Hey Greenies!
Isn’t that the name of a dog treat that cleans the dog’s teeth? I regret calling you that.
So I’ve been thinking that green is probably one of the must underrated colors, don’t you think? Maybe because we are in the dead of winter and everything is gray, but I am craving vibrant green. I’ve even been eating more green vegetables, that’s how dire the circumstances are. When I went hunting for inspirational images, I surprisingly couldn’t find many showcasing GOOD green rooms. A lot of them were suuuuuper traditional and kind of outdated. But what is really outdated, anyway? We are now all loving mid century design and with that comes warm lime green. You know the color. I want to describe it better by calling it “puke green” but that’s not really a good way to describe anything and have you believe anything I say after this.
Then I went hunting internet land for green furniture and finishes. Again, not surprisingly, there weren’t really many that would belong in areas of your home not belonging to a child. The only shades of green that are deemed “acceptable” it seems are kelly green and hunter or emerald green. FYI, I just spelled green like “grean”, so if you think I should probably stop for a lunch break soon, YOU WOULD BE CORRECT.
Take this beauty for example, it’s lovely! Green seems to really bring out anything gold or brass and looks especially nice when paired with black and what. But then again, what doesn’t look good paired with black and white? I like the dark woods of this dining area, but I want to point out that light wood looks even more dreamy. If you use a light wood, it makes the space feel super rustic, causal, and airy. While this space is all well and good, have you ever tried living with walls that dark? I have. It made me super depressed. I felt like I was living in a dungeon. Paint colors like this look SPECTACULAR in editorial shots because a camera can take in so much light. The final shot looks super bright. But, have you ever seen a before and after of the same room? The only thing that changes between the dreary and dark “before” shot is the expensive camera and editing software to make the room seem lighter. THAT IS NOT REAL LIFE.
In real life, you will have to deal with your dark paint on days when it’s not that bright outside. Have you heard of rain or snow? Yea, that happens. And suddenly you’re sitting at your dining table with dark walls in a dark room and for a second think you’re living in a log cabin on the frontier with nothing but candle light. It can really change your mood. Some people are not sensitive to this, but I super am. I would recommend using deep greens as furnishings and accessories, and not splashing it all over your walls, even though it looks truly amazing in photos.
Remember me telling you how great light woods look against shades of green? PRESTO. Here you have it. Isn’t it so great? The reason this works so well is that light woods show how much warm and red tones there are in them. And do you remember your color wheel? The opposite of green is…RED! Anything with a hint of warmth or red tones will look so, so good. It makes the space more casual and makes it a real contender for these dreamy California-cool all white spaces. I think green with lighter woods looks just as airy, but then again, I’m crazy. Again we have the black and white hide rug and a more tonal gray and off white geometric rug. Same thing, guys. BTW, these cantilever chairs are what my dreams are made of. I have literally been searching for a vintage set that’s not, oh, say, $2,000. First world problems.
What I love about the photo on the right is how they combined mid century modern with a natural rustic aesthetic. We have the tulip table, the cantilever chairs, and the vintage green color. Speaking of the tulip table, at one point, I literally asked for an authentic Knoll Saarinen table instead of an engagement ring. I called it an engagement table. While I am currently engaged, I opted for no ring but we are still saving for that engagement table I hope to get before I die. Hey, living in New York City ain’t cheap and you can’t afford things like “a table” and “chairs” and “a second bedroom” when you need things like “food” and “toilet paper”.
I am shocked at myself for liking, actually, LOVING, that first photo featured by House Beautiful. It’s uber tradtional with the heavy fabrics, thick curtains, and vintage seating, but THAT TABLE THOUGH. That beautiful modern chrome table is RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT. Yea, remember how 5 minutes ago I told you not to paint your entire room dark green? I mean, you can do whatever you want, but the reason this room works well is the lighter finishes on everything else. Do you remember the first photo? It had dark dark dark woods and finishes. That would get dreary. But this photo has light woods (we love that, remember), tonal textured rug, light curtains, and a glass table that will not look bulky and will reflect light. Because of this table, the space isn’t weighed down. You can see through it so the pale gray rug is as much of a player in this space as the dark walls. Another thing they did perfectly is pair warmth (remember, red tones are great with greens) with the space. There is a lovely luggage shade leather and a bright mustard settee, which is also vintage inspired. Even the flowers are autumnal.
The last image has the black and white that seems to be an emerging pattern here and there’s that pale wood floor. The pale wood floor with the wide planking will ALWAYS make your space feel more casual and rustic. It reminds you of barn wood and it’s glorious. Yeah, this room has some dark walls, but I love the tone on tone action. If you are not afraid of dark colors (yay you!), then tone on tone is the bullet train to bold. Before I realized my dark gray walls were bumming me out, I had things tone on tone. I had dark gray walls, a black table, and another shade of gray for my work cubbies. I also had a copper pendant light that was amazing. Tone on tone with a gold/brass/copper warm metal is always a good idea. I mean look how sexy that green space is???? It is paired with the tonal buffet (with gold legs!), some greenery, reflective items ( A MUST when you’re dealing with dark colors), and that sexy black lamp. It’s a win.
I hope this encourages you to embrace colors that are unique to your personal palette. It’s easy to get yourself into a rut, color-wise, and really nothing invigorates the soul like adding something new and fresh. You can add green in the form of plants, too. You don’t have to go full speed ahead and get large green furnishings. Try it out!
-K
