How to use green in interior design
Thursday, 9 June 2011 4:09 PM
In the third instalment of our colours mini-series, interior designer Eliska Sapera discusses how to use green when decorating your home, explaining which rooms to use different shades in and the colours that best complement various tones of green.
Green is the colour that we associate with nature, tropical leaves and English grass – and for many it is symbolic of life itself. But in interior design, green's main quality is tranquillity.
Green first hit the interior design mainstream in the 18th century, when Robert Adam started painted ceilings and stucco patterns in a light hue later dubbed 'Adam’s green'. Nowadays, the colour is popular in many guises, from muted tones such as celadon green and verdigris to vibrant shades like emerald and lime.
Warm greens – those with a red or yellow tint – are most closely related to the natural shades we see outdoors. The effect of decorating walls in these colours can be quite formal, and objects and pictures look great against a warm green background. For that reason, you'll often see it used in galleries and museums.
Forest or racing green is a very masculine colour and works well in studies, libraries and games rooms. Mahogany doors and aged leather armchairs complemented by a sprinkle of warm red cashmere or tartan will complete such a scheme.
Emerald green is another warm tone which looks very dramatic when used in dining rooms, hallways and staircases. Paintings with old gold frames will look really striking against it.
When it comes to bedroom shades, cool greens are very popular because they're accommodating but never intrusive. Shades such as eau de nil and pale spearmint are particularly popular at the minute.
Left-hand wall, Willow Tree Matt Emulsion, RRP £18.99 for 2.5L; Right-hand wall, Proud Peacock Feature Wall Matt, RRP £12.99 for 1.25L; Doors and skirting, Apple White Quick-Dry Satinwood, RRP £12.29 for 750ml, all by Dulux.
For external surfaces, a dark green that's almost black looks great: paint your front door, window ledges and railings in a gloss version of this shade to create a regal impression.
It's best to avoid painting rooms with yellow-ish greens like lime, as we don’t have strong enough light in the UK to bring this colour to life.
However, lime green does work well as an accent colour. Teaming it with fuchsia in fabrics looks amazing, as does contrasting lime green and chocolate suede cushions. In terms of other interior design accessories, celadon green in a dinner service has a sophisticated feel to it and shows food off in a more subtle way than white, and apple green works well with cream.
Dining plates by Eliska
Eliska Sapera is an interior designer with over 25 years’ experience and a gorgeous shop named Eliská. She was formerly the exhibition director of the British Interior Design Association (now known as the British Institute of Interior Design).
Main image credit: Walls, Overtly Olive and Natural Hessain Kitchen+ Matt, RRP £22.19 for 2.5L; Chairs, Soft Sage, Once Gloss, RRP £11.19 for 0.75L; Cupboards, Jasmine White Cupboard Paint, RRP £19.49 for 600ml, all by Dulux.
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