Consider the size of the room you’re decorating and what kind of feeling you want to create – a large room with high ceilings can handle a lot of brown (in any shade) without it creating an overwhelming heaviness, whereas in a smaller space with average ceiling height and no grand architectural features, a dark tone can feel oppressive if there’s a lot of it. The exception to this would be if you’re purposely creating a cosy winter snug, in which case the feeling of a darker, enveloping space wouldn’t be a bad thing, so go forth and complement deep terracotta or ochre walls with chocolate brown velvet curtains and punchy printed armchairs.