Interiors trend: why everyone’s loving forest green

‘Peaceful yet rich,’ is how Partner & Colour Designer Melanie Archer describes the new-shade-on-the-scene, forest green. ‘The trend for greens is driven by our emotional connection to nature, and forest green is a natural colour inspired by the dense foliage of our woodlands. As the world becomes more complicated, it’s a soothing, relaxing and restorative choice. Green has a good connection to wellbeing, with a positive effect on our physical and mental health.’ 

Sounds good doesn’t it? It’s easy to see why forest green has found its way into interiors, gracing everything from bed linen to rugs, vases to artwork this season. ‘Green falls in the middle of the colour spectrum,’ explains colour psychologist and author of The Little Book Of Colour, Karen Haller. ‘The eye requires very little to no adjustment to be able to see it. It is, therefore, a very restful colour for us, providing a sense of balance. Spend time in green and we feel restored and rejuvenated.’ 

Because of its association with nature, green is a great choice for rooms where you want to create a sense of calm. ‘As so many of us live in cities, we can feel disconnected from the natural world,’ explains Karen. ‘It’s possibly why we find ourselves taking holidays and spending our weekends in parks and forests – we want to reconnect.’

‘Green brings a sense of life into interiors,’ adds Melanie. ‘As it's restorative, restful and tranquil, it suits rooms where you want to reflect these qualities, such as the bathroom, bedroom or living room.’

What’s exiting for spring/summer is the choice of materials that forest green is available in this season. ‘This dark, saturated tone of green sits perfectly with luxurious finishes, such as velvets, satins and leathers. Combine with darker woods and warm metallics like brass. It’s still peaceful – like softer greens – yet has a lovely richness to it.’ Look for standout pieces of wood furniture, linen bedclothes and hero accessories to work with what you already have.

Avoid too much though, as Karen explains: ‘If you overdo it, you might find that you feel lethargic or sluggish.’

It’s a versatile colour, too. ‘Layering tones of green together creates a harmonious scheme that’s also calming,’ suggests Melanie. ‘Pink or putty also complement greens perfectly, so why not try pairing with those.’ 

If you need more colour inspiration, then look at nature’s palette, suggests Karen. ‘Forest green is naturally surrounded by rust oranges, reds and saffron yellow – any of those warm, autumnal hues. They create the most wonderful harmony,’ she explains.

‘Definitely,’ agrees Melanie. ‘Forest green and those earthy pigment tones… perfect!’ 

As a shade, Melanie thinks forest green is here to stay. ‘With the ever-increasing importance on sustainability, colours that seem to come straight from nature will only grow in their appeal. Green is certainly one of my favourite colours. I’m obsessed with house plants and have a large fiddle leaf fig and a cheese plant in my living room. I’ve even just painted my front door green!’ 

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