There are several reasons why brown leather sofas are so popular. They are very versatile and can be used in a variety of settings, living room designs and colour schemes.
In general leather sofas add a touch of class and elegance to any living room and are particularly durable, often lasting for many years. They are also available in a wide range of styles and colours, so can suit many different tastes.
In answer to the question, 'What colour goes with brown leather sofa'; Safe bets are always going to be white, beige or grey, but differing tones of blues or greens can provide a nice contrast, while still complementing the brown tones of the sofa.
For a more dramatic, unique and daring look, try pairing your brown leather sofa with a deep red, purple, bright yellow or orange.
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I am a firm believer that you need to see colours together before deciding on the perfect match for your room design. So here are some great examples of brown leather sofas in their natural environment, paired with different colours and styles of living room design.
Tantalizing Teal with Tan Leather Sofa
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This mid-brown tan leather sofa and matching butterfly chair contrast with the grey fabric couch, painted floorboards and rug perfectly.
A deep teal colour wall adds a beautiful blast of colour that lifts the whole space and stops it from being dull, dreary and bland.
The bright white of the storage cupboards, floor lamp shades and ceiling all complement the other colours in the living room, especially the crisp contrast with the teal walls.
Pattern and texture, always an important element in interior design schemes, are added via the diamond-patterned rug and sofa cushions.
Bright White with Brown Leather Sofa
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I know white is an obvious colour selection for pairing with a brown leather sofa, but isn't this Boho-styled living room beautiful?
The crispness of the white walls helps showcase this warm brown leather sofa and other wooden elements of the room, including the dark brown wooden flooring, which grounds the whole space.
White in the rug and cushions ties the theme together perfectly, whilst a flourish of greenery in the plants is a staple of the Bohemian style.
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Dark Grey with Mid-Brown Leather Sofa
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Dark grey and white is a winning colour scheme when paired with a mid-brown leather sofa, as can be seen in the above example.
Black and white are other prominent colours within this living room design, used in the bold patterned rug, cushion and black and white photos on the wall.
The subtle grey, white and mustard in the curtains also complement the space and add a small flash of colour to break up the monotony.
Beige with Light Brown Leather Sofa
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The beige colour used to highlight selected areas of the walls is crisply contrasted with bright white, adding warmth to the otherwise cold-toned space.
The feeling of warmth within the room is further helped by the modern light brown leather sofa, chair and other brown leather furniture which beautifully dominate the space.
It's not hard to imagine that if there were only cream, mushroom or beige walls, the colours would still all work well together, and in my opinion make for a more inviting, cosy and warm space.
Vibrant Orange with Brown Leather Sofa
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Although this room can't be seen in all its splendour, what we can judge from this photo is how well the vibrant orange colour of the cushion goes with this leather brown couch.
Vibrant shades of orange and yellow have been used in the tartan throw blanket to seamlessly tie the colour theme across other parts of the living space.
Neutral Tones
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Similar to the previous example, a cream colour has been used as a neutral backdrop on the walls, but here they have a rustic finish to them.
There is no one defining theme to this modern space, with a bit of Boho, rustic industrial and a touch of modern Scandi all thrown into the mix. On paper, these different interior styles shouldn't gel together, but I think that they do.
The eclectic furniture choices of the brown leather sofa, leather grey chair, footstool and coffee table don't particularly show coherence, but at the same time don't fight against each other either.
Mustard Yellow with Dark Brown Sofa
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This traditional living room setting utilises a mustard yellow colour as its main colour choice, a warm and inviting option for any space. The yellows used here are more toned down than say a bright sunshine yellow, which would likely be too overwhelming for the space.
The warm tones of the mustard colour work well against this particular tone of dark brown leather sofa, which may not be the case with a lighter, more orangey tone of leather. Something to bear in mind when selecting either a brown sofa or the paint colour for the walls of your own living room space.
Navy Blue and Grey with Brown Leather Couch
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Living rooms with navy and grey as prominent colours always work well, so it's no surprise that adding a brown leather sofa into the mix, looks great!
The white lamp shade, fluffy white cushion and grey elements of the soft furnishings throw and footstool all tie the room together in a cohesive manner.
A navy blue feature wall is the crowning glory of the space and adds a regal richness that you just wouldn't get with a lighter colour, like cream or white.
Red with Brown Leather Furniture
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Red is a bold choice and a difficult colour to pull off when it comes to interior design, especially against brown leather furniture. Interior designers often find red to be too overpowering and in your face.
In the case of this example, the red living room walls are heavily broken up by the stone fireplace wall on the left side, and a large expanse of well-lit windows and doors to the right.
Add to this the warm red-brown wooden flooring, which spreads across the whole space, and you end up with a homely room that is inviting and not taken over by the deep red walls.
Light Grey with Dark Brown Leather Furniture
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Light grey, although a cold colour, when paired with a chocolate brown leather sofa the cool tones are partially balanced out by the sofa's warmth.
The opulent silvery colour cushions and lamp shade match perfectly and are both visually balanced with the floral area rug for a cohesive look.
Even with the traditional dark brown furniture on show here, the light grey adds a modern touch, bringing this living room design into the 21st century.
Light Grey with Brown Leather Couch
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In contrast to the previous example, this living room is a much more modern affair, again utilising light grey as the accent wall colour.
White is the secondary colour, which has been used on the other walls, flooring and furniture with the main accent colour coming from the blues in the rug, plant pots and glass bottles.
A stunning modern brown sofa made from real leather elegantly dominates the space as the main focal point of the room.
Dark Aquamarine with Brown Leather Sofa
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Bolder colours in combination with each other tend to either work or not, there is usually no grey area. In the case of the example above, they work.
The feature accent wall, with its dark dominant aquamarine and panelled design, is the perfect backdrop for the bold leather brown sofa and gold cushions.
All the colours and stylish elements sit in unison, giving a truly luxurious feel and creating plenty of visual interest.
Terrific Tan with Brown Leather Couch
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Although tan-coloured walls can sometimes be more akin to an unpainted plaster finish, they can also be warm and inviting. Not to mention that it works particularly well against brown leather furniture.
The detailed washed-out rug helps to zone the seating area, adding an extra layer of interest to an otherwise bland room.
I'm not personally a fan of the yellow side table as accent furniture, but it does however add a flash of colour and modernise the space.
Emerald Green Colour
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The deep emerald green of the walls is a beautiful colour in its own right but paired with the large white and black area rug, brown tan leather sofas and warm wood of the console table, it comes to life.
Black and white in the wall art and cushion tie in perfectly with the rug design, while the general brightness of the art on the walls helps to tone down the darkness of the emerald-coloured walls. Moderately brightening the feel of the whole living space.
Olive Green with Dark Brown Sofa
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The colour scheme of this traditional living room utilises not only dark brown sofas in its design but also other dark brown furniture pieces, such as the coffee table and side tables. In addition, this is matched by the wall-to-wall solid dark wood flooring.
A warm undertone in the olive green colour walls contrasts neatly with the crisp white trim of the door and window architraves. Which together with the area rug helps to balance out the darkness of the brown leather furniture, and other dark elements of the room.
Choosing the Right Brown for Your Leather Sofa
Choosing the right shade of brown colour for your leather sofa can be a tough and arduous decision. There are so many different shades to choose from, and it can be hard to know which one will look best in your home.
Here are a few tips to help you pick the perfect shade for your brown leather couch:
1. Look at the other colours in your room. What colours are your walls? What colour is your flooring?
It is important to choose a shade of brown that will complement these other elements so as not to clash, or in certain cases, be too similar.
2. Think about the overall style and theme of your room. Is it a traditional room or a more modern space? The style, theme and decor of your room will ultimately determine whether you go for a darker or lighter shade of brown.
3. Consider how much natural light your room gets. If you have lots of windows and get a lot of natural light, then your sofa will need to be lighter. On the other hand, if your room is more dimly lit, then a darker shade may work better.
How to Accessorise Your Brown Leather Sofa
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If you're looking to add a bit of pizzazz to your brown leather couch, there are plenty of ways to do so with accessories. A few well-placed throw pillows can liven things up, and they come in a wide variety of colours, patterns and interesting designs.
A cosy blanket or throw is also another great way to add some extra colour and texture to your brown leather sofa, not to mention that they will make your sofa even more inviting and snuggly on a cold winter evening.
If you want to go for something a little more dramatic, consider adding a colourful area rug, or even hanging some tapestries or artwork on the walls behind the sofa.
Rooms That go With a Brown Leather Sofa
Purely for more inspiration and ideas, I have added some more beautiful living rooms that utilise brown leather furniture, with different colour walls. Each colour scheme shows how versatile leather brown sofas can be in living rooms generally.
Contemporary Living Space
Image credit: yourwesterndecorating.com
The various shades of brown leather furniture and dark shades of the chocolate brown side and coffee table work particularly well together, with their differing tones and textures.
I love the black and white decorative pillows on the leather tan sofa, which tie in seamlessly with the large bold pattern of the area rug, monochrome framed photos and other black and white colour accessories within the room.
Neutral Industrial Modern Living
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As seen in an earlier example, white walls work particularly well against a brown-tan leather sofa. So it's no surprise that this room is a triumph of modern interior design.
The structural forms of the wood and metal coffee table, rustic shelving and industrial design style ceiling light all give the living room a subtle but distinctive modern industrial vibe.
To complete the space, neutral colour touches in the brown and beige rug, cool beach photo art, plants and accessories and the quirkiness of one randomly placed sofa cushion have been added for the perfect choice of finishing touches.
Bringing the Outside In
Image credit: caeael.cf
The dark grey wall paint colour on both the walls and ceiling, paired with a mid-grey carpet throughout is a bold statement for this modern living room design.
Although the entire room is dark in decoration, the copious amount of natural light from the large window and door openings make the room feel open and airy.
Excluding the main focal point of the brown leather sofa, the other furniture pieces, with their black metal legs and grey design, add to the modern vibe along with the large see-through shelving and display unit.
Oversized plants have then been added to the high ceiling space, not only bringing nature indoors but also adding a bold interior design statement.
Traditional With a Modern Edge
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The traditional styling of this dark brown sofa and leather footstool sit elegantly on top of a large jute rug, which creates a neat zoned seating area for the living room space.
A multitude of differently coloured, patterned and textured cushions reside on the length of the brown leather sofa, but all tie in or contrast with the overall colour scheme of the room.
The soft taupe colour on both the walls and in the curtains, adds a cool modern edge to a predominantly traditional space.
My Final Thoughts
By using one of the colours that I have suggested as your main wall colour, and pairing it with the right shade of brown leather sofa, you will have no problem figuring out what colour goes with a brown sofa for your living room.
Once a decision has been made, add accessories such as cushions, rugs, throws and complimentary furniture into the living space, whilst also considering texture, pattern and the overall theme you want to achieve.
Author: Matthew Chiappini
