Whilst sustainable interior design is a top priority for Batteson Studio, this particular post is about the joys of the colour green and how easy and versatile it is to use in your home.
Green is a top interior design trend for 2022, however I think that finding looks that you love is far more important than following trends and as far as I’m concerned it is always in style!
We primarily associate green with nature. It has a relaxing effect and can make an environment calming and serene, it’s associated with growth, health and prosperity. Things that I am sure we are all happy to welcome more of in to our lives!
My starting point when thinking about any redecoration is to consider when you use the room and how you want it to feel? The depth of colour that you choose will have the greatest impact on this so consider if it is a space you want to feel light and fresh whilst perhaps working during the day or darker and more dramatic for a cosy evening vibe.
Pay attention to which direction the room in question faces, as light levels will change dramatically throughout the course of the day. South facing rooms for example will make a colour appear lighter.
With so many shades to choose, from the lightest aquamarine to the darkest forest green, it will help to find a starting point for inspiration; a favourite painting, a beautiful sofa, a wallpaper or fabric to give you some direction.
If you are looking for a bright turquoise green, great for a contemporary coastal look or Miami Beach vibes, Little Greene’s Pall Mall is a fantastic example of this. This is such a playful colour and works well with fresh whites. For a truly tropical take you could introduce a fun wallpaper, with many to choose from including Cole & Son's Palm, or Farrow & Balls Bamboo. This also looks fantastic when paired with a pink colour way or a splash of bright yellow for a real holiday feel.
Olive greens with a yellow undertone work very well with warm natural textures like wood or sisal carpets. It pairs beautifully with a mustard yellow and is a great backdrop for bringing in some heavy textured textiles in a tonal palette.
Breakfast Room Green is described by Farrow & Ball as their ‘most cheerful green’ and also makes it in to their top five paint trends for the year. It is a mid toned green that works well in a variety of settings but as the name suggests it is particularly beautiful in early morning light.
Painting the walls is an incredibly transformative and relatively cheap option. Bear in mind that a colour will look different when it is painted on the walls so I would suggest sampling on a large piece of lining paper and living with it for a while before launching in and painting the whole room. Although I have been known to do the latter on a number of occasions, once painting an entire hallway in Tuxedo, a delicious midnight blue black. It was amazing and I did not regret it! (Although it was a rental property, oops).
Remember, woodwork & ceilings don’t have to be white. Consider taking the wall paint in to the ceiling too, particularly if you have low ceilings as this will make them appear higher. Using various shades of one colour over every surface is known as colour drenching and creates great impact. It is also a good way to hide any unattractive details. You could also introduce a darker or complimentary shade on the woodwork, particularly if you have architectural features that you want to highlight. However do give some thought to the flow from one room to another when trying out this look.
If you are a pattern lover then wallpaper is a fantastic option to bring green in to your home, from geometrics to stripes, through every type of botanical and floral you could imagine. Once you have found your perfect paper I would encourage you to think beyond a feature wall. Whilst this can work well, behind a headboard for example, going for the whole room has so much more impact and will greatly elevate the look. If you are nervous about trying this I would suggest starting with a small cloakroom. Bold prints in small spaces always look great.
When you are choosing something that you really love you will not tire of it. In the living room of my childhood home we had William Morris Willow pattern and it’s still a print that I adore and would have in my home today. Obviously I didn’t actually choose the print myself at the time, I was too busy terrorising my bunny, but that is a lot of years for a print to continue to deliver.
If you aren’t ready to redecorate just yet then textiles or accessories are an easy gateway into a new colour introduction. But I am definitely not an advocate for bringing in new colours every season with low priced textiles & homewares. OK this is a green post after all! Just consider the environmental impact of those cheap ‘throw away’ cushions.
For accessories it is worth checking out auctions, vintage & charity shops. Green is such a classic colour that we have always used in our homes so that there is no doubt you will find some lovely pieces. In the last month alone I have seen numerous examples of green glass, pottery and artwork in both the auction and a number of vintage shops, with several pieces finding their way home with me!
Last but certainly not least, the easiest way to bring this beautiful hue into your home is of course with plants! I recommend this full stop. Being surrounded by plants really is good for our health and wellbeing. And they look beautiful too. As a type I have the most lovely Colocasia with its heart shaped leaves reaching over my screen and a spider plant tumbling off the side of my desk. Whilst this little collection maybe take up a little too much of my desk space, there is no way I would be without them.
If you want help in finding the right green for you, or any other colour palette for your home, drop me a line to find out more about a colour consultation.
Chloé