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Monday, May 25, 2009

Colour Focus - It's Easy Being Green

Photo courtesy Western Interiors via Material Girls
Green is a colour that can't be ignored in design. If your view outdoors is wonderful, your home design often takes advantage of the view. Green is an essential hue that is sometimes overlooked, because it`s a backdrop. When clients say they aren't interested in green or neutral colours with green undertones, I often have to remind them that their windows are like art; the green is in their views, and bringing a bit of the outdoors into the indoor scheme is often a great look.

Sherrill Canet Interiors,Photo via HGTV
Vibrant kelly green looks bold and Draper-esque with a black and white scheme.


Photo via Decorpad
Green somehow maintains it's identity, even if it is muted, muddied, or watered down....it's green, just softer and subtler. With a vibrant colour like red, the watered down version changes to pink and it's no longer considered 'red'. Like the variegated leaves of plants in a summer garden, different greens can be harmonious together.



Fabric from Designer Fabrics, Toronto.
The psychology of green indicates it is a colour of growth, life, wealth and health, and it has a calming effect. Many celebrities relax in`the green room` before they take the stage. On the downside, green is also a colour associated with sickness and jealousy. Feng Shui describes green as a healing, earth colour, a colour of good luck and new beginnings.

Photo via decorpad.
A dining Room with capiz chandelier and soft green upholstered chairs by Phoebe Howard Designs.


Photo via decorpad
This fabulous photo is actually a garage from Simply Seleta. A bit of green colourblocking makes a dramatic statement, and brings outdoor freshness inside.

Green room by Greg Natale via Desire to Inspire.
Green is the compliment of red on the colour wheel, and this photo reveals how well they can work together.

photo courtesy Pantone.
Designer Charlotte Moss used this soft celery green hue in her own home, which exudes the freshness of spring.
Young Wheat Pantone 12-0521, the colour used in Charlotte's room above. paint photos above and below from House Beautiful.

One of Kelly Wearstler's favourite accent colours for trim, Pratt and Lambert's Clover #22-20

Barbara Barry has been quoted to have an affinity for greens. Here, the Macguire furniture ad for Ms. Barry's collection shows the subtle yet dramatic use of green in the paneled wall and the hit of fresh green in florals.

Designer Celerie Kemble of Kemble Interiors uses bold lime green and orange in this room,
with the rug as a jumping off point for the palette.

Ms. Kemble also has designed a line of fabrics for Schumacher, including some wonderful greens, like this 'Betwixt' fabric, in grass and ivory.

Photo by Mihn Wass
Kelly Wearstler's design for the bathroom of the Viceroy Hotel.

A lounge at the Viceroy by Kelly Wearstler-charcoal gray and green look so wonderful together.

Love these Malachite boxes from Global Views!


Photo courtesy Pottery Barn

Green in pale hues feels beachy!

Duralee's 'Pavilion' fabric.

Gold Coast Collection Green Floral Rug in New Zealand Wool from Domestic Modern.

Photo courtesy UKTV
Romo Ciprini Wallpaper in Linden green
Green Ikat tableware from CB2.

A traditional dining room by Mary Macdonald looks fresh and uplifting in green.


Nick Olsen's gorgeous apartment was featured in Domino Magazine. Nick is the assistant to the talented Miles Redd. The green looks wonderful with the zebra rug!


This stunning lamp is from Bobby Berk Home.

Photo courtesy toniguy.blog
Green is fresh in fashion as well this year. Who can forget Angelina Jolie sporting the plump 115-carat emerald earrings by Lorraine Schwartz at the 2009 Academy Awards?


Photo courtesy orignauxmoose
Chanel's fantastic fall collection for 2009 is featuring seafoam green.


The adorable Baypointe Stella bag from Kate Spade.


Earrings from Banana Republic.
Michael Kors Montgomery slingback wedge - great with navy and white this summer!

Smell the green! Enjoy the Persian Lime essential oils collection from Willliam Sonoma.

Embrace green! It's a natural and neutral addition to your spaces and your wardrobe...add a bag, shoes or a cardigan in kelly green to anything black and white in your wardrobe. Add some gorgeous green monstera or palm leaves in a clear vase to your dining table. We are hooked on green! Check out what others are hooked on at http://www.hookedonhouses.net.

18 comments:

  1. Loved this post, all the green made me green with envy!!! thanks for the great images and ideas!

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  2. I've never been a big fan of green until this year, but suddenly shades of green are popping up everywhere and it is really growing on me! The photos of green you shared in this post are really inspiring, but I still think my favorites are those with just a touch of green, an unexpected pop of color.

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  3. I'm sitting on our room with grass-cloth walls painted dark green 20 years ago. It's looked great every day and I think it's got at least 20 more good years to go.

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  4. YAY, another Canadian deco blogger!! I'll be adding your blog to our Canadian blogroll :-)

    Thanks for checking out my interview with Jill Alexander. The two of you DO seem to have a lot in common!!

    You've given me a whole new appreciation for green :-) The green rooms you posted are great. And I agree, green with black & white zebra print looks fab!!

    I'm using an orange & lime green colour scheme in the backyard this summer, so it was fun to see Celerie Kemble's orange & green room :-)

    And I see that your previous post is all about orange.... off to check out that post now :-)

    Kelly @ DesignTies

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  5. I LOVE green! I've got several shades of green around my house. In the winter it reminds me of summer.

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  6. Greens and reds are all over my home. I can't get enough of them together. Green is so calming and a neutral that goes with so many colors. Thank you for the green inspiration!

    ~Misti

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  7. Love, love, love this post. You have so many beautiful photos of so many gorgeous rooms. It's really inspiring. In fact, I like it so much I'm going to do a post referring readers to this post on my blog, www.TheDesignFile.net, probably next Thursday. Thanks Jillian for posting this!

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  8. Also...can anyone identify the green chairs in the very first photo? I'd love to find those.

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  9. ohh stunning photos --- I ADORE the ones of then Viceroy hotel!! And I love the bold color in that second photo!

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  10. Green is one of my current favorite colors. I'm sure that has been influenced by design! I just love this post. That first green room is fabulous. I just found you through hooked on and I'm a new fan, for sure. Love this site!

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  11. It seems like green covers such a wide spectrum, there is bound to be a shade for everyone. I really liked the bold Kelly green with black and white, but the softer shades are more likely to make it into my home!

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  12. Green is my favorite color! I agree that you can mix all greens -just like nature does. Here is a link to my green bedroom: http://theoldpostroadblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-bedroom-and-country-living.html

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  13. This post is like a breath of fresh spring air!

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  14. Oh, I love that little Kate Spade green bag. That is so cute!

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  15. I've always think of green as one of the most pleasing colors to have around. The use of green here is simply exquisite

    Nicolette
    http://www.furnitureanddesignideas.com

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  16. i just can't decide which is bad
    they all are so good
    i am impressed
    i cant get off my eyes from this blog
    Teak Care Products

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  17. I love green! But probably the Draper-esque kelly green least. Still, great assortment of styles and types of this wonderfully overlooked color.

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  18. Dude, love green! the best post of 2010 for me..loved the Romo Ciprini Wallpaper..have bookmarked and please keep updating!


    Designer CV

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