From the sense of calm created by a living room painted a chalky sage green, to the jewel-like vibrancy brought by a piece of furniture upholstered in emerald velvet, the possibilities of decorating with green are endless. The colour of nature and growth, green can help connect our homes with their surroundings and promote a sense of restfulness. Here, we offer our top green home decorating ideas, showing you just how versatile this hue can be…
Create a cocooning backdrop
Shades of deep green are wonderful for creating an enveloping feel and for this reason they work beautifully in spaces such as a library or a snug. Consider painting the walls in dark green and choose upholstery and curtain fabrics in tonal shades for a wrap-around effect that feels like a warm hug. Fabrics that play to the richness of dark green tones, such as wool or velvet, are perfect for a cocooning scheme: shown here is our Omega velvet in Teal, a lovely deep green that looks glorious teamed with slightly paler tones or contrasted with warm shades of russet or brick red. A sophisticated aesthetic that is also soothing.
Take inspiration from the forest
Fabrics and wallpapers that reference the forest help connect an interior with nature and create a calm, reassuring feel. With its captivating design inspired by majestic oaks, our printed velvet in English Oak in Leaf is reminiscent of sumptuous Verdure wall tapestries and brings the beauty of the forest right into the home. This is a design that will work well in traditional or more modern settings: think elegant curtains framing garden views in a country living room, or, for a more contemporary interpretation, an oversized headboard in the bedroom of a pared-back townhouse.
Use contrasting colour blocks
You may think of it as a throwback to the eighties, but colour blocking is seeing a revival, and this time around we are witnessing very grown-up versions of the style. The premise of colour blocking is to use two or more colours in the same area and it offers a fantastic way to highlight features such as panelling, a dado rail, window recesses or architraves. Here, panelling in a rich forest green is contrasted with walls painted plaster pink. Both colours have a touch of brown in them, ensuring a pleasing effect that doesn’t jar. The statement sofa fabric – our stunning Bukhara in Emerald, a printed velvet inspired by a Russian Ikat design – unites both the deep green and the plaster pink hues, creating a cohesive scheme that is as lively as it is luxurious.
Dip into the woods
Scenes of the woodland are another wonderful way to connect an interior with nature, instilling a sense of calm within the home. Green living room ideas that embrace this theme range from simple, stylised prints – our Maze in Shamrock linen features a lovely hand-drawn leaf motif, for example – to fantastical designs that have a transportive effect. Featuring an otherworldly forest scene, Nightfall in Pitch is a gloriously rich wallpaper design that is perfect for creating a green accent wall or for wrapping around the walls in a small living room. The design also comes in a printed velvet – perfect for statement upholstery.
Pick a pale green to promote restfulness
If you are looking for green living room ideas that will ensure a soothing feel, consider muted tones such as soft sage green and pale shades of moss. These gentle hues give a sense of peace and harmony, making them perfect for creating a scheme that offers a retreat from the world outside. Pale green tones lend themselves particularly well to small-scale prints, our Bagatelle linen in Grape being a case in point. A discreet damask, its subtle design is highly versatile and makes lovely curtains in this bedroom filled with natural light. Team with off-whites to add to the feeling of calm.
Use emerald green for a heritage feel
With its jewel-like tones, emerald green has been gracing homes for centuries, bringing a sense of luxury to interiors. Emerald green walls are a bold choice that can look particularly striking in a dining room, or consider contrasting white walls with emerald green cabinetry for an invigorating kitchen scheme. If you are nervous about using too much of this bold hue, try using it as an accent colour, or choose a statement fabric that incorporates this vibrant shade. Our Kami printed velvet in Emerald sees one of our favourite combinations, blush pink and emerald green, for a contemporary take on a classic Oriental design.
Bring the outside in with botanical printed wallpaper
Botanicals have really been having a moment, reflecting our desire to create interiors that exude a sense of exuberance and optimism. Tropical prints, with their exotic designs in bright colours, are particularly popular when it comes to green living room ideas that truly pack a punch. Our Kahanu wallpaper in Emerald features fabulous palms in energising shades of green – perfect teamed with velvet pieces that pick out the same shade of emerald, as well as gorgeous coral pinks…
Combine green and white for a fresh feel
To bring a real burst of spring into the living room, there is nothing quite like a green and white scheme. Perfect for a room filled with natural light, this classic combination is uplifting, bringing a sense of balance and harmony. For a contemporary take on the look, opt for bold hues such as lettuce and leaf greens, while if you lean towards a classic aesthetic, choose a more muted hue such as olive or sage green. This sofa fabric, Loseley in Apple Green, features horse chestnut leaves and brings subtle freshness to a traditional scheme.
Sage green has risen in popularity over the last few years, undoubtedly because this muted green hue, so prevalent in nature, helps promote a feeling of restfulness and wellbeing. It is also one of the most versatile shades of green, teaming effortlessly with other neutrals as well as incisive black or invigorating bright colours. It beautifully complements all tones of wood and looks wonderful juxtaposed with natural materials such as rattan, jute or wicker. In this living room flooded with natural light, sage green walls are a foil to our uplifting tree of life linen fabric, Kitty in Spring Green. The print brings a burst of nature to the room, with its pretty greens, pinks, yellows and blues capturing the hope of spring. One of the most joyful green living room ideas.
Embrace pretty wallpapers
For charming green home decorating ideas, look no further than a pretty wallpaper. An intricate small scale print will suit all manner of spaces: opt for a design in fresh, revitalising greens for a room where you want to feel energised – think a bright breakfast room or a home office – while softer, muted shades work beautifully in more restful spaces such as a bedroom. Our delicate Miyagi wallpaper in Lichen captures the beauty of the forest floor and brings an organic, calming quality to this bedroom. Pale pieces add to the soothing feel of the space.
Uplifting and vital or contemplative and soulful, green is a versatile colour offering myriad possibilities. We hope you have fun finding the green shades that work for you – and discovering their ability to add harmony and balance to an interior…
FAQs
What colours go with green? The good news is, lots of colours go with green, from soft neutrals to pinks to earthy shades. Look at how green foliage goes perfectly with every colour of flower and you will see that the possibilities are endless. Like-minded tones can work beautifully together – think an earthy green hue teamed with a slightly “muddy” blush pink, for example – while a bold shade such as malachite or emerald looks wonderful with shades of gold. And you can ignore the old adage “blue and green should never be seen” – au contraire, they can make fantastic bedfellows.
How can I incorporate green into my home? Using it as an accent colour is one way to dip your toe into green home decorating: a touch of green can look fabulous in a predominantly pale scheme or in a monochrome décor. A muted green, such as a soft moss or sage green, can almost be considered a neutral, bringing just a touch of colour to a room. And don’t forget, one of the easiest ways to bring a burst of green into the home is with houseplants: they will instantly enliven an interior and improve air quality, to boot.