What colors go with a green couch? 6 professionals reveal their perfect color combination
Interior experts show us the best colors to put with a green couch
If you’re on the hunt for couch colors you can’t go wrong with a green couch. In fact, our love of all things green for the home has been growing and growing. Yes, from fresh mint green to deep olive and earthy moss, the green palette will always be a favorite in the interior landscape.
This means that a green couch is a brilliant choice for any size and style of room. In fact there are so many ways to complement this living room seating choice whichever tone of green you opt for – be it for contemporary or traditional living room ideas.
But what colors should we pair with a green couch? Are there any color combination no-nos or does any shade go with this versatile, nature-inspired hue? To solve all your color conundrums, we asked six interior designers for the colors they think work best with a green couch.
6 Best Colors To Pair With A Green Couch
Whether you have your heart set on an emerald green chaise or you want a brand new look for a sage sofa, a green couch is a classic decor choice. Here’s how to enhance and update your green couch with different colors, textures, and accessories.
1. Mix a green couch with warm brown
A green couch will add a punchy accent to warm neutrals as demonstrated by this classic-style living room, part of a two-story home based in Toronto, Canada.
'This contemporary-cozy green sofa felt like a good amount of color for the space without overwhelming it. And I loved how it worked with the warmer brown tones and infused the room with a fresh mood,' explains interior designer Cindy McKay 'The home is very classic and traditional in its architecture but a young, fun family lives there, so I wanted to design spaces to reflect that a little more. I kept to a transitional style for the decor and injected hits of color wherever possible.'
Cindy McKay is a Toronto-based interior designer specializing in unique and liveable family spaces. She loves working with color and pattern and layering vintage elements, particularly in country or lake houses across the province.
2. Color drench a green couch with green walls
Interior designer, Naomi Astley Clarke, is a big fan of green living room seating - and isn't afraid to go bold with color and pattern. In this warm yet energetic color-drenched study, the designer upholstered the couch in a green tartan fabric by Ralph Lauren.
'Tartan manages to bridge the gap between crisp and clean and country cozy,' she explains. 'I selected a vibrant Dulux green to cover the walls and ceiling in this cozy study. The paint color pairs beautifully with the other greens and creates a vibrant contrast with the reds peppered around the room.'
3. Embrace earthy autumnal hues
In this maximalist style space, warm autumnal hues such as brick red and ochre elevate the mossy green sofa.
'Green is Mother Nature’s neutral – it can go with just about any color you want,' declares Texas-based interior designer Kim Armstrong. 'It’s important to identify the under-hues in the particular green you choose – it’ll help decide the right direction for what colors to pair with it. This room has an autumnal effect. Think of the leaves starting to change and all the glorious colors you will see in the landscape.'
The earthy tones of this mossy green sofa for instance require a warmer palette rather than brighter colors. Instead of bold cherry red, opt for an earthy brick red, and instead of bright sunny yellow, choose a mellow golden hue.
Kim Armstrong is a leading designer who is renowned for her colorful, eclectic, livable and luxury spaces. She heads up her boutique design firm and serves clients in North Texas and beyond with her colorful, eclectic designs.
4. Pick out a pretty pastel palette
You might be wary of putting too many colors together in the same space. But, this beautiful sitting room is proof that a deep green sofa can become the perfect choice for a range of gelato pastels.
'The pairing of soft blue and pink shades creates a calming and restful space, particularly as a gentle counterpart to earthy, deep green furnishings in light-filled, south-facing living rooms,' explains Charlotte Cosby, creative director at Farrow & Ball.
Here, Farrow & Ball's Kittiwake – a clean, cool blue – grounds the bottom half of the wall, while the brand's most delicate pink, Tailor Tack, stretches up to the ceiling.
5. Elevate a green-blue couch with whispery hues
This sumptuous, curved couch in power-packed teal creates a focal point for this elegant living space. The deep green-blue shade is offset with blush pink chairs and pale blue walls in Farrow & Ball’s Cabbage White, a subtle white with the slightest hint of blue.
'The living room was inspired by Paris in the 1920s (when this home was built),' says Lucie Ayres, principal of US interior design agency, 22 Interiors. 'The teal sofa is in a gorgeous velvet and reads almost silk-like as it has a sheen. We love the combination of blush pink and teal against the pale blue walls – it’s surprising and fresh. The seating complements each other – the teal curved sofa is grounded while the blush swivel chairs are flirty and offer just the right amount of glam.'
With offices in Los Angeles and New York, 22 Interiors is an award-winning interior design agency working on projects throughout the United States. Principal Lucie Ayres set up the design company in 2009, creating beautiful residential homes and commercial environments.
6. Team a pale green couch with fresh white
Fresh colors and natural materials combine to create the perfect backdrop for this vintage Danish couch reupholstered in pale green velvet.
'The foundation of this space is its white brick wall and a floor of neutral, reclaimed oak,' declares NYC-based interior designer Artem Kropovinsky. 'These elements set a stage that is both timeless and inviting.'
Neither too bright nor bold, the pale green velvet was chosen to enhance the understated elegance of the living room. The velvet also appears differently in daylight or night time, adding a dynamic visual element to the space.
'Complementing the pale green of the couch is a carpet with a hint of gray and a subtle undertone of blue,' he adds. 'This contributes to a warm, inviting ambiance and an overall effect of refined tranquillity.'
Founder of NYC-based interior design firm, Arsight, Artem Kropovinsky has a decade of extensive global design experience, connecting a cohesive, collaborative team of passionate professionals, who work on interior projects in the US and worldwide.
The best colors to pair with a green sofa will of course come down to the shade of green you are working with and your personal style. Green is such a versatile shade it does work with the majority of the color wheel so it will mostly come down to the look you want to create.
For something soft and light, treat green like a neutral and pair it with soft greiges, creams, and whites and if you are after a more punchy combination either go complementary with reds, oranges, and pinks or go for the lesser-used analogous color scheme.
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Lara has worked in the ever-changing world of interiors and lifestyle journalism for many years. She cut her teeth in a busy newsroom of a kitchen and bathroom business title where she gained vast product knowledge and industry contacts that would prove invaluable. She now freelances for a variety of magazines, newspapers and online blogs and relishes the changing landscape of the interiors world
- Lara SargentContributing Editor
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