Brown Nails Inspiration and Ideas: 22 Chic Brown Manicures

When looking at my Instagram feed for nail trends, I will always notice bright, bold colors and pastels. These colorful designs are wonderful, but I always feel that there is one color that is neglected when it comes to nail art, and that’s brown! But why is this? You may be thinking that brown is a bit of a boring color, but my brown nails inspiration and ideas guide will for sure change your mind!

Let’s look at some of the best brown nail designs out there that will make you book a trip to your local salon ASAP.

Brown Nails Up Front

My favorite manicure on the list has to be the yin and yang flower power brown nails. It is super cool, and I love the different tones used in the design.

My other top picks for brown nails include:

  • Dotty Gradient Brown Nails
  • Metallic Brown Nails
  • Gradient Brown Nails
  • Short Brown Nails With Love Hearts
  • Coffin Brown Nails
  • Matte Nude Brown Nails
  • Two-Tone Flowery Brown Nails
  • 90s Brown Nails
  • Retro Swirls
  • Coffin Brown Nails With Swirls
  • Angled Brown Fresh Tips
  • Cow Print Brown Nails With a Range of Tones
  • Simple Cow Print Nails
  • Mix and Match Abstract Brown Nails
  • Swirly Brown Nails
  • Dotty Brown Nails
  • More Mix and Match Brown Nails
  • Abstract Art Brown Nails
  • Brown and Blue Swirls
  • Tie-Dye Brown Nails
  • Mint Green and Brown Nails

Selection Criteria

Brown Nails Inspiration and Ideas

When picking the nails to include on this list, I have collected a range of designs and ideas. A lot of these manicures are pretty simple, so you are able to recreate them at home. However, I also wanted to include some more complicated designs if you are looking at going to a salon to get your nails done.

All manicures included are done by some of the best nail artists out there right now. They are all done with the correct nail art tools and to the highest standard.

Simple Brown Nails

Let’s kick things off with some simple brown nail manicures. These designs prove that brown is not only an interesting color to have in your manicure but that it is also super sophisticated and chic.

Dotty Gradient Brown Nails


I absolutely love this manicure! It is super simple, but the gradient of colors creates a really interesting design. The nail artist has kept the nails pretty short, which sleek square tips.

If you want to recreate this at home, make sure you have a range of brown gel colors and nail art brushes to add the cute dots. Oh, the dots! I love the placement of each dot and how it is different on each nail. A super cool manicure!

Metallic Brown Nails

I have recently got into darker metallic colors for my makeup and nails, as I think metallic tones look really stylish. I really like these metallic bronze nails that are short, simple, but very effective. They are a great choice if you want to keep things low-key but are still after a little bit of shimmer!

Gradient Brown Nails

More gradient nails! I do love this manicure trend, as it is really easy to achieve and feels fresh and stylish. I am not going to lie, though; I have never recreated this trend at home, mainly because I am hesitant to buy loads of shades of the same color! I love to mix my nails up and therefore have such a range of different colors in my manicure box. However, I am kind of tempted to go for a gradient design myself sometime soon…

Short Brown Nails With Love Hearts

How cute are these?! The nail artist has used a range of browns and then painted little love hearts on some of the nails. They have then finished it off with a matte top coat, creating a shineless finish.

If you want to recreate these at home, I suggest getting yourself some love heart nail stickers. I use nail art stickers all the time for my DIY manicures, mainly because I don’t have the patience and skill to hand paint on designs! If you are using nail art stickers, I would recommend you apply two top coats after applying the stickers to make sure they stay in place and don’t get ripped off.

Coffin Brown Nails

The coffin nail shape is ultra-stylish and really suits this medium brown shade. This manicure is effortlessly trendy and a great choice if you are looking for a set of nails that will be suitable for different outfits and occasions.

Matte Nude Brown Nails

This stunning manicure uses a square shape as a base for a light, nude brown color. I love the color! It’s definitely super versatile when it comes to outfit choices! The matte top coat creates a sleek and sophisticated finish to the manicure.

Retro Brown Nails

The 70s are back! Well, thankfully, just in fashion and nail art. So many shades of brown properly give me retro vibes, and nail artists have incorporated 60s and 70s themes into brown nail designs. What are some of my favorite retro brown nails out there right now?

Yin and Yang Flower Power Brown Nails

I cannot deal with the coolness of this manicure! The nail artist has nodded to the famous yin and yang symbol by sectioning each nail off into two, with a swirl down the middle. They have then added matching flowers on each side of the swirl.

If you want to recreate these at home, I would recommend getting yourself some nail art stencils. These allow you to section the nail off before you apply the gel, making sure that the swirl design is neat.

Two-Tone Flowery Brown Nails

More flowers! You can tell I am a big fan of this brown flowery retro vibe, right?! In this manicure, the nail artist has picked a really dark brown matched with a creamy brown to create a contrast. They have then hand painted a little flower on each nail.

90s Brown Nails

The smiley face logo is inherently retro and always makes me think of the 90s. This manicure incorporates the smiley face logo, applying it to a brown checkerboard design. I love the contrast between the bright smiley face and the dark brown tones and how the checkerboard design is slightly different on each nail.

If you want to recreate this manicure at home, I would recommend getting your hands on some nail art tape. This allows you to section your nail off in order to get the straight lines on the checkerboard design. You may wish to paint on the smiley face, but if you don’t feel creative enough, there are some smiley face nail art stickers you can put onto your nails!

Retro Swirls

These nails give me big 70s vibes, using a range of browns to create a stunning swirl design. The nail artist has applied a nude bottom coat to create a base for the design, then used nail art brushes to add the swirls to the nails.

Coffin Brown Nails With Swirls

The nail artist has opted for a white base for these nails, and this really makes the brown swirls pop! I love how every swirl is different, from thick swirls to delicate lines. I like the nail that takes the swirl around the base, layering the different colors in the design.

Angled Brown Fresh Tips

The French tip design refers to when the tips of the nails are painted, leaving the rest of the nails without color or in a contrasting shade. This manicure has a fresh twist on the French tip trend, playing with angles and shapes to create a really intriguing design. I love the gradient of colors used over the nails and how every tip is highlighted by a contrasting color.

Cow Print Brown Nails

Animal prints are always massively popular when it comes to fashion, and nail art is no different! One trend that I am seeing time and time again is the cow print nail art, and I totally love it. And, of course, cow print is perfect when it comes to brown nail designs.

Let’s look at the best cow print brown nails out there right now to inspire your next manicure.

Cow Print Brown Nails With a Range of Tones

I love the range of colors used in this cow print design, from dark browns to white and orange. The nail artist has matched the colors well, creating a coherent theme across the nails.

Cow print nails are also super easy to recreate at home. Get yourself some nail art brushes and apply the splodges. They don’t have to look perfect; they just have to slightly resemble cow print!

Simple Cow Print Nails

This design really strips back the cow print trend, using small patches of brown to create the design. The nail artist has left a few of the nails natural and has put no color underneath the cow print. If you want to recreate this, apply a top and bottom coat on the nails, even the natural ones. This means that the natural nails will have a shine to them.

Abstract Brown Nails

I love the different abstract trends out there right now in the nail art world. From dots to swirls, there are so many cool designs to try out! Let’s look at the abstract nails that use brown in their design.

Mix and Match Abstract Brown Nails

These mix and match nails are super simple but very cool! I love how each nail has a different trend, from swirls to checks. I really like the nail that is kept natural, but with a border around, like a little frame for your nail! It feels really modern and fresh.

Swirly Brown Nails

These brown nails are super cute and definitely simple enough to recreate at home! I really like the mix of colors in the design and how certain colors are enhanced with borders.

Dotty Brown Nails

I love this manicure that uses different shades of browns to create an abstract, dotty design. It can be recreated at home with a nail dotting tool, which allows you to apply the different dots to the nails.

More Mix and Match Brown Nails

How stunning are these? They really showcase the talent of the nail artist, who has applied different trends and designs to each nail. By using a range of browns in the manicure, the nail artist has created a coherent manicure.

I love the cow print French tips, but my favorite nail has to be the line of three flowers. It’s simple but really cute!

Abstract Art Brown Nails

I love the brown gradient and how one nail is a glittery brown color! The short square tip is chic and smart, and the abstract art designs are very cool. You can pick up nail art stickers with this kind of design on them, and they are super easy to apply to your nails.

Brown Nails With Other Colors

Let’s look at some manicures that use brown as a base but incorporate other colors. Brown is a great color to match with brighter tones, as it creates a fun contrast.

Brown and Blue Swirls

This manicure is really cute. The brown and clue colors compliment each other well! I like the addition of the white lines, too. They really enhance the swirl designs.

Tie-Dye Brown Nails

Every time I see the tie-dye nail art design, I get major envy. It’s such a cool design, but I just don’t think I have the talent to recreate it! This stunning manicure uses browns, oranges, and yellows to create a beautiful tie-dye pattern. I love the shapes, too — super funky!

Mint Green and Brown Nails

I love this design! The colors are lush and go together really well. I love how the green color is matte, whereas the brown has a shine to it. A pretty simple design, but definitely one that will get you all the compliments!

Brown Nails FAQs

Question: Is Brown a Good Color for Nails?

Answer: Brown is a great choice for your nails if you want a chic and sophisticated look. It also is really versatile and goes with so many different outfits and styles!

Question: What Season is the Best for Brown Nails?

Answer: Brown nails are perfect for the autumn season, reflecting the changing weather and browning of the leaves.

Question: Is Brown a Neutral Color?

Answer: Brown is a neutral color, and this means that it is a great color for a manicure.

Embrace Brown Tones This Season

I hope you have enjoyed this brown nail inspiration article! Who said brown was boring?! There are so many cool and trendy ways we can incorporate brown into our manicures. My favorite design is definitely the yin and yang flower power brown nails. Which is your favorite?

Continue reading:

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