Decorating
See Why Green is the Colour of the Moment
Green is everywhere right now and seems to tap into a collective mood. It’s also a versatile colour for your home
From sage to moss to olive, teal and dark forest green, various shades of this timely hue were all over the design fairs this year. A pale incarnation of it is Dulux’s Colour of the Year 2020 (called Tranquil Dawn, FYI). It’s popping up as a key new colour in the palettes of other paint brands, too, and, as we recently discovered, it’s big in design-loving Denmark.
Soothe your senses
Here, almost the same colour is employed to define the mirror area in a bathroom designed by Cécile Byé.
This grey-green is a particularly gentle and calming shade, making it especially good for somewhere you’re likely to be first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Putting it on the wall you’ll be facing while brushing your teeth twice daily is perfect.
Note also how well it goes with the terracotta floor tiles and natural wood of the repurposed sideboard: green and earthy hues work excellently together.
See more ways to combine green with earth-coloured tones.
Here, almost the same colour is employed to define the mirror area in a bathroom designed by Cécile Byé.
This grey-green is a particularly gentle and calming shade, making it especially good for somewhere you’re likely to be first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Putting it on the wall you’ll be facing while brushing your teeth twice daily is perfect.
Note also how well it goes with the terracotta floor tiles and natural wood of the repurposed sideboard: green and earthy hues work excellently together.
See more ways to combine green with earth-coloured tones.
Get cosy
The rich, dark hues used in this room are cocooning and forest-like. “People tend to use living rooms in the evening and more during the winter, so the colours can be dramatic and heavy,” says Phoebe Oldrey of Smartstyle Interiors, who designed this scheme.
Pink accents, however, give the scheme a lift.
See the rest of this 1920s home.
The rich, dark hues used in this room are cocooning and forest-like. “People tend to use living rooms in the evening and more during the winter, so the colours can be dramatic and heavy,” says Phoebe Oldrey of Smartstyle Interiors, who designed this scheme.
Pink accents, however, give the scheme a lift.
See the rest of this 1920s home.
Channel midcentury style
Matching the flooring to the splashback is a design-confident way to use this distinctive olive green.
The story behind this kitchen explains the colour choice: the property was renovated by Francisco Sutherland Architects and is part of a development of townhouses built in 1968 and authentically restored. This shade of green is very much part of the midcentury palette and evokes the era beautifully.
Matching the flooring to the splashback is a design-confident way to use this distinctive olive green.
The story behind this kitchen explains the colour choice: the property was renovated by Francisco Sutherland Architects and is part of a development of townhouses built in 1968 and authentically restored. This shade of green is very much part of the midcentury palette and evokes the era beautifully.
Emphasise the treetops
If you have a prominent window, especially one on an upper floor that’s level with the treetops outside, going green inside is a simple but effective way to connect with nature on the other side of the glass.
This room by Lorraine Levinson Interior Design does it beautifully by combining a number of complementary soft greens that cocoon the room in calm. Check out the fern-coloured wallpaper ceiling, too.
If you have a prominent window, especially one on an upper floor that’s level with the treetops outside, going green inside is a simple but effective way to connect with nature on the other side of the glass.
This room by Lorraine Levinson Interior Design does it beautifully by combining a number of complementary soft greens that cocoon the room in calm. Check out the fern-coloured wallpaper ceiling, too.
Link to the garden
For the same reason, green is also an excellent choice for rooms that lead into a garden.
This dark shade of grey-green also works well – as deep colours often do – as a foil for bright accents. Here, the spines of the books stand out nicely, while the TV screen recedes.
For the same reason, green is also an excellent choice for rooms that lead into a garden.
This dark shade of grey-green also works well – as deep colours often do – as a foil for bright accents. Here, the spines of the books stand out nicely, while the TV screen recedes.
Create a cool mix
Teal combines green and blue, so will work with accents in either colour. In this bedroom by Nicola Hicks Designs, the bright blue flash in the bedside lamps appears to almost glow out of the dark walls.
If you’ve never thought of matching your wall colour exactly to your curtains, let this room persuade you of the idea’s merits. There need be no break in the colour scheme after dark, making for a particularly cosy effect. Perfect for sleep.
Teal combines green and blue, so will work with accents in either colour. In this bedroom by Nicola Hicks Designs, the bright blue flash in the bedside lamps appears to almost glow out of the dark walls.
If you’ve never thought of matching your wall colour exactly to your curtains, let this room persuade you of the idea’s merits. There need be no break in the colour scheme after dark, making for a particularly cosy effect. Perfect for sleep.
Combine with gold
Gold wall lamps, gold velvet cushions and a gold vase (employing the designer’s rule of three) effectively bring out the warmth in this rich, muddy green in a bedroom by Boclaud Architecture.
Gold wall lamps, gold velvet cushions and a gold vase (employing the designer’s rule of three) effectively bring out the warmth in this rich, muddy green in a bedroom by Boclaud Architecture.
Introduce a hint of Victoriana
Deep bottle green tiles have strong Victorian connotations and work well with the traditional feel of this bathroom, designed by Caroline Ashenden.
With this type of small-scale, one-colour wall tile, the historic connotations will be strongest if you stick to gloss tiles, rather than a more contemporary matt finish.
Tell us…
Do you have green in your colour scheme at home – or are you thinking of adding it? Let us know in the Comments section.
Deep bottle green tiles have strong Victorian connotations and work well with the traditional feel of this bathroom, designed by Caroline Ashenden.
With this type of small-scale, one-colour wall tile, the historic connotations will be strongest if you stick to gloss tiles, rather than a more contemporary matt finish.
Tell us…
Do you have green in your colour scheme at home – or are you thinking of adding it? Let us know in the Comments section.
In this home, designed by Dyer Studio, a soft shade of sage has been used sparingly as the backdrop for a reading nook.
Tongue-and-groove panelling is a nice way to give a feature wall extra definition.