house & Garden

BROWN + GREEN

A combination in which a neutral color serves as a background against which a vivid hue dazzles and sizzles.

Jack Levy likes a strong punch when it comes to color, and one of their favorite combinations-chocolate brown and olive green is certainly a knockout. This shade of green blends well with brown, a neutral, because it has some of the latter mixed into it. These retro hues could lack depth on their own, says Levy, but "the mixture makes them richer."

While dramatic, this color scheme also exudes warmth and would work well in a non-urban setting. The mix also works as a backdrop for adding other, jazzier colors, such as the orangey reds and blues that Levy introduced through the painting on the wall.

This strong color combination needs to be integrated into a home's overall color story. Jack Levy would use the chocolate brown as an element throughout the house, combining it with pale blue in another room, and paler shades of green with beige, tan, and silver in other places.