It’s unanimous among designers; green is one of the most difficult colours to decorate with. From choosing just the right paint colour to the perfect green accessory, green is one of those colours that you either love or you hate. But now more than ever, bold green—shamrock green—can be found everywhere, from the designer runways (think Tory Burch and Marc Jacobs) to the home decor fabric houses such as Robert Allen and Kravet Canada. And no matter which colour trend expert you talk to, intense true green is one of the hottest colours right now.
So why is it so hard to decorate with green? Simply put, it can be a chameleon colour. Depending on your lighting and your mood, green can seem lurid in fluorescent light and tepid in natural daylight. The trick is to use bold kelly green as an accent colour only—not to paint an entire room, for example.
Here is a no-fail guide to using shamrock green at home:
1) Artwork: Take abstract photos of green leaves or grass and have them blown up and framed. In an all-white room, this hit of colour adds a natural touch without being too overwhelming.
2) Throw pillows: As with any bold colour, the best way to bring in an accent (that isn’t a permanent commitment) is to use a throw cushion in that specific hue. Look for cushions with shamrock or other green botanical patterns. Otherwise, a solid kelly green pillow is fantastic.
3) Colour blocking: A simple trick designers will often use to bring colour into a room is to paint one wall in a bold hue. The result is dramatic and very sophisticated, and can add visual interest to a boring space. When using bold green on a wall, make sure that your other walls are painted in neutral colours. Some excellent green paint colours to try include Benjamin Moore’s Spring Basket R-9943, Ralph Lauren’s Alpine Pool VM112 (shown here), Beauti-tone’s Rocket 2N1-8 and Green Gables P2128-5.
4) Pattern: If you want to include green in a room, but you don’t want to be overwhelmed, try adding the colour with an accessory. Simply upholstering a side chair in a fabric that uses shamrock green as a motif can usually create enough impact. Kravet Canada carries a fabulous, botanically inspired fabric with images of vintage French garden furniture called Attraction-16 (shown here). A more traditional fabric pattern—a Chinoiserie toile in an unexpected kelly green—would work equally well. Check out Ralph Lauren Home’s Fab Atelier Toile in Green, also available through Kravet Canada.
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