Guide

After butter yellow comes chocolate brown: the colour trend for autumn 2025

8.9.2025

Translation: Elicia Payne

Butter yellow sweetened our summer and now cosy chocolate brown will take over in autumn. Warm, deep and irresistible – the trend colour that (almost) always works.

It’s the kind of brown that reminds you of chocolate or bread and it’s popping up everywhere now. Not just in cake displays, but also in the world of interiors. With its warmth and retro charm, the shade brings just the right amount of cosiness to the cooler months.

This trend has something to say

It doesn’t come as a surprise, though: chocolate brown already featured heavily at Milan Design Week 2025. From velvety sofas to ceramic vases oto candlesticks – the colour tone ran through the showrooms. Even at the 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen it was clear this colour will be leading the way. Despite the fact that Pantone’s top favourite of 2025 is Mocha Mousse.

Hem’s Palo sofa at Milan Design Week: sofas covered in dark chocolate fabrics look inviting.

From fashion to interiors

Why is chocolate or bread brown so popular? Perhaps because it’s the logical successor of the butter yellow hype. But also because it fits in with the current «quiet luxury» fashion trend. This celebrates warmer neutrals such as beige, brown and taupe and moves away from cooler tones such as grey. Harper’s Bazaar calls the tone «the unofficial uniform for women who want to look strong and sexy. It’s not quiet luxury. It’s not loud chaos. It’s something more interesting in between.» Dua Lipa’s shown the way, now the colour’s moving into our living rooms.

Loaf House: a bread box by Eob Studio at the 3 Days of Design. — The Poom porcelain vase by Moshpitty.

In interiors, the warming, rich nuance, reminiscent of chocolate, cocoa and coffee, appeals to our need for security. It’s calming, grounds us and can be combined in so many ways. It looks particularly exciting with warm beige, cool blue or a touch of butter yellow (yes, the summer trend’s here to stay).

Ceramic collection by Federica Elmo for Vero International.

The colour can have a dramatic effect, but emanates calming vibes at the same time.

Brown brings warmth to minimalist concepts. — The colour can have a dramatic effect, but emanates calming vibes at the same time.

How to incorporate the trendy shade in your home

Go for textures – A corduroy sofa or an armchair made of butter-soft leather brings warmth and cosiness to the living room.
Go for decoration – Cushions, chunky knit blankets or rugs in chocolate tones create depth and bring the room to life.
Play with contrasts – Brown furniture looks exciting in combination with pastel colours, golden accents or eye-catching works of art.
Choose luxurious materials – Velvet, marble or brushed brass give brown a modern and elegant touch.
Experiment with shapes – A sculptural coffee table or statement chair in chocolate brown adds a modern twist.

Candle pots

House Doctor Tinka

1 x, Ø 7 x 7.5 cm

Donau Home Long fluted table candle 4 pcs. (4 pcs.)

Candles

Quantity discount

EUR9,26 per piece for 4 units

Donau Home Long fluted table candle 4 pcs.

4 pcs.

Bowls

ASA Selection ASA poké Salad Bowl mangosteen 25cm

25 cm, 2.50 l, 1 x

Planters

Ferm Living Corduroy

20 cm

Serving jugs + carafes

LSA Collective Krug

1.40 l

House Doctor Cushion cover, HDChess, BrownOff-white

Blankets

EUR43,90

House Doctor Cushion cover, HDChess, BrownOff-white

Coffee tables

Venture Home Tekla

60 x 45 cm

Chairs

Kave Home Nebai

Header image: Pia Seidel

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Pia Seidel

Senior Editor

Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.ch

Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.

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