What Colors Make Brown for Interior and Exterior House Painting?
- Matt Paul
- Aug 9
- 7 min read

What Colors Make Brown for Interior and Exterior House Painting?
We can make brown by mixing the red, yellow, and blue colors. Understanding what colors can make brown might save time, money, and frustration, especially when it comes to painting your home. Brown is among the most versatile paint colors. It gives a new brand look to your house. Whether you are trying to redo a living room wall or redoing your exterior
There are many ways to make brown, but the primary colors are complementary. Brown is a fantastic color in contemporary and traditional interior design and can be perfectly combined with such natural materials as timber or stone. As you work on a project in Australia, learning how to blend various shades of brown will What Colors Make Brown for Interior and Exterior House Painting?enable you to get the light, climate, and surroundings around you just the way you want them.
What is the Color Brown?
Brown as a color is warm and a neutral color that is a mixture of other colors. It lies in the wood, earth, leather, and stone. Brown has a settled look at home. This is ideal to be used as a wall and trim, fence, and even furniture. Brown colors are useful in reducing glare, especially in areas that have strong sunlight (Australia).
Brown is a classic color in regard to interior and exterior painting of houses. It can be combined with white, grey, beige, green, and even soft blues. That is why brown of various hues is such a popular color in many houses in Perth and throughout Australia overall.
Where is Brown on the Color Wheel?
On a fundamental colour wheel, you will never find brown. This is because brown is not created using a single color. In most cases, Brown is obtained by a combination of primary (red, yellow, and blue), complementary (such as blue and orange), or by both.
You can get lots of different shades of brown, depending on the quantity of each color you use. You may go a degree lighter or darker, warm or cooler. It depends absolutely on what you mix in your paint and what kind of light you have around your home.
What Two Colors Make Brown?
Complementary colors should be used to make brown using only two colors. These happen to be the colors that lie on opposite sides of the color wheel. They neutralise when combined and yield brown or grey.
Here are the pairs you can use:
Color 1 | Color 2 | Result |
Red | Green | Brown |
Blue | Orange | Brown |
Yellow | Purple | Brown |
Each pair gives a slightly different brown. You can test and adjust the mix to get your perfect shade.
How to Make Brown Using Primary Colors.
Mixing primary colors is one of the most popular techniques to create brown. These are red, yellow, and blue. Mix them in equal proportions and you achieve a base brown. You may adjust the quantities of each color here to get warmer or cooler colors.
An example is that adding more red will produce a reddish-brown, as with terracotta. A greater amount of blue turns a cool brown, and more yellow produces a golden or tan brown. This aids in Australia, especially when matching the exterior of the house, made of timber or stone.
Mixing Orange and Black becomes brown – An Easy Shortcut.

When in a hurry, you can mix orange and black paint to obtain a brown color. Orange is a blend of yellow and red already. By adding black, it darkens it and takes away the brightness. What we get is a very neutral brown.
The process is widespread outdoors. Fences, sheds, and doors are where it is ideal. However, this brown can be too dark or too dull on the inside walls. You will always need to test it on the surface before doing it all the way.
How to Mix Different Shades of Brown.
Brown has a lot to recommend. You can make it by modifying your mixture of colors. Some shades are warm, such as chocolate or chestnut. The others are cool, e.g., taupe or stone. Using your other colors, you can also paint light brown colors, such as tan, camel, or beige.
Here is a table with popular brown shades and where you can use them:
Shade | Description | Best For |
Chocolate | Deep, rich brown | Exterior walls, doors |
Taupe | Grey-brown, soft tone | Interior walls, furniture |
Tan | Light, warm brown | Coastal homes, living rooms |
Chestnut | Reddish-brown | Wooden trims, fences |
Beige | Very light brown | Ceilings, large walls |
What Colors Make Dark Brown?
To darken brown a bit, simply add more blue or black to your base brown. Dark colors such as navy or even maroon can also be used. Such deep colors strengthen and refine your brown.
It is ideal for feature walls, wooden gates, or the outside. Dark browns absorb greater amounts of sunlight in areas such as Perth. This means they are perfect where there is shade (as in gardens, etc.), but perhaps not in large, sun-facing walls unless coated in UV-resistant paint.
What Colors Make Light Brown?

The only light brown you can make is to add white, cream, or yellow to your base mixture. This gives soft tones such as sand, coffee, or light tan. They are terrific tones to bring open and light areas. In Australia, it is common for coastal homes to be painted in light brown. It goes well with white trims and wood that are natural to evoke a beachy vibe. However, the use of excess white may bleach out the color and leave it grayish.
Understanding Hue, Value, and Chroma When Mixing Brown
Hue refers to what kind of color you are using. In the case of brown, it can be reddish, yellowish, or greyish. Value is an indication of whether the color is light or dark. You regulate this by adding white or black. Chroma is the intensity of the color, i.e., how bright or dull the color is. High chroma brown will result when you mix pure colors. Add some grey and it mellows. Brows in nature are of low chroma. They suit very well with modern and less design themes.
Tips for Mixing Brown Paint Like a Pro.
Always test the brown mix on a little portion of your wall before painting the entire wall. What a difference in appearance it makes in natural light and shade. Apply a high-quality color matching device such as the Dulux Visualiser app or visit Bunnings to seek assistance.
Look out for Australian climate- low VOC and UV-protective paints. These have a longer life under heat. To use outdoors, put a seal on your brown paint by making the coat weatherproof. Indoors: a washable matte or satin finish will be appropriate when used on the walls.
Complementary Colors That Create Brown.
Mixing brown is strong with complementary colors. They assist in removing brightness and establishing magnitudes. An example is that red and green give a strong, warm brown. Brown darkened, cooled down by blue and orange.
Apply it in making color scheme designs. In the case that your house is full of red brick, a trim in greenish-brown could appear to be balanced. Or even if your roof is blue-grey, then you can make the entire house hotter by employing orange-brown.

Common Mistakes When Mixing Brown Paint.
The foolish thing is to put too much black in. It can make the brown look dirty or recessive. The other one is the lack of testing the paint under varied lighting conditions. There is much that Brown can change between the morning and the afternoon light. In addition, poor-quality paint can destroy your mix. The cheap paints can separate or develop a lumpy finish. Whenever thinning it follow the paint-to-water ratio as well as use trusted Australian brands.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Brown for Your Space
Brown would be among the most versatile colors to apply in painting the house. It fits into any room and goes along with the natural appearance of Australia. You know now what colors to mix to get brown, and how to go about mixing them--whether working in doors or out.
When you are not sure of the shade that goes with your area, consult the local painting specialist. Color consultations are common among painters in Perth and other areas in Australia. Or go down to your local hardware and sample. All it takes is a couple of brushes, and the ideal brown would be there.
What colors make brown paint for house painting?
Brown color is normally achieved by blending these colors with red, yellow, and blue. Complimentary colors such as blue and orange, or red and green, will also work to give you different shades of brown.
Can I make brown without using all three primary colors?
Yes. When two complementary colors are combined, e.g., yellow and purple, they will form a brown tone. Variation in the ratio alters the appearance of the brown between warm and cool.
What colors make dark brown for exterior painting?
Using your base brown, incorporate either black, navy, or deep maroon to darken the brown. In the Perth climate, the dark browns look good on fences, trims, and shaded places outdoors.
What colors make light brown for interior walls?
Add white, cream, or light yellow to this brown base. This produces soft warm colors that are warm touches such as tan or coffee, and it lightens the interior spaces.
How does Perth’s sunlight affect brown paint shades?
The intense sunlight in Perth can lighten or warm the browns outdoors. Before painting, be sure of the color you have selected, paint it out in the morning and the late afternoon in natural light.
What’s the best type of paint for brown exteriors in Australia?
Select UV paints that are low in VOC and of Australian brands such as Dulux or Haymes. These are heat and sun-resistant paints that retain the brilliance of their coloring.