How to Match Grey and Brown

Q: Your advice/information page on the color wheel is fabulous. However two colors are missing: grey and brown. I have a grey pullover and a brown one, too.

What colors match with these? Here, I am stuck and don’t know what matches with brown and grey tones.

A: Grey and brown typically fall into the same classifications as “Black” and “White” in that they are ‘neutral’ colors and can go with most any other color. Grey especially is versatile and can be matched with most every color. Think of grey as a “less formal black” when thinking of where and how to match it with other colors.

Brown tends to be a little more finicky when it comes to what colors it matches best with. A lot of what it matches with is dependent on the shade of brown you are trying to match. Lighter shades of brown (tans, sandy browns, etc) generally work well with softer colors, while richer browns (chocolate browns and coffee tones) match best with richer color shades.

A good rule of thumb is to match the shade of brown to colors it might be found with in a natural setting. For example: rich dirt brown with grass green and sky blue, or wheat yellow.

And although they are already classified as neutrals as well, grey and brown can be matched with white and black in a myriad of combinations.

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See also:

Color matching

Color tips and advice