.
Brown thumb: Meaning a lack of ability or success with getting plants to grow, and generally poor gardening skills.
Brown bagger: This idiom was once used to describe someone who brings their own packed lunch, which was often in a brown bag.
Shades of Brown
More shades of brown with HEX and RGB color codes.
Light Brown – Linked to honesty, friendly, welcoming, and stability.
Dark Brown – Warm, comfortable, dull, sad, mature, predictable, and low energy.
Next to black, I love brown. I do enjoying wearing it – though not to a huge extent. In fact, I own only 1 pair of brown slacks and 1 pair of brown shoes. However… I absolutely love wood – it’s the predominant material in my home (the actual house is made of brick which I also love btw). As a Christian, I consider myself very “down to earth” and love what brown represents. Of the 4 elements, I align most with Earth – which makes perfect sense then that brown (and wood!) is a color I favor.
I think brown is one of the best colors it makes me look more decent and professional . Some beautiful bright colored clothes make the cloth look better than me especially neon colors.
In life , it’s better to be down-to-earth & also humble which i felt brown is the colour , we can’t turn back the time we can only look at the present & hope brown whenever we wear it can be a source of reliability when come to life choices
Brown’s a nice colour. Colour of some fur on mammals. Colour of the earth. Colour of chocs, my personal top sweet. Colour of caramels, my personal top fylling of sweets. Colour of wood including mahogany .
Tan’s a grand shade of brown, especially on ekplorer’s trousers.