How to Update Forest Green with Paint Colour

Countertops / flooring / tiles / bathroom fixtures, toilets, tubs / etc…

In the late 80’s and early 90’s forest green was a hit in almost every home – especially when paired with oak, burgundy, and the Dirty Dancing theme song playing softly on the 8 track. However, forest green is not the most popular colour choice for today’s modern homeowner.

I’m not here to tell you that you HAVE to get rid of forest green if you want to modernize your space (okay, maybe I am – wink wink). Because while this particular shade might not be today’s hot colour, there are many homeowners who are quite enamoured with the forest green in their home and would like to work with it – rather than rip it out.

Now that being said there are many other homeowners who are not in love with forest green and are desperately looking for ways to make it look more updated, classic and appropriate in today’s style world (for personal tastes and resale purposes). 

And no matter what side you’re on, I’m here to help you make forest green look it’s very best with the use of paint colour.

BUT (a Kardashian sized one) please read this before you look at the paint colours…

What NOT to do with Forest Green

When you are working with a colour that is ‘difficult’ or that you don’t like… don’t go outside the colour box!!

This photo is OUT of forest green’s colour box – ’nuff said.

What is the colour box? It is the range of colours and tones around the main colour that won’t ‘react’ with the main colour. Here are some examples of forest green’s colour box…

• Green mixed with blue (which is also a cool tone)
• Green mixed with gray
• Green mixed with gray and blue
• Green mixed with greige (a mix of beige and gray)
• Non-yellow beige/tan colours
• Off-whites (containing mild undertones of any of the colours above)

That’s it. If you stretch outside of that box, you risk ‘accenting‘ your green and making it appear brighter and stronger.

So, now that we’ve got that out of the way, on to the fun stuff…

Please note that the ‘blobs’ are just basic representations. Click on the underlined name or even BETTER, go to your local store to see the samples in real-life! 

Go With the Flow – With Green!

Believe it or not, when you want to modernize a colour like forest green, one of the best ways to do that is via itself! Yes, that’s right – painting your walls green can actually MODERNIZE your space!

Not just any green though. The key to picking a great green is choosing one that is a ‘modern-day version’ of the original.

Gray / Green Paint Colours to Update Forest Green

Benjamin Moore Moonshine 2140-60

Moonshine is a lovely light mix of gray and green. It can pick up a weee willy wink of blue, so if you’re into more traditional greens you might not like this fella.

Sherwin Williams Conservative Gray SW 6183

Conservative Gray is a light coloured gray-green. The green is definitely ‘there’ but not overly dominant. It is a slightly cool-toned green.

Some greens have a drop of blue in them, adding another layer of interest to a green-on-green palette. Just make sure you don’t go TOO blue or you’ll miss the colour connection completely.

Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere 2138-60

Gray Cashmere is a lovely gray/green/blue blend flexes easily into its undertones without committing to one or another.

Sherwin Williams Sea Salt SW 6204

Sea Salt is a fun and lively colour that offers ‘colour’ without too much ‘commitment. It’s soft and gentle and a great complement to forest green. It is a really interesting colour and while it IS a green, it has been known to flash a beautiful blue here and there!

Read more:  Colour Review – Sherwin Williams Sea Salt

Read more: ‘Decorating Ideas to Update Forest Green’

Go Neutral or Go Home – The Best Neutrals to Update Forest Green

If you feel that it’s not ‘good to be green’ then you might be more inclined to neutralize your space with the use of grays and greiges. Check out these bad boys…

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC 172

Revere Pewter is an amazing colour because while it is essentially a very soft, dove-like gray, in certain lights it picks up a ‘barely there’ green undertone, making it a soft and subtle partner for forest green.

Read more:  Colour Review – Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

Benjamin Moore Intense White OC 51

Intense White is a soft gray/off-white that offers a sophisticated and classic air to forest green. It has subtle green/blue undertones and shifts quite a bit from space to space.

Benjamin Moore Grant Beige

Grant Beige is really as far as we want to go into the world of ‘beige’. If there is too much warmth/yellow in a beige, it can make a forest green room look even more dated.

Read More:  ‘The 7 Best FLOOR Tiles to Update Green Countertops’

Sherwin Williams Wool Skein

Wool Skein is hit and miss and you have to have the right forest green mixed with other warmer finishes to pull this off.

Now, of course, there’s a lot of other things to consider when picking paint colours such as…

LRV

LRV refers to light reflectance value. Read more about it here… LRV – Using LRV to Pick the Best Paint Colour for Your Room

Exposure

Have you considered the exposure of your room when choosing a paint colour? If not, you might want to read up! North Facing Rooms, South Facing Rooms, East Facing Rooms, West Facing Rooms. 

Want help figuring out your room’s BEST paint colour? 

Check out my Interior Decorating or Design Consultation / E-Design package – I’d love to hear from you!

Read More

The Best ACCENT Tiles to Update Forest Green

The Best Decor to Update Forest Green in Your Home

Forest Green Countertops: The Best Floor Tiles to Update and Coordinate

Kylie M Interiors    E-design, Online Paint Color, Virtual Consulting and Blog     Based in Nanaimo BC, Vancouver Island, Canada