15 green living room ideas to reinvigorate your space
15 green living room ideas to reinvigorate your space
From the best colour ideas to styling tips, discover the many ways you can refresh your space with these green living room ideas.
Long associated with wellness and nature - green is in the spotlight at a time when many of us are trying to build a home that allows us to truly relax. Green has a serene yet powerful energy that makes it a great choice in the living room.
Thanks to its versatility, green works not only as a wall colour but as a sofa colour or accessory option. Light green tones can be used as a neutral while dark green shades can ground the room and create a dramatic but cocooning effect.
Discover the best green living room ideas, styling tips and colour combinations with the help of Amanda Bailey-Rook, Senior Stylist and Creative Coordinator at Furniture And Choice.
(Credit: Furniture And Choice)
Amanda Bailey-Rook
Senior Stylist & Creative Coordinator at Furniture And Choice
Amanda has been an in-house stylist at Furniture And Choice for over six years now. She has gained experience over the years by starting out her career in women's lingerie, children's wear and interiors, then as a freelance stylist for many different companies.
Her absolute passion is with interiors and interior design. She wholeheartedly loves creating rooms that inspire and bring joy to people.
The soft refreshing hues of a light green pastel tone will add a refreshing feel to your living room. It can work as a neutral as it can replace white or cream on the walls and complements greys, beige tones and white.
“Lighter shades of green are perfect backdrops and coordinate well with other colours like neutral tones,” Amanda says. “Green originates from the natural world and these lighter shades can help create a calming and revitalising environment, that can improve your mood and help restore balance.”
Ah green and wood tones - name a better pairing, we dare you. “This combination is nature at its finest,” Amanda says. “It’s like walking through a lush green forest with a mix of green tones from the trees - isn’t that such a harmonious feeling? Bringing these elements into your home can only ever be a good thing, they are the perfect partnership.”
If wood is a key part of your home’s architecture this is the perfect time to show it off in a green living room. From wooden flooring to exposed wooden beams highlight them in their raw or polished form. When it comes to furniture make wood a priority like a sofa with wooden legs, a wooden coffee table or a side table.
The soft hues of sage work as a stylish neutral - light enough to replace white or cream but unique enough to offer a chic update, especially when used on the walls. Introducing a sage feature wall in the living room is a good idea if you want to create a focal point but still set the mood for relaxation.
Match sage’s soft and cosy qualities with equally relaxing textures. Velvet, boucle and cotton work together beautifully with sage making the room feel snug. Bring in other natural textures like wood or rattan to complement your sage green living room or you could also choose to add a furry rug to pile on the cosy textures.
If you want to decorate a dark green living room, it’s important to check the direction or position of your room before making a decision. North-facing rooms receive less sunlight while south-facing rooms get a lot of natural light throughout the day. If you want to use a dark shade of green for north-facing rooms choose green with a warm undertone like olive or khaki to make the room feel more inviting.
“Rooms with lots of natural light work best with these darker shades, so stay away from basements and darker rooms with bad lighting,” Amanda advises. “Lighten up with complementary colours in lighter shades such as pale greens, light pinks and blues, and fresh whites. You could add these colours through furniture or home accessories and soft furnishings. You could even add a mirror to help reflect light around the room.”
5. Choose the right textures for a green living room
When it comes to picking the right textures for green living rooms, the first decision you need to make is whether to warm up or lighten up the room. “It depends on what mood you want to set,” Amanda says. “Linen-type fabrics or a nice soft plush work well with lighter shades of green giving the room a fresher feel. If you prefer darker shades of green, velvet upholstery gives the room a warm, cocooning effect.” This also applies to choosing accessories as well. Rattan or jute textures create a light and airy feel while dark wood creates a moody feel. For a bit of sparkle, introduce metallic textures through vases or even a side table.
Just like how wood and green work so well together, it’s only natural to pick a floral or plant-inspired wallpaper print. You can go all out with palm prints, botanical prints or huge floral motifs. Style a feature wall in the living room with a bold botanical print or you can wallpaper the whole room with a simple motif. A good tip is to bring in wooden textures through wall panelling or furniture to tie the room together.
Bohemian-inspired décor is an interior style that works effortlessly in green living rooms. Anchor the room with a dark green sofa while incorporating modern boho’s love of prints, patterns and textures.
Complement the green palette with other calming earth tones like beige, off-white or cream. Prioritise natural textures whether it’s wood, cotton, clay or rattan. For example, layer with boho’s fun, free-spirited style through accessories like colourful cushions, rattan lighting and a shaggy rug.
Colour drenching has become the latest colour-inspired trend to take over our homes. This brave decorating style where you completely ‘drench’ your living space in a single paint colour is ideal for green living rooms.
“If you're going to colour drench, don’t be scared and go for it!” Amanda says. “This includes skirting, coving and radiators. If you want to do something a bit different include wood panelling or use shaped moulding to create an effect on your walls and paint it the same colour as the rest of your room for a real point of interest.”
If you have a lovely view outside don’t let it go to waste. Bring the outdoors in and use the window view as your living room feature wall. Choose a soft, muted green like sage green or pastel green on the walls for a relaxing feel. Keep it neutral when choosing a sofa to maintain that light and airy feeling. Surround your window with potted plants and fresh flowers and there you have it — a lovely focal point in your living room.
According to colour psychology, green is known for encouraging optimism and problem-solving so it makes perfect sense to paint a work-from-home corner green. Choose green with a white undertone for a light and airy feel which is a great tip if your living room is low on natural light.
Accessorise with indoor greenery for an extra energy boost around your WFH area. Small succulents around your desk help perk up your workspace or you could add potted plants along your shelves. If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate relaxation into your home, read our guide on wellness.
Jewel tones like emerald offer a bold and deep alternative to neutrals in the living room. If you want to go all out, introduce an emerald wall as its warm undertone will create a cosy yet dramatic touch. Complement the emerald wall with another jewel tone like topaz, yellow sapphire or a pink gemstone for a stylish contrast. These rich, pigmented hues create a saturated effect that gives the room a striking look.
On the other hand, you can decorate with jewel tones in small touches. Emerald cushions on the sofa add a pop of colour while deep green artwork may be just the focal point you’re looking for to liven up your living room.
Ceiling décor has grown in popularity over the last few years, especially for anyone who wants to add a bit of drama to the living room. “Painted ceilings are a bold and unexpected way to add colour,” says Amanda. “They instantly draw the eyes up and make other accents pop.”
Make a statement by choosing an invigorating green tone for the ceiling and keeping the walls white. Since the ceiling is the focal point keep the rest of the décor simple but stylish. Go for a contemporary grey sofa and choose metallic accessories.
Retro décor is having its moment in the spotlight and it’s a style that’s not afraid to decorate with colour. Go for an eclectic colour palette or introduce bold geometric patterns for a playful touch.
Try colour blocking pink and green for a lively contrast as it helps bring a bit of nature into the home. Ground the room with a green velvet sofa and choose a light pink for a chic, playful backdrop. Besides the colour palette, incorporate different textures such as wall panelling and wood to complete the look.
“Green is such a versatile colour that you can play it safe with neutrals or contrast it with pinks, blues or metallics,” Amanda says. “Darker or more pigmented shades of green match well with coral, burnt orange or oche.”
For a dynamic effect, colour block teal and coral on the walls. Teal’s deep blue-green tones balance out coral’s warm pink and orange qualities. Keep the rest of the room like the sofa and rug neutral to prevent overwhelming the room while maintaining that vibrant feel.
A gallery wall is a great addition to a green living room. Pick a theme on the walls like nature-inspired motifs or abstract art with green splashes and strokes. You can coordinate frames or mix different types of frames to create an eclectic feel. When it comes to arranging the frames, you can choose a symmetrical grid or create a gallery cluster mixing the different frame sizes for a relaxed feel.
FAQS
What colour goes with green for a living room?
Green is a versatile colour that goes well with all types of colours. The key thing is to decide what type of mood or theme you want to set for your living room. If you want to go light and airy, pair green with neutrals like light grey, cream, beige and off-white. It also works really well with brighter colours such as pink, orange and coral.
How do you warm up a green living room?
Pair green with colours that have a warm undertone like yellow or red to warm up a green living room. Deep green tones like forest green, olive and emerald work beautifully with dark wood, tan wood and coral for a warm, cocoon effect.
Does green go with a grey sofa?
Yes, green goes very well with a grey sofa. Light green tones work well with cool grey tones while deeper and darker greens go well with slate greys.
We hope you enjoyed reading our green living room ideas. Are you looking for more décor ideas like this? Check out our earthy living room ideas guide for more inspiration.
