Burnt Umber

Burnt umber is a cool blend of yellow and red, with a hint of gray mixed in. It is one of the three primary colors of paint and can be sometimes confused with sienna or umber. It is more complex than any other color on the color wheel thus giving it an advantage for more useful applications.

It is a brownish color with a strong, brownish red undertone. It is the brownest of all brown paints, and gets its name from being burnt to darken it.

This color was borrowed from the old brown, but it is much darker and warmer. It was added to the same triad of colors in a more diluted form, but adding black to brown makes a lot of difference. Similar to how a glass of cold water looks more transparent than a glass of warm water.

If you consider that, then you can easily understand how it could be used as both a warm and a cool tone at times, and how it translates in different types of art and decorating. 

It's an essential part of how to choose the right burnt umber paint colors and get your home or office decorating scheme just right.

It is a high chroma color that contains both red and yellow hues, which makes burnt umber one of the warmest colors found in light. That is similar in color to umber, but what distinguishes them is their origin of creation. 

Burnt umber has had its hue altered by the addition of an ingredient called “burnt” or “iridient” while regular umber is created through chemical means.

It is named after the burnt umber or loamy soil of Umbria, Italy. It is made from mixing raw umber and burnt sienna pigments with a binder. A burnt umber gave the popular flat earth tone of Earth, Air, Fire and Water paintings by Tuscany artist Nicolas Poussin around 1650.

Burnt Umber Color in Interior Design

If there is one interior color that is a must-have on your list, it’s burnt umber. This earthy hue is the perfect choice to introduce warmth into any decor scheme. Even its name makes you feel like you’re strolling through an old English garden…. Burnt Umber. 

Earthy. Beautiful. Reminiscent of autumn leaves tucked underfoot, and passionate kisses shared with someone special. 

The best part about this hue (besides the fact that it balances out blue or grey undertones in light colored walls) is that it pairs beautifully with other commonly used hues, like taupe, ochre, sienna, biscotti brown, vegetable tan, chocolate brown and espresso.

It has a beautiful, rich undertone that resonates with those who love warm and inviting spaces. The earthy tone shows up well against lighter colors, making it a perfect piece to use in a space where other colors need to be highlighted.

These colors are known as "earthy" or "mustard" colors. 

You can see this color in nature in things like tree bark, wood, nut casings, and petals of flowers (umbrella plants). This makes it different from other dark browns like dark chocolate or chocolate brown.

Burnt Umber Color in Fashion Design

Have you ever asked yourself how colors are created? Many people think that colors can be found in nature when in reality, colors are the result of a process created when different elements and particles meet. 

Since we know colors can be created, we can understand and calculate the total effect and awareness of each color so we can apply it to our wardrobe. 

But not all colors are created equal — some colors create contrast while others create harmony. 

Burnt Umber is a popular brownish color which has been in fashion for a very long time. 

The clothing or fabric can be dyed directly with that color so it gets the shade of the color. Wearing clothing in that tone gives you a pop of warm undertones which helps to bring out your skin tone and looks great especially when you have a darker skin complexion.