Greens go fresh and fruity
We’re still in love with green but seek out brighter shades, writes Sharon Newey.
We’ve been seeing a lot of green lately. It’s not just the word of the moment, referring to all things ecoconscious, but has been brightening up our interiors for a year or more.
It’s a colour trend that shows no sign of abating and goes hand-in-glove with our love of house plants, growing our own veges, and with that continued focus on living lightly on the land. We are reducing our plastic use, and businesses are employing biophilic design where green walls are flourishing in offices and courtyards are cocooned within work spaces.
But the types of greens we are using in interiors is changing. We’ve gone through the bold botanic grassy greens and rich jades, then onto sludgy greens such as khaki and deep forest. Now it’s time for softer greens, such as sage and avocado.
While greens during the past year have been mostly about being moody or rich, the next round is all about being uplifting and fresh. It’s the difference between a swamp and a new spring leaf.
Wellington interior designer Debra DeLorenzo of One Ranfurly believes green has become popular as a reaction to the harsh whites and greys that have been so fashionable. ‘‘It’s a softer, more comfortable palette to live with. In nature, green works with every other colour. Reds are still popular in New Zealand homes and soft greens are a complementary colour to this. With lighter greens, I like to use white for ceilings and trims to make the greens stand out.’’
Trend forecasters are talking up a colour called ‘‘neo mint’’. According to the UKbased trend-spotting company WGSN, neo mint is a gender-neutral colour with ‘‘an oxygenating, fresh tone that aligns science and technology with nature’’, and will take fashion and interiors by storm in 2020.
If you want to liken it to a local paint colour, try Resene Fringy Flower. The colour has echoes of electronic pop, retro 1980s design, and also the optimistic shades of the 1950s. It’s the perfect colour to go with another trend for 2020: playful interiors. It inspires us not to take ourselves too seriously.
In a less sharp form, neo mint is very like that delicious green seen in English country houses – a cross between Granny Smith
apple skins and celery. It’s a colour that may be a little tricky to incorporate into interiors but take baby steps by using it in accessories such as cushions and vases.
Fresh greens will always go well in bathrooms and kitchens because they have such a clean and healthy vibe.
Because green is so common in nature, it’s a colour we feel comfortable around. It’s associated with vitality and freshness, but also harmony and relaxation. Green is a colour that suits so many interior styles, from country to contemporary, classic and luxe.
New Plymouth designer Michael Mansvelt is a huge fan of green. ‘‘Whatever we look out onto is what I like to bring into the home, so green is always relevant in our interiors. Quite frankly in New Zealand we should be celebrating green more in our homes. I am a big fan of using native timber with greens as most timbers are gold-based in colour so the green really brings wood to life, whereas whites make wood look dull, drab and dated,’’ he says.
Resene marketing manager Karen Warman agrees: ‘‘Kiwis have always been inspired by the colours of nature. With our lush bush, grass, sea and lakes, we feel at home surrounded by greens and blues. Greens also naturally pair beautifully with timber finishes inside and out, typically with lighter or more weathered greens in interiors and deeper, more forest or bush greens on exteriors. ‘‘Green is soothing, relaxing and versatile and can easily be teamed with almost any other colour. Green painted rooms usually have a fresh feel which makes green ideal for bathrooms and laundries, with smokier or deeper greens perfect for bedrooms and living areas.’’
When it comes to using green with other colours and to give green a seasonal slant, Warman suggests adding yellow or pink for a spring vibe, coral and blue for a summer feel, terracotta for autumn and blacks greys for winter. ‘‘To emphasise the colour of your green, use crisp white, such as Resene Alabaster, for trims. For a more traditional home, choose a warmer white, such as Resene Thorndon Cream.’’
Fresh spring greens can be very bright in light-filled rooms so consider complementing them with soft greys and tone-on-tone greens and off-whites to keep the look subtle, Warman advises.