21 Light and Dark Green Living Room Ideas for a Relaxing Refresh
Embrace these gorgeous verdant shades, from forest and emerald to sage and olive.
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Commonly associated with the beauty of lush grass and trees, shades of green have been found to relax and calm the mind — making them a popular choice for serene living spaces. Whether it's with an accent piece or you're going for a full monochrome look, there are endless ways to bring greens into a living space — most notably with a fresh coat of paint. You can also weave in a pop of color with a green velvet sofa, decorate with houseplants or layer in green accents like living room curtains, carpets and throw pillows. If your interior doesn't yet feature a touch of green, we've rounded up gorgeous green living room ideas that will convince you to redecorate.
Greens are incredibly versatile and pair beautifully with almost any color — from whites, creams and grays to blues, pinks and reds. Depending on your existing color palette and design style, you may choose to embrace a moody deep tone, vibrant hue (like lime green) or a neutral green (some shades can appear almost white). Sneak peek: we've included a ton of living room paint color suggestions.
As you scroll these stunning interiors, you'll find styling tips like how to create contrast with other bold hues, add gold fixtures and decorate with complementary decor. For our crafters, we sprinkled in a few DIY home decor projects (like a genius accent wall).
Layer in Shapes and Textures
Instead of going for green walls, bring in soothing pops of color with intriguing elements and textures. Here, interior designer Michelle Boudreau turns the fireplace into a statement piece and complements it with two geometric armchairs. Not to mention, the abstract wallpaper features pale green patterns to tie the space together.
Go for Dark, Moody Walls
Looking for a "scholarly library feel," blogger Ryann Miller painted her living room walls a dark green color — Current Mood by Clare Paint, to be exact. To pair with the moody wall color, she layered in vintage furniture like the record cabinet. Sitting on top is the Tulca mirror from Lulu and Georgia.
See more at Style by Emily Henderson »
RELATED: 12 Affordable Vintage-Inspired Gold Mirrors to Shop Online
Create Contrast With Wood Paneling
Rather than going for a completely green space, interior designer Rob Diaz chose to break up this living room with wood paneling. To ensure the green still makes a big impact, it's extended to the ceiling — which also features sleek gold lighting fixtures.
RELATED: 26 Modern Living Room Ideas That Will Make You Rethink Your Design Aesthetic
Keep it Monochrome
Create an eye-catching — yet relaxing — interior with a gray-green shade. Here, designer Bria Hammel uses Benjamin Moore's Knoxville Gray to paint the walls, trim and fireplace bricks of this Minnesota home.
Tie it Back to Nature
For an inviting living space, choose a soothing, nature-inspired hue for your walls. Tie it all together by layering in natural materials like wicker furniture, raw wood tables, clay vases and fresh greens. In this case, Michelle Boudreau isn't afraid to layer in a second pop of color with a set of orange armchairs.
Add a Gallery Wall
A sophisticated shade of green is the perfect backdrop for a gallery wall. Here, designer Alexandra Kaehler uses Benjamin Moore’s Essex Green. Recreate the look by going for a mix of light and dark woods, as well as gold and black frames.
Opt for Neutral
As much as we love a vibrant interior, green walls don't have to be bold. There are plenty of gorgeous green shades that feel incredibly neutral and versatile — like this pale, airy hue. A light green paint color is perfect if you have a bright, sunny space.
Pair Green With Gold
A classic color combination, it's no surprise that shades of green are effortlessly elevated by gold accents. To complement the dark green walls, interior designer Jenn Feldman goes for gold lighting fixtures, tabletop decor and furniture with gold legs.
Give Wood Panels a Refresh
For an instant upgrade, paint your wood wall panels a bright hue — like a modern green-blue. You can maintain an elegant look by keeping the upper portion of your walls painted a neutral beige.
Add Shiplap to Your Fireplace
Here, blogger Ashley Rene gives an old brick fireplace a makeover by adding a faux concrete finish and shiplap — which she paints an earthy green hue. To complement the green above the mantel, she brings in natural materials and touches of greenery (like the eucalyptus on top of the built-in shelving.
Opt for Stripes
Cover your walls with a playful, yet classic, striped wallpaper — like this one, which alternates between a subtly bright green and fresh white. This interior is full of color, but no shade is too bold that it overpowers the rest. To tie back to the wallpaper, there's a set of matching throw pillows on the blue sofa.
Pair Mossy Greens With Browns
In this cozy interior, Sherwin-Williams' Evergreen Fog — a subdued mossy green — becomes the conversation starter. It pairs well with a wood beam ceiling, brown leather couches and dark wood armchairs. For contrast, the fireplace mantel and window seat remain a bright white hue.
Create an Accent Around Your Mantel
Often times, the fireplace sets the tone in a living space — making it the perfect place to bring in a pop of color. Install shiplap around the fireplace mantel, or opt for a fresh coat of paint if it's already there. Go for a deep, moody hue like the one here — which happens to be Studio Green by Farrow & Ball.
Mix Greens With Blues
Blue and green are a great color combination for crafting a serene space, so don't be afraid to mix and match hues. With a more neutral green on the walls, this interior features a geometric blue rug and patterned blue sofas.
Go Dark, From Floor to Ceiling
You can actually make a small space feel bigger by going for a moody monochrome look. This deep green paint color, Rookwood Shutter Green by Sherwin Williams, has a touch of blue to it — so the blue sofa complements the space well. Gold accents, like the table lamp, are always a great companion to green hues.
Accessorize With Greenery
Not much pairs better with calming green walls than a surge of beautiful houseplants. Here, it's taken a step further with a green, 3D leaf installation from designer Maryline Damour of Damour Drake and fiber artist Sienna Martz.
Use Furniture to Bring in Greens
Surprise: you don't have to go for verdant walls to create a green living room! Go for a vibrant green sofa (layered with green throw pillows), curtains, artwork and planters full of real plants.
RELATED: The Best Indoor Plants for Every Room in Your House
Decorate With Antiques
From the exposed ceiling beams to the antique artwork and decor, this entire space feels earthy and nature-inspired. The light green walls, broken up by a sunny window with sheer curtains, only elevates the mood.
DIY an Accent Wall
Turn a simple surface into a striking accent wall with a vibrant green paint color, (here: Chard from Behr paint), but add old picture frames to create dimension. The best part? You can pick up a bunch of old frames at local thrift or antique stores to save money.
Merge Red and Green
From the bright green walls to the lively red sofa, this cozy interior is proof that it doesn't have to be the holiday season to pull off this unique color combination. Keep in mind if you're going for two bold hues, layer in neutrals to tone it down — like the white throw, marble fireplace mantel and glass table lamp.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
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