Consider it a richer take on neutral decorating. Chocolate brown is emerging as a welcome alternative to the beige and sandy tones that have long dominated living rooms. It adds unbelievable depth to a familiar palette.

Take Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's California home, designed by Waldo Fernandez, as an example of just how fresh this palette can feel. Their brown living room, in particular, shows how brown can feel warm and refined without making a space feel too dark.

Their scheme brings together deep brown tones and dark wood, with pale lime-washed walls and natural stone providing contrast. The darker finishes give the room character, while the lighter surfaces keep everything feeling balanced. Brown is central to the design, giving the space a richness that beige alone can struggle to achieve. To get their look, I'd start with an investment piece: a chocolate brown sofa, then let softer neutrals balance its hue. This sofa from Pottery Barn is my current favorite.

Chocolate brown is also proving surprisingly easy to work with, particularly alongside other natural finishes. As Georgia Metcalfe, Founder and Creative Director at French Bedroom, explains, 'Chocolate brown is enjoying a powerful resurgence in interiors, reflecting a broader return to comforting, cocooning shades that feel both grounding and indulgent. The deep, enveloping hues are being reimagined as a modern neutral, one that offers warmth where minimalist grays can feel cold and stark.'

Shop the Edit

This color's appeal also lies in the number of ways it can be styled. Decorating with brown hits just the right note and comes in as many hues as there are colors of earth, which is commonly presumed infinite. The general safeness of the shade means you can afford to play with other elements in your interior, such as proportion and textures as well as large-scale print,' Georgia adds.

She also highlights how differently the shade can work depending on its surroundings. 'Paired with gold accents and velvet, it exudes regal opulence; layered with creams, boucle, or natural wood, it becomes understated and earthy. As a dramatic backdrop, it allows lighter tones to shine while enhancing the depth of tactile materials like leather, linen, or stone.'

Brown doesn't have to mean committing to dark walls or floors. A walnut coffee table, chocolate-colored living room sofa, or darker wooden accessories can bring some of the same warmth into your own home. Cream fabrics and natural stone will keep the palette feeling light, while adding enough contrast to let the deeper shades stand out.

Love celebrity news and interior design inspiration? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.