Color Psychology: Brown

Understanding how color affects our world.

by Kate Smith

Brown is the color of our earth and is associated with most things natural or organic. The color brown represents stability, reliability and approachability.

Feeling Brown

The color brown affects us physically by:

• Giving a sense of order
• Providing a connection with the earth

Brown in the Garden

Brown is considered a neutral color in landscape design. It’s often used as a background color. Brown flowers and plants can add depth to a small garden or help showcase particular areas of larger gardens.

Unique Facts About Brown

• Dreaming of the color brown suggests you may be lucky with money.
• American Indians believe the color brown represents the power of self-discipline.
• Driving a brown car suggests you may be down-to-earth.

Seeing Brown

Brown is the signature color of a number of products, companies and organizations:

• Hershey’s
• The Cleveland Browns football team
• United Postal Service (UPS)

Speaking Brown

Popular phrases that include brown are:

• Brown bagging: to bring a homemade packed lunch to work
• Brown out: a partial loss of electrical power
• Brownstone: a building made out of dark colored sandstone
• In a brown study: describing someone as being in deep thought

Singing Brown

Songs with brown in the title:

• “Big, Bad Leroy Brown” by Jim Croce
• “Big Brown City” by Lynn Miles
• “A Boat Like Gideon Brown” by Great Big Sea
• “Bobbie Brown Goes Down” by Frank Zappa
• “Bring Back That Leroy Brown” by Queen
• “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
• “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” by Chuck Berry
• “Brown Eyed Pickle Boy” by Tripping Daisy
• “Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones
• “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” by Herman’s Hermits

Brown Around the World

Throughout history, cultures around the world have associated the color brown with the natural world. 

• The Japanese do not have a specific word for brown; they use names such as “tea-colored” and “fallen-leaf” to describe it.
• In the United States, Thanksgiving is represented by brown and orange.
• In India, brown is the color of mourning because it resembles dying leaves.