Complete Color: Going Green

I consider the color green to be a wonderful neutral. All you have to do is take a look at nature to see how compatible green can be with all other colors.

(Flower Photos by Me)

When Pantone selected Emerald Green as it's 2013 Color of the Year, it was a choice which, according to Pantone, represents "elegance and beauty" as well as a color that "enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony."
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(Image via Pantone.com)

However when it comes to paint colors, most people wouldn't rush to paint their room a bright emerald green. (Unless you are very bold - which is GREAT!!). I would suggest, however, that you consider any shade of green a color that might work well with a variety of furnishings.

(Photo by Jessica Howe of PropertyPrecision.com)

In the picture above of my client's Dining Room, I chose Sherwin Williams "Clary Sage" to complement not only the salmon toned seats on the chairs, but the reddish brown and teal colors in the oriental rug. (My client didn't want to change up any of the furnishings and who could blame her - all are beautiful!) The green also worked well with my client's gold accents in the framed artwork, chandelier and mirror. Do you see how this green seems to pull together so many other colors?

Take a look at the room in this photo below which was featured in House Beautiful Magazine. The walls are painted with Fine Paints of Europe's "Vreeland Mint." This color marries so well with the black furniture! Did you ever think black and green would work well together in anything other than mint chip ice cream?

(Photo via House Beautiful.com)

One more example of green's compatibility is in a room where I used Benjamin Moore's "Fernwood Green". It was originally used for a little girl's room which featured soft pinks in the rugs and furnishings. Now that this client's daughter is growing up this same color still works well with the now pre-teen's bold choice in bedding!