10 Inviting Dark Green Living Room Ideas to Create a Cosy Space

One of my favorite color combinations has to be dark green and gold. I love the richness of these colors and always dreamed of having Dark Jade bridesmaids’ dresses with gold accessories for my wedding.

I have always loved dark green living rooms but never thought I would be able to carry it off. I was wrong! 

Using Dark Green in the Living Room

I have written this blog post before, but that was a couple of years ago so I thought it was time I updated it! Any blog post I write about the color green always gets a huge amount of traffic, so I guess you all love the color just as much as I do!

One of the most commented and talked about interior design blog posts I have ever published has to be my dark green wall in my living room in our old house. The Blue Jade paint by Valspar gets more comments than I’ve had hot dinners (and believe me, I eat a LOT!)

If I had been paid a commission for every time I told someone what the color was, I could have gone offline, booked a round-the-world cruise, and paid Ryan Gosling to come with me (sorry Mr. B!)

Dark green is such a strikingly beautiful color and one that I would happily use in every room if I had the budget to change all my furniture and accessories! Although, saying that, it does pretty much go with everything.

Dark green complements other colors splendidly. That’s why, when it comes to interior design, some people opt not only for a single color scheme but also for embellishing their interiors with diverse colored accents, such as pillows or plants. An excellent choice would be to arrange for flower delivery or find a stunning potted plant at the nearest store.

From White to Dark Green

When we moved into our old house, the Living Room was bright yellow, with green and white curtains and wooden furniture. I understand why they decided on the yellow, it brought out the color in the Sunflowers on the tile surrounding the fireplace, but it was just a bit much for me.

Also, the walls were crumbling and had holes in them, so we had to get the room replastered and start again. Our builders did a superb job and when they finished replastering, they asked what color we wanted it painted and immediately I said white.

I had literally whitewashed my whole house without a spot of color in there and that was how I was going to keep it. I think I was a little afraid of color at this point until one day I saw this photo on Instagram…

My Obsession With Dark Green and Gold Begins

At this point in my life, I didn’t know how much I loved the color Jade or emerald green and suddenly I became obsessed with it. I had already found a mid-century chest of drawers in a charity shop for £25 which we were using as a TV unit and I knew they’d look perfect together.

Buying the Paint

The hardest part was trying to find the right color green for the living room and boy, I didn’t know how many green paint choices were out there! I wanted something deep and rich and was a good contrast to my furniture. In the end, it took me nearly 6 months to choose the paint and I went with Blue Jade by Valspar.

I was also torn between painting an accent wall and painting the whole room. Our old living room is west-facing, but it is always quite dark as there are tall trees and bushes in the front garden blocking out a lot of light.

I decided to go with an accent wall, to begin with, and see how we got on with it. You can buy dark green paint with B&Q voucher codes and save a bit of money on your next interior design makeover!

Once I had finished painting the accent wall dark green, I knew that I didn’t need to paint the whole room, but to add splashes of dark green and gold throughout bringing the whole room together.

The first thing we had to decide on, was what rug to use on the floor. The trend at the time was the infamous monochrome “La Redoute Rug”. I purchased this in the sale which fitted in perfectly with the dark green wall.

Now for the Furniture

Next, I needed to decide what furniture to use in the living room that went with the dark green room, fireplace, and walnut TV unit. I was drawn to the industrial-style shelving units and coffee tables so we bought some shelves from Maisons Du Monde and the parquet-style coffee table from La Redoute.

I needed to hang something above the fireplace and I’ve always liked mirrors in the living room, especially when it’s quite a dark space like this room, as it reflects more light. I found our nonagon mirror in a charity shop for £3 and spray-painted it gold.

Creating a Gallery Wall

When I had finished painting the dark green wall, I knew I would probably keep it as an accent wall as it was such a rich color, but I had to decide what to do with the wall opposite. I’ve always loved gallery walls so I found different pieces of art that picked out the colors of the room, mainly green, gold, and yellow, and tried to not make it too over-curated.

I also found a few monochrome prints as I liked how this tied the La Redoute rug into the gallery scheme. I was lucky enough to find some cushions from Fox & Ivy at Tesco to match the green wall perfectly, tying in the soft furnishings on my old brown sofa.

Add Wall Decals

If you don’t fancy putting up a gallery wall and putting lots of holes in your wall, adding wall decals for your living room is also a really good way to add pattern and dark green.

You could create a nature wall with a floral mural of pinks and greens, or include a wall sticker of a tree. 

And Finally, the Green Velvet Sofa

I always knew we would eventually replace the sofa as it was too brown and bulky and looked ridiculous as two separate pieces. I had my heart set on a green velvet sofa, so we decided to go with one from sofa.com The color is aptly named Jade smart velvet, so it was perfect for this room.

The sofa.com green velvet sofa was the icing on the dark green living room cake and I was extremely happy when it turned up. It really did pull the whole room together and looked fabulous with the gallery wall.

Dark green and gold also look amazing against wood, be that wood flooring, furniture, or doors and I couldn’t decide whether to keep the monochrome rug or the bare wooden floors. The rug won out eventually, especially in winter! I love wooden floors, but they do make a room feel cold.

Adding a Bar Cart

One of the last additions to the room was a gold bar cart that I found in a charity shop for £15. I upcycled it with botanical wallpaper from Wilkinsons and found a few gold candles and ornaments that provided a good contrast against the green wall.

I then added some botanical and floral prints, plenty of houseplants, and the important stuff, alcohol! No longer did I have to leave my velvet sofa to get a top up, I could just wheel the trolley over to me and never have it more than an arm’s length away! Chin chin!

Dark Green Living Room Ideas

The decor in my old living room came together over a couple of years. As I got bolder with my interior decor choices, I added more pattern and color to the room until I was completely happy with it.

If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration on how to create a dark green living room, here are a few ideas. 

1. Choose a Green Sofa

I think the easiest way to create a dark green living room, without committing to painting, is to add a dark green sofa. If you go for a beautiful forest or jade green, it adds a pop of color to the room.

Dark green sofas are an amazing way to add color to your living room and can be the real star of the room. You can keep the rest of the living room neutral, or slowly add more accent colors of green to compliment the sofa. 

I would suggest that if you’re going for a large green sofa, do not paint your whole living room in a dark green color as the sofa will become camouflaged!

2. Add a Dark Green Occasional Chair

If your budget doesn’t allow you to add a new sofa, maybe look at adding an occasional chair that can sit in the corner of your living room. If your living room is largely neutral or monochromatic, a green occasional chair can add a bold pop of color to the space. This can make the room feel more lively and energetic.

3. Dark Green Wall Paint

Dark green walls are a huge commitment, so I would look to paint an accent wall in the color first to make sure you really like it! Depending on the color of your sofa (see above), if you love the color and the room isn’t too small, think about painting your whole living room in this color. 

Dark green walls can be quite enveloping so if your room is quite small, it can feel a little claustrophobic! This is why it is always a good idea to paint a feature wall first (no, feature walls are not outdated. If you like it, go for it!) and if you are brave, paint the rest of the room. 

Some of my favorite dark green paints are; 

• Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green No.93
• Benjamin Moore’s Forest Green
• Little Greene’s Goblin
• Valspar Blue Jade
• Sherwin-Williams Maxi Teal
• Behr – Teal Motif

4. Dark Green Artwork with Hints of Gold

As I said at the beginning, I think dark green and gold are a match made in heaven. If your artwork is going to be the only piece of dark green in the room, make a bold statement!

Go for a large abstract piece with a gold frame, or create a gallery wall full of different shades of green to complement each other. 

1. Fall Morning Poster – Desenio
2. Abstract Valley Framed Print – Abstract House
3. Green & Gold no. 1 Poster – Desenio
4. Rousseau – The Equatorial jungle poster – Desenio
5. Green good music and good people print – Fy!
6. Water Lily pond poster – Desenio
7. Organic abstract shapes print – Abstract House
8. Abstract Monstera Leaf Canvas Art – Green Lili
9. Golden crane poster – Desenio

5. Dark Green Curtains

Another good way to add dark green in the living room without spending too much money is to update your existing furniture with green soft furnishings. 

If your living room is fairly neutral, adding dark green curtains will instantly give it a luxurious look without the hefty price tag. I love adding bold-coloured curtains to a room, it helps frame the acoustic glass windows beautifully and you can go for colours you wouldn’t normally choose.

6. Dark Green Soft Furnishings

Another way to add dark green in the living room on a budget is to update your cushions and throws. If you have an old neutral sofa and no longer like the color, think about draping dark green throws over the sofa and color-matching them with cushions. 

This is a brilliant way to quickly update your living room and inject a bit of color without breaking the bank. 

7. Home Accessories

Pops of green in the home are so easy to introduce, I’m sure you already have some green with vases, ornaments, and candles around the home.  Look for decorative items like vases, bowls, or figurines to display on your shelves and tabletops to introduce subtle pops of green throughout the room. 

8. Use Plants!

Plants can be a great addition to any living room as they not only add natural beauty and texture to the space, but they can also help to purify the air and create a calming atmosphere.

Plants suit any kind of decor – minimalist, eclectic, neutral, etc so if you want to add a bit of dark green in the living room, this is probably one of the easiest ways to do it!

9. Lighting

Green lighting in the form of lamps or light shades could help compliment the tones on your gallery wall. Go for dark green velvet pleats in the light shade for a luxurious look and pair it with a dark green marble lamp.

10. Dark Green Rugs

A dark green rug can add depth, warmth, and sophistication and is an easy way to add green to the living room.

There can be many ways to use a green rug such as – 

• Place a dark green rug under your coffee table and arrange your seating area around it.
• Use it as a focal point by choosing a rug with a unique pattern or texture and pairing it with simpler furniture and decor.
• Dark green rugs can work well with other green decor in the living room. Try pairing it with green throw pillows, curtains, or a green accent wall to create a cohesive look.
• Dark green rugs can be bold, so it’s important to balance them with neutral colors like beige, grey, or white. This will help to create a more balanced and harmonious living room.
• Consider layering your dark green rug with other rugs in different textures and colors. This will add depth and interest to the living room and help to create a cozy and welcoming space.

So, there you have it! This a very long-winded description of how to use green in your living room. I still think painting our wall dark green in our old house is one of the best decisions I’ve made since we started renovating houses. It gave me the courage to use more colors in our home.

“What color and make is that dark green wall?” is probably the most asked question I get on Instagram so I thought I’d write a post on it. I hope you took some inspiration away from these dark green living room ideas!

FAQs

Q. What colors go with dark green walls? 

A. Dark green is a versatile color that can be paired with a range of other hues depending on the mood you want to create in your space. Here are some ideas:

• White or Off-White: A classic combination. The contrast between dark green and white or off-white is crisp and clean. It gives a refreshing, open feeling to the room.
• Wood Tones: Natural wood tones, especially light to medium ones, work very well with dark green. They bring warmth and a natural, earthy feel to the space.
• Gold: Metallics, especially gold, bring out the richness in dark green walls. This combination can create an elegant and luxurious atmosphere.
• Black or Charcoal Grey: For a bold, dramatic look, pair dark green with black or charcoal grey. This combination is very sophisticated.
• Pale Pink or Blush: For a softer, more feminine look, consider pairing dark green with pale pink or blush tones. The contrast between the colors is quite pleasing.
• Mustard Yellow or Burnt Orange: These warm, deep colors complement dark green nicely and add a cozy, welcoming feel to the room.
• Neutrals: Neutrals like beige, taupe, and gray can also work well with dark green. They can help to balance out the intensity of the green.
• Other Shades of Green: Using different shades of green can create a monochromatic look. For example, you could use lighter greens in your decor or furniture.

Q. What color sofa goes with dark green walls?

A. As dark green is such a rich color, I love pairing velvet sofas with the paint. A bit like the colors in the previous question, look for a contrast. Go with a navy blue or pale pink velvet sofa for optimum impact.

If you want a fresh, crisp look, a white or off-white sofa can be a beautiful contrast to dark green walls. You also can’t go wrong with a brown or tan leather sofa, the earthy elements work well with dark green. 

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you, I will receive a very small commission if you click through and make a purchase. These links help to pay the editorial costs of writing a blog. For more information, please read my full affiliate disclosure here. 

I also use Artificial Intelligence Image generators to create some of my images. These are to show you examples of my ideas and inspiration when I cannot produce the real images myself.

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