Though I’m posting this in time for Earth Day, I’m not writing today about “going green” in the “save the earth” sense (though our product has been chosen partially because of the artsits’ commtiment to creating eco-friendly products). I want to talk about decorating with green and how going green on your wallpaper, your furniture, your fabric, your window coverings etc., impacts your emotions.
Green is a secondary colour on the colour wheel, a combination of blue and yellow. It has both the soothing properties of blue and the energizing quality of yellow. The hue of green used in your decor, whether lighter or darker, cooler or warmer, also affects your emotional response to it.
Rich Greens
Rich greens are my personal favorite. They evoke a sense of luxury and elegance (think of emeralds). A rich green is a perfect colour for a dining room with both the power to create ease and stimulate conversation. Dim the lights and imagine the ambiance of the sun setting over a forest glen.
Green is a colour that I have used extensively in my own home. The latest plan is to adorn my currently painted green dining room walls with our Pachamama Apple wallpaper by Tatie Lou.
Soft Greens
In my previous life I worked as a pediatric nurse on a Neurosciences and Surgery ward. The walls throughout the space were painted in a soft green. It wasn’t the prettiest of shades, but I understand the choice better now. Soft greens are shown to have a soothing effect on children and to reduce anxiety. Studies have also shown that using the colour green in surgical settings enhances positive outcomes.
You don’t live in a clinical setting, but if you have a particularly anxious child a soft green like Calla Lily is a good option for their room (or yours).
This shade of green is also a good choice for a relaxation room. The colour green promotes growth, renewal and balance. Combind that kind of aesthetic with your yoga practice and you’ll be feeling full-on zen.
Leave it Out of the Loo
Warm greens with strong doses of yellow can be a fun and energizing colour for your interior but be careful where you use them! Using a green with a more yellowish undertone on your bathroom walls may give you all too good an idea of what “green around the gills” looks like when you peer into the mirror. Reserve this type of green for an office or a playroom. If you are looking for a green wallcovering for your bathroom, stick to soft greens which have a heavy dose of blue in them, like Coastal Cove in Seafoam.
The People’s Choice
Blue and green are two of the most popular colours because of their connection to the outdoors. From my personal experience as an interior decorator I have had blue requested far more often than green. Is blue more popular because a more vast expanse of the world is covered in ocean than forests? Food for thought. If you have any questions about using the colour green in your own space, give me a shout!
