Forget beige and greige – Cliff Richard’s deep green sofa proves this rich, earthy hue is the neutral designers are turning to for 2026

Trends are always cycling back in, so here on the celebrity style team, we love to get design inspiration from old photos (some of which are just as relevant now as they were 50 years ago).

Look no further than Cliff Richard's living room for proof. A photo from 1964 shows the pop singer lounging on a green sofa adorned with red and green throws, while a low-profile coffee table sits decorated with a fruit bowl and some glassware. A pink and neutral rug rounds out the retro space, but it's the green sofa we can't stop thinking about.

A powerful color over the last few years, green has reigned supreme from the kitchen to the living space, proving its status as a new neutral in the home. As Cliff proves, green works wonders in a living room specifically.

It's no wonder that we've seen an increasing number of celebrities (and designers) recently follow his example. This hue shows no signs of slowing down as we look towards 2026, but Cliff did it first.

Shop the look

According to experts, green's vast shade range makes it a highly versatile color choice for a sofa and beyond.

'Whether it’s a deep forest velvet, a dusty sage linen, or an olive-toned boucle, green works in a way other colors just don’t,' explains designer Nina Lichtenstein. 'It plays well with nearly everything, including warm woods, brass, blackened metal, soft neutrals, and even colors like pale pink and terracotta. The beauty of green is that it connects. To nature. To emotion. To the things that feel real in a home.'

Green is also a beneficial color for our moods, with an obvious connection to nature, Nina explains.

She continues, 'Its appeal comes down to contrast: invigorating and soothing at once. It feels alive but never loud. The human brain is wired to associate green with growth, renewal, and safety. It’s neither too warm nor too cool; it’s essentially the design world’s version of emotional equilibrium.'

We love Cliff's approach to accentuating the natural feel with a wood coffee table, while he infuses some unexpected red into the space with a throw pillow.