These 13 Green Paint Colors Are the Best We’ve Ever Seen
Green is undoubtedly one of the most popular interior paint colors — especially in recent years. A green shade has been named the “color of the year” by paint brands for several years, with 2022 being declared “the year of green.” Green remains beloved for its biophilic influences and serene, calming qualities.
“Green is one of those rare paint colors that always has a place in design. It’s a color rooted in nature, so it naturally brings a sense of calm and life into a home,” says Orna Fathers, founder and lead designer at Grace This Space Interiors. With numerous shades, hues, and undertones available, green paint can suit nearly any design style — from bohemian and eclectic to minimalistic to mid-century modern.
Fathers loves to recommend versatile soft gray-greens like Evergreen Fog (SW 9130), which won Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year 2022 and Clary Sage (SW 6178). She notes green paint colors can also lean traditional, like deep forest green, hunter greens, or olive tones. “Right now, sage and muted olive greens are very popular; they’re cozy but still light, which makes them easy to live with,” she adds. “Green really walks that line between classic and fresh.”
With so many green paint colors available, choosing the perfect hue for your home can be overwhelming. To help narrow down the best green paint colors, I scoured the Apartment Therapy House Tours archive and spoke to several interior designers.
Read on for the top 13 green paint colors, with examples from the Apartment Therapy House Tours archive.
1. Clare Paint’s All The Sage
Sage green is all the rage lately, and designers say this soft, inviting shade of green isn’t going anywhere soon. It’s a nice alternative to traditional neutrals like beige or gray for those who want to add more color to their space without going too bold. Interior designer Anita Yokota chose this tranquil hue, Clare’s All The Sage, for her “Off-Beat and Beautiful” room for Apartment Therapy’s 2024 Small/Cool NYC pop-up event to create a sense of calm and relaxation in the space.
2. Farrow & Ball’s Calke Green
Farrow & Ball’s Calke Green (No. 34) offers a slightly moodier take on sage green, making it better suited to more traditional-leaning spaces. It pairs beautifully with neutral colors and wood tones, as shown in this historic Massachusetts home revival.
3. Farrow & Ball’s Duck Green
Looking for a warm, earthy shade of green? Farrow & Ball’s Duck Green (No.W55) is for you. This intense but subdued shade is perfect for cabinetry, millwork, and more, as demonstrated in this colorful U.K. townhome. Farrow & Ball suggests it as a contemporary alternative to charcoal gray in modern homes.
4. Benjamin Moore’s Forest Green
Cooler and richer in hue than the previous three choices on this list, Benjamin Moore’s Forest Green (2047-10) is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a dark green paint color. Jessica Brigham, a self-taught interior designer and lover of all things bold, glam, and eclectic, used this punchy hue on the kitchen cabinets in her Connecticut-based historic home reno, and I am utterly obsessed with the results.
5. Benjamin Moore’s Hunter Green
Like Forest Green, Benjamin Moore’s Hunter Green (2041-10) is a moody, regal green shade well-suited for sophisticated or vintage-inspired designs. Brigham used this hue in her home office, and it’s also beloved by Kathy Kuo, founder and CEO of Kathy Kuo Home. “It’s a truly can’t-go-wrong shade, if you’re looking for a darker green hue. Set the mood for a dark academia look in a study or office by using this as your primary wall color,” Kuo says.
6. Fenwick & Tillbrook Cley
U.K.-based Fenwick & Tillbrook paints are not available Stateside, but Fenwick & Tilbrook’s Cley (50), a warm, medium-toned olive green hue, couldn’t be passed up for the best green paint colors list. It’s an ideal color for biophilic-inspired spaces, offering an inviting and cozy vibe, as demonstrated in this stunning nature-inspired U.K. home.
7. Valspar’s Galapagos
At first glance, this moody shade of green could be mistaken for charcoal gray. Valspar’s Galapagos (R259A) offers a subdued and sophisticated vibe that’s at home in modern, transitional, and minimalist spaces alike. The warm undertones and muted hue keep it feeling organic and nature-inspired. In this 600-square-foot U.K. home, it’s paired with dark woods, vintage-inspired pieces, and pops of color for a collected and inviting atmosphere.
8. Sherwin-Williams’ Spearmint
Blurring the line between green and blue, Sherwin-Williams’ Spearmint (SW 6465) is a stunning, cool-toned, light green. It’s an excellent choice for interiors in various styles, including coastal and tropical-inspired spaces, like this color-drenched Tampa house. Here the hue was used alongside coordinating greens and contrasting oranges and yellows for an explosion of vibrant, cheery color.
9. Sherwin-Williams’ Organic Green
Looking to make a statement in your space? Look no further than Sherwin-Williams’ Organic Green (SW 6732). Decorator Barbara Campbell used this bold and vibrant hue to create a dramatic transformation of her New York City studio apartment. Use it as inspiration to design your own eclectic and bright space.
10. Farrow and Ball’s Bancha
Olive green is enduringly popular in interiors for its warmth and inviting nature, and Farrow and Ball’s Bancha (No.298) is a popular moody shade of olive green, seen on an accent wall in the primary bedroom in this Manchester home . Olive is also popular in mid-century modern designs, where it pairs well with wood and warm colors.
11. Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke
Valerie Helgeson, founder and principal designer at Design Directions, lists Green Smoke (No.47) as one of her favorite green paints, noting that it pairs well with crisp white or yellow tones in interiors. With cool undertones and a muted hue, it’s paired with warm hues like orange, red, and light maple flooring for a subtle yet stunning contrast in this Manchester home.
12. Benjamin Moore’s Sweet Basil
Invite the outdoors in with this robust and deep green hue. Aptly named, this herbal green pairs well with wood tones and other nature-inspired hues. The owners of this 900-square-foot Brooklyn apartment used Benjamin Moore’s Sweet Basil (455) on the closet doors in the home office alongside Backdrop’s Drive Thru Safari for a color-drenched look.
13. Backdrop’s Natural Habitat
If light greens are calling your name, you can’t go wrong with Backdrop’s Natural Habitat. This soft, almost-beige green has yellow undertones and a soft hue. It pairs well with warm neutral hues and natural fibers. This pastel-infused Portland rental features the hue in the bedroom where it helps create a calming and relaxing oasis.
See a shade you love but can’t find the brand in your area? Most paint brands will happily color-match for you. Just bring a paint sample or the brand and color code of the paint you are trying to match. If they can’t do an exact match, they should be able to get pretty darn close.