Green: The Colour of the Moment, or One for the Ages?

Green: The Colour of the Moment, or One for the Ages?

It seems like you don’t have to go far these days to come across the colour green. And, yes, we suppose that has always been the case (unless you live in a veritable concrete jungle, that is) but, during 2022, it seemed like the world of interior design was all but taken over by green. Sage green, forest green, mint green – whatever shade you’ve got in your mind right now, there’s a good chance it’s made the interior design headlines this year.

But what is it about green? Recently, we looked at how the colour red has been somewhat pigeonholed by mainstream interior design in recent years. In some ways, it’s become one of the cliches of interior design, although we wouldn’t say it’s an impossible colour to get right. Could green be the next candidate for becoming its own cliché?

Why was green so popular in 2022?

Green’s rise to the very height of fashion didn’t come out of the blue. In fact, it was predicted back in 2019 by a trend forecaster, while Pantone gave it special attention at the close of 2021.

Interior design and fashion both embraced green in all its many shades and values. W Magazine suggested a number of reasons why green is all the rage right now, including the renewed eco revolution, the fresh drive toward sustainability, and the colour’s longstanding association with renewal, abundance, and love.

But, as they point out, colour has far more significance than that. Numerous studies have been made into how colour impacts mood – and, just recently, we looked at how the brain is thought to respond to a splash of red, particularly when it’s on the walls. While everyone will undoubtedly respond differently to colour (and shade no doubt influences us a lot), green tends to be associated with feelings of balance and tranquillity.

Being nature’s most abundant colour, green has the power to draw us back to our roots – simple beauty, and natural balance. It is no surprise that, in the wake of two years trapped in doors, many people are looking for ways to celebrate the natural world outside their doors, and bring a few more touches of green into the home.

How long is this going to last?

No colour will ever be able to hold imaginations forever. We’ve all lived through the ‘renaissance period’ of so many colours before green, and there will no doubt be another lined up to take its place. Already, trend predictors are anticipating magenta becoming the next ‘big thing’, alongside warm and earthy shades of red and orange. 2023 seems like a year for fans of colour and vibrancy.

Some colours – or, more specifically, some very particular and distinctive shades – can start to become victims of their own success, and very easily date a room or piece of clothing. Green is no stranger to this phenomenon, and we’ve written before about the less-than favourable opinion most of us have toward the avocado green craze of the late 70s.

But, as a colour – one that represents, like any other, an incredibly long spectrum of shades – it’s unlikely that green will ever fall out of favour with interior designers. It can be used to create bold statements, but also to tie together other elements. As the most natural colour, it rarely looks out of place, and tends to live up to its reputation of bringing balance.

Using green timelessly

From a spray of fresh, luscious greenery brought in from the garden and used as a simple centrepiece for the breakfast table to a room cloaked in the deep shade of woodland buried in its own shadows – the light, airy influence of a mint green accent wall or the bold brightness of a modern emerald. Green doesn’t need to be pigeonholed or associated with a particular style or period – and it doesn’t necessarily have to make your home feel like a forest glade. For instance, our Madras leaf fabric in teal balances nature with order, creating a beautiful but restrained print.

While all colours enjoy a good amount of versatility, green has a unique position thanks to its ubiquity outside. Like yellow, it’s also a colour that has rarely been gendered in the past, making it the perfect choice for a modern nursery.

Green fabric, particularly a natural textile like linen or a cotton weave, is perfect for grounding your interior design, and bringing a sense of longevity and simple beauty into a room. In other words, despite green’s high popularity in 2022, it remains the colour to choose if you want to create a room that won’t date itself, or end up looking old-fashioned a year from now.