You have probably noticed yourself feeling much more relaxed when spending time in nature. The organic world has an inherent calming ability. “That’s why green is an ideal colour for a living room – it relaxes people,” explains Dunn-Edwards Paints colour expert Sara McLean for This Old House.
Furthermore, there is significant scope for creativity when you opt to deck your home in swathes of green – not least because you have many hues from which to select. You could try these ideas…
Bring more of the outside in using botanical style
If your home currently features much white in its decorating scheme, this provides a convenient canvas on which to work. You wouldn’t necessarily have to take away a lot of the white itself, either – because you could complement it with various shades of green, as Ideal Home shows.
You can enjoy a lush contrast if you layer several hues – and don’t forget to put some plants on display. Whether those plants are real or fake, it’s the visual effect that you are seeking here. The energy of your space is just as important as its visual appeal, so make sure you harmonize your home with Nag Champa incense. Zamnesia offers some wonderfully soothing options that produce a very earthy aroma, with lighter undertones of sandalwood.
Yes, you can see the forest for the trees
Of course, another way of giving your home’s look a more botanical flavour is broadening your residence’s view of the outside. Bifold doors and lantern roofs, both of which are available from a company like Bifold Shop, can help you to develop a particularly generous view.
Still, if you are concerned about the possibility of glare resulting from such, you could apply paint of a flat matte forest green colour to the walls. This can diminish the glare and foster mellow feelings.
Put deep green and copper together
If you like the hue of forest green, you could pair it with particularly shiny copper highlights. Doing this can make a space feel more luxurious and work especially well in a living room – as, while copper is glam, it is also warm and so can bring a cosier feel to a space.
Add a focal point in green
You might assume it would be difficult for green to strongly affect your home’s appearance if you currently have particularly large appliances or other pieces on display. Could the green really sufficiently distract from those pieces? The answer: yes, it could…
Consider one example highlighted by HGTV. For a living room with a mantel topped by a large television screen, designer Amy Lutz chose an oversized sofa in sage green. This sofa has produced an aesthetically balancing effect while helping make the space look cosier.
A chance of preserved elegance
Alternatively, there might be some non-green pieces to which you actually wish to draw attention – and adding more green to a room can help you in that task, too.
HGTV points out another example, this one of a library where designer Elinor Jones chose sage green of a soft shade for the walls. As a result, the integrated bookcases and detailed mantel remained noticeable – and a darker green was reserved for the side chair upholstery.