Home decor trends for 2023 indicate that green tones are going to be quite popular. As we move away from the stark white of minimalism, the home as garden movement shows us that a green background can serve your decorating choices well.
If you want a color that will grab the eye, use lime green. If you need a green that will step back and be a bit more relaxed, consider Kelly green.
Lime Green
It can be tempting to think that lime green will have an electric edge, but the percentage of red in this color tells us that lime is actually a bit smoky.
That being said, you should not plan for this color to recede into the background if you choose to put it on your walls.
Lime green offers a wonderful contrast to other second-tier colors. When mixing pigments, our first-tier colors are red, blue, and yellow.
To get green, you need to mix blue and yellow; if you add a bit of red, you will dull down the intensity of your green color.
Accordingly, this color pairs beautifully with orange, made from yellow + red, and purple, made from blue + red. For those interested in mixing their own colors, the dulling to reduce the intensity of a shade works the same.
Mix just a drop of blue into orange to take the edge off the color. To lower the vibrancy of purple, add just a bit of yellow.
Use a very light touch when trying to lower the heat or intensity of a good mix. It’s very hard to bring a color back from too much contrast.
Another fun way to use lime green is to feature it in wall accents. If you’re not in a position to paint your walls and you want to use lime green, invest in a small can of semigloss or get a can of spray paint and paint some simple frames with this shade.
By the numbers, lime green is on the warm side. If your budget is very tight, consider filling these frames with old newspaper advertisements or pen and ink drawings, preferably on parchment. The yellow in the paper will pop against your lime green frames.
If you’re not ready to put lime green on your walls, consider using lime green fabric. You can pair it with orange and sunflower yellow for a 70’s vintage look.
Lime green upholstery fabric also looks wonderful on a midcentury modern sofa or armchair with the flared legs of the 1950s.
Other fun places you can use lime green include:
- 1970s vintage kitchen canisters
- ceramic dishes, displayed on shelving
- lime green wallpaper backsplashes
If you’re looking for a DIY project that will build your skillset without breaking your budget, create a striped or faux tile backsplash.
As long as your kitchen backsplash is smooth sheetrock, you can easily paint the whole thing in your grout color; cream or beige is popular. Make sure you use a flat paint.
When this has dried completely, create a grid or plain stripes with painter’s tape over the backsplash. For stripes, 1-inch tape is fine. For tile, you will want to use 1/4 inch tape.
Measure carefully and use a hard roller (I use a small pastry roller) to stick down the edges of your tape firmly. Sponge or stipple over the tape to get a random pattern with high gloss lime green paint.
Keep rotating the hand holding the sponge or the brush to keep the pattern random. Let the base color bleed through. When you’re done with the green, carefully remove the tape while the green is still a bit wet and let it dry completely.
RGB: 120,190,33
HEX COLOR: #78BE21
Paint Color Samples
Would you like to sample these paint colors? I recommend using a peel and stick paint sample from SAMPLIZE. Peel and stick paint samples are very affordable and easy to use. They are also clean and environmentally friendly!
Advantages of using peel and stick paint samples:
- EASY TO USE: Simply move your SAMPLIZE paint sample around the room to test under a variety of lighting conditions.
- AFFORDABLE: Budget-friendly solution and no more buying inaccurate swatches, rollers, wasted paint.
- SUPER FAST DELIVERY: Depending on your location, 1 day delivery is possible.
- ORDER FROM HOME: Save a trip to the store looking for samples.
- NO MESS: SAMPLIZE uses real paint samples with zero-mess
- NO WASTE: No leftover cans or wasted paint.
Electric Lime (6921) – Sherwin-Williams
Electric Lime (6921) by Sherwin-Williams is a vibrant and energetic green that instantly brightens any space. This bold and lively color is perfect for creating a focal point in modern and eclectic interiors. It works particularly well in accent walls, children’s playrooms, or creative spaces where a burst of energy is desired.
Best Uses:
- Accent walls
- Playrooms or kids’ rooms
- Home offices or creative spaces
- Exterior doors or trim for a bold statement
Complementary Colors:
- Crisp White (SW 7008) for a fresh, clean contrast
- Navy Blue (SW 6244) for a sophisticated and balanced palette
- Sunny Yellow (SW 9018) for a playful and vibrant combination
Electric Lime pairs well with crisp neutrals or deep, grounding shades, making it versatile for various design styles.
Hex Value: #9ABA25
Peel-and-Stick Paint Sample – Electric Lime (6921) – Sherwin-Williams
Kelly Green
To use Kelly green effectively in your home, use it as you see it in nature. Kelly green is the background color of many different flowers. Behind pastel shades, it is soothing.
When paired with bright floral tones, it will deepen. Kelly green contains a lot of blue and very little red. That makes this a very cool color.
In your flower beds, all flowers stand out against the greenery, but if you want to use this in your home, stick with cool shades to draw out the beauty of your Kelly green.
If you want a Kelly green accent wall, try to trim it in white. Cream or beige trim will read yellow against this cool green.
Wood tones will stand out against this color and may quickly overpower it; for example, your cherry flooring or maple television cabinet will take center stage against walls of Kelly green.
For those who love warm tones but want Kelly green in the space, try using this color in rich textures.
For example, a rust-colored sofa or a brown leather chair will glow with a Kelly green velour throw or cushion. Take care not to add too many shades to this pairing; these two colors will draw the eye without creating visual agitation.
Pay careful attention to the lighting that you use next to this color. Daylight bulbs will make this shade of green glow nicely, even when it’s full dark outside.
However, if you put cool blue light on walls of Kelly green, they may develop a sooty or ashy caste.
Accent walls can quickly overpower a space. You want to avoid overloading them with furniture and artwork. Another key to making an accent wall work is to avoid lighting it from the top down.
Use tables and standing lamps to create comforting pools of light in a room with a rich, Kelly green accent wall. These circular or oblong pools of light can reduce the stalwart, boxy feel of one wall in an eye-catching color.
Be bold in your accessory choice in a space that is loaded with Kelly green. Of course, you will want plants! Look for houseplants that offer a lot of visual variety.
Something flowering can be quite lovely against a green wall, as can bright green bamboo or a spring green fern.
Since this color brings the outdoors in, be flexible with your materials. If you have Kelly green on the walls of a sunroom or breezy living room, consider adding open wooden furniture or wicker pieces to celebrate your choice to bring nature in.
Just make sure that these accents and furniture pieces are not too warm. White-painted wicker and seagrass baskets will stand out. Yellow items may look tired and rather dingy against Kelly green.
Finally, remember that Kelly green was a popular vintage shade of the 1950s. A long, low-slung sofa in this color can be a wonderfully eclectic choice.
Look for pillow fabric that includes both white and berry to keep the color cool.
RGB: 4,106,56
HEX COLOR: #046A38