Colour
Designer faves: Green
Colour
Designer faves: Green
"Fresh and yellow based, SEAHORSE 2028-70 by BENJAMIN MOORE is a warm colour that reminds me of a bar of soap that has the cleanest fragrance. I'd use it anywhere. It's pale, but that doesn't mean flat; rather, it's subtle. I painted my kitchen cabinets this colour, and it really warmed up the room. I pair accents of cobalt blue and coral with it. It gets richer by the light of the moon. All sheens work; my cabinets are a satin finish, but even a highgloss would capture the natural gleam. It looks outstanding with a warm white trim, like Benjamin Moore's Cloud White CC-40. Green is nature's way of being reborn; leaves appear first as a soft pale green and eventually as a burst of colour in the fall. If only walls changed colours naturally!"
Dee Dee Hannah, architect, Toronto
"Oh green, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: I love thee in fiddleheads, lady's mantle, olives, jadeite, wellingtons, apples and pears, moss and ferns. GREEN FIDDLEHEAD MS267 by MARTHA STEWART COLORS reminds me of the ferns that grow between the cracks of the slate grey rock at my favourite fishing hole near our place in Tweed, Ont. When the time comes to fix up our mud room at the house, I'd like to do it in this colour scheme: walls in flat finish, paired with dark slate floors. Framed vintage botanical prints, dark wicker storage baskets, a Shaker peg rack and an old pine bench would be just right to furnish the space."
Margot Austin, senior design editor, STYLE AT HOME
"HIBISCUS 2027-50 by BENJAMIN MOORE is like the new leaves you see in spring. It's the colour of growth and makes me feel like trying something new. Use it anywhere you wish, and offset it with chocolate brown, crisp white or grey. Accessories that would make it pop include black-and-white photography, '60s-inspired prints and large, bold graphics."
Judy Henderson, interior designer, Vancouver
"Green always feels fresh, springy and invigorating. It's friendly and never too serious. I have many favourites, but PEA GREEN 33 by FARROW & BALL is a current one. It has a rich hue, and it pulls out the intense green in my new living room chairs. I'd use this in a matte finish on an accent wall or to make a bold statement in a dining room. I can also see it highlighted with white trim in a country house. Green is hot for spring because it's cheery – after a long winter, everyone needs a bit of exuberance!"
Sarah Richardson, designer, Toronto
“Not a typical green, ROYAL PEACOCK 102-7 by PITTSBURGH PAINTS reminds me of a tropical ocean. It's grounding and energizing at the same time, embraces many other colours, and is transformed by light. I'd use it in a semigloss finish in a small space like a powder room. A framed graphic black-and-white photo would really crisp it up. Aside from trends, it's fabulous that the beauty of green is strongly supported by an undeniable need for attention to our planet."
Sarah Beal, designer, Halifax
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