Most people find the color green to be soothing, evoking the serenity of lush forests and gardens. Yet it’s not commonly seen in interiors, except for plants and artwork. The rooms below will give you plenty of reasons to add some sage or seafoam, emerald or olive into your space.
Throw pillows in solids and patterns ranging from rich emerald to barely there celadon, along with the green book and flowers on the coffee table, complement the botanical upholstery on the side chair. Photo by Laurey Glenn.
Green As an Accent
Those who take a less-adventurous approach to color might want to start by introducing just a few small green elements into a room: pillows, a throw, glassware. Even a single ginger jar with a white-and-jade motif will imbue a room with the energy of spring.
The chartreuse curtains and the towering plant are the primary splashes of green here. The pale blue lampshades and the pink and silvery pillows soften what could have been a too-strong color statement. Photo by Tony Vu.
Blue is a component of green, so you can feel safe pairing the two hues. Here the green background of the walls provides chic support to the palette of blues. Photo by Nickolas Sargent.
Green As a Neutral
Green is a combination of blue and yellow, making it a worthy complement to both colors—and to many other hues as well. Pale silvery sage, celadon, mint, and other soft greens can serve as neutrals. So can dark sage and other greens with significant, if subtle, dark gray or black undertones. Layers of subdued green in varying tones—for instance, pale walls with slightly deeper curtains and upholstery—can envelope a room with serenity. Alternatively, misty greens can serve as an fresh alternative to whites and creams while providing a quiet counterpoint to bolder colors.
The muted green sofa, and even the darker green walls, are neutrals in keeping with the rest of the room. Photo by Lesley Unruh.
The cabinets, painted in a whispery green, read almost like a pale gray. Photo by Lesley Unruh.
The verdant walls and millwork hold their own against the variety of floral patterns—and all but blend in with the lush leaves visible through the windows. Photo by Aubrie Pick.
Green As the Star
Bold swathes of green—emerald walls, lime sofas, deep jade rugs—make a definite statement. Fortunately that statement is a positive one!
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It takes a strong wall treatment to not get lost against the trove of antiques in this room. In fact, the green walls with their floral motif help unify the disparate assortment of furnishings from different eras and provenances. Photo by Nicole LaMotte.
The lime-green walls play up the whimsy in this nook’s juxtaposition of unlikely objects (including the lantern hanging from an antler). Photo by Tony Vu.
“Surround yourself with what you love” is a decorating mantra, and it’s clear that this homeowner loves grassy green. Photo by Leslie Unruh.
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