5 ways to decorate with Farrow & Ball's Green Smoke – an endlessly versatile paint color

Decorating with green has been a major trend this year, and for good reason. A color that has close links to nature, green is known for setting a calming effect in the home.

There are so many variations of green color trends to embrace in home decor, from sage greens to deep greens, but there's one that's been particularly popular, Farrow & Ball's 'Green Smoke'. 

'Greens are the ultimate color of choice for their relaxing and calming benefits; none more so than Farrow & Ball's deep Green Smoke, a beautiful smoked green with a hint of blue undertone,' explains Patrick O'Donnell, color expert at Farrow & Ball. 

How to decorate with Green Smoke

A muted approach to decorating with green, Green Smoke is an incredibly versatile shade that can act as a new neutral in the home, and designers say there are lots of ways to decorate with it. 'Green Smoke is an elusive, intriguing color that makes a beautiful backdrop any time of the year but especially in the colder winter months,' says interior designer Kate Marker. 

'Farrow & Ball's Green Smoke is such a versatile color that it can be used throughout most of the home,' says interior designer Luis Carmona, founder of VERDE Interior Design. 'The calming effects of the color green are ideal for areas where we go for our mind to wind down. The more muted palette that Green Smoke offers is not jarring or polarizing so it lends itself to being used in spaces that foster repose.'

If you're looking to introduce some color into your decor but still want to retain a subtle and understated look, Green Smoke can be a great option. Below, we've rounded up five different paint ideas to decorate with Green Smoke, as recommended by interior designers. 

1. Create a cozy living room

When used in living room ideas, Green Smoke can create a timeless and cozy feel. You can opt to paint just one wall in this hue to make a subtle statement, or for a more cozy feel, opt to color drench the whole room. 'Pair with Cromarty and Salon Drab in a living for an effortlessly elegant and inviting scheme that looks particularly magical in candlelight,' says Patrick O'Donnell.

'Green Smoke is muted enough that the color will add the necessary touch of design to the space without it being overpowering. The color green fosters balance and harmony so it is ideal for spaces intended for tranquility and relaxation,' adds Luis Carmona. 

When it comes to styling the other elements of the room around Green Smoke in a living room, San Francisco-based interior designer Regan Baker explains that adding a 'tonal sofa fabric and drapery can really enhance the dusty and smoky feel of the color and introduce modern color blocking and a traditional element.'

Luis Carmona

Luis Carmona is the owner and lead designer at VERDE Interior Design. With almost two decades of experience in the creative space (interior design, advertising, and marketing), Carmona gets to blend his many passions into one design studio, offering services to commercial and residential clients in both Houston and Dallas.

2. Paint the garden room

Since Green Smoke has close links to nature, opting to use this paint color in either a garden room or conservatory can create a calming feel. This is an especially good choice if you want to create a look that blends with nature, rather than creating a loud statement with paint. 'Bring Green Smoke into a conservatory or garden room over walls, ceilings, and woodwork for a tranquil atmosphere in harmony with the natural world outside,' advises Patrick O'Donnell. 

Patrick O’Donnell

Patrick O’Donnell is Farrow & Ball's color consultant & brand ambassador and has been with the brand since 2012. Patrick works with designers in the UK and North America, helping to bring their projects alive with the iconic, F&B color palette.

3. Add interest to your front door

Another way to channel Green Smoke is to opt to paint your front door. Since most people want the color of their front door to be fairly subtle, Green Smoke is the perfect way of maintaining an understated look that doesn't make too much of a statement, yet elevates the look of the home's exterior. Rather than traditional black or white hues, this soft green looks like a fresh take on front door color ideas. 'You can also use Green Smoke as a restrained and elegant pop of color on a front door, with soft Calamine on exterior walls,' recommends Patrick O'Donnell. 

4. Embrace a calming kitchen

In the kitchen ideas, Green Smoke brings warmth to the space while setting an atmosphere that feels calm and uplifting. 'The muted hues of this green lend themselves to be used in a kitchen to give the space some warmth and character without being overpowering,' explains Luis Carmona.

'The neutral aspect of this shade of green allows can be paired with a variety of flooring colors from a lighter birch wood to a darker ebony color. The same can be said for any metal finishes in the space. From brass to brushed nickel, Green Smoke compliments the spectrum of metal tones quite nicely,' continues Luis.

Interior designer Bethany Adams adds that an effective look can be created by using it on the kitchen cabinets. She says: 'Green Smoke is such a chameleon of a color! I love it on lower cabinets in a large kitchen.'

5. Paint millwork for a subtle look

If you're looking for a more reserved way of decorating with Green Smoke, design experts also recommend using it in a more subtle style by painting accents in a room. 'Start small with trim work in a room with a neutral wall color,' says Kate Marker. 

While you can create this look in any room in the home, Regan Baker adds that it can be especially effective in darker rooms where you want to enhance the feeling of moodiness: 'A great paint color for millwork or an interior room without any windows to embrace the dark moodiness.'

Green Smoke is a timeless and versatile hue that can be embraced in pretty much any room of the home. If you're looking to refresh your home decor ideas for 2024, then this color is a great way of adding warmth to the home without going too bold.