Home Design & Decorating Decorating Color

How to Decorate With Green

Front view of a dining room nook with an emerald green accent wall

The Spruce / Alyssa Vela

One of the trendiest colors in home decor right now, green is an incredibly versatile shade, especially when it comes to decorating. This earthy hue ranges from bold and bright to subtle and warm, giving it the ability to transform your space depending on the shade. From walls to furniture to accessories, there are endless ways to sprinkle this hue into your home decor.

What Type of Color is Green?

Green is one of those colors that can be both trendy and traditional. An earthy hue that evokes images of lush grass and fresh air, green is a color that easily brings the outdoors in.

When it comes to feng shui, green belongs to the wood element and is a calming, balancing color that is all about fresh, new beginnings and renewal.

It can be both warm and cool, depending on the shade, but often lands more on the cooler spectrum. You'll often find other cool shades that derive the "coolness" from green undertones. But while the majority of greens are cool, there's a wide variety in green and will often feel vastly different depending on the room and natural light.

Nursery with deep green paint

kiara_thegr8 / Instagram

The Basics of Decorating With Green

Whether you want to paint your walls green or invest in an eye-catching piece of green furniture, the shade of green you should opt for depends entirely on the mood you want to set and the space you are trying to fill.

Dark Green

A dark, jewel-toned green is the perfect backdrop for a moody living room or bedroom. It instantly creates a sense of elegance and class, no matter the size of the space. Because a darker green paint such as Farrow & Ball Green Smoke No. 47 will appear smokey and rich, it's a great choice for a larger space that needs grounding or an accent wall behind a bed.

Another way to embrace the jewel-toned look is with a lush velvet green couch or a pile of hunter green throw pillows atop a leather couch. A deep green makes a statement, so even a single piece of furniture can set the stage for the rest of the room.

Muted Green

On the other hand, a lighter pastel or muted green will make a room appear light and airy. It's a comfortable shade, perfect for guest bedrooms or office spaces. A paint color such as Benjamin Moore Soft Fern 2144-40 will create a sense of tranquility and peace in a bedroom or bathroom and acts as an updated neutral.

This shade is also a great choice for bedding in a minimalistic room as a way to add a little color without taking away from the original palette. Vintage landscapes will also often draw from muted greens and can be a great way to add the color into your Mid-century modern or eclectic style home.

Warm Green

When it comes to decorating with warm greens, look for shades with a yellow or orange undertone. A warm green feels both energetic and rejuvenating. It's a great choice for a powder room or even a guest room, any space you want to add a little more color without coming off too bold.

Bathroom with muted green paint

maxmademedoit / Instagram

Colors That Go With Green

The greatest thing about green is that pairing it with other colors is easy because there are so many shades of green.

One of the most popular color palettes is a neutral and green one. Pair crisp, linen-like whites with a deep moody green is a great way to add contrast and visual interest in a space, while keeping the feel fresh and modern. A black, white, and green color palette is a dependable and classic one that looks great in nearly any style of home.

If you're opting for a more vintage or eclectic feel, consider pairing a hunter green with a burnt, rustic orange. This combo feels very welcoming and calming. You can add lighter shades of green, too, such as sage to keep the palette light and airy.

For a super jewel-toned room, mix rich earthy shades of green with deep navy blues and burgundies. This palette is perfect for large living spaces with room to experiment. Look for vintage Turkish-style rugs that pull in rich, deep colors.

Using the color green in home decor can add an earthy, grounded feel to any space. Plus, unlike some other bold colors, green can lend itself well to many different color palettes and appear both calming and energetic at the same time.