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My Green Living Room with Dark Green Paint

November 16, 2022 by Ashley Mayes 43 Comments

I'm sharing my green living room walls, what colors go with dark green and more about my dark green living room journey.

While a crisp white living room is always beautiful, white walls in my living room just felt blah. Once I committed to a dark green room all my decor, furniture, art, etc., started to really come together.

Dark green paint living room with Korhogo art, leather sofa and modern accents

If you are a longtime reader, then you might know that five days before Christmas (while Luke was on a work trip) back in 2018, I decided to paint my living room walls green. I'm one of those people who likes to do projects when the mood strikes me. I'm motivated that way, for some reason.

However, taking down all the extra Christmas decorations to paint my living room walls was quite the project! But I did it and said goodbye to the white paint that I had on the walls.

White paint can be such a good color, but for this space, it just didn't work well. The living room faces north so doesn't get a ton of light and, although we love the white paint in the eat-in kitchen, it just never felt inviting to me in the living room.

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Green Living Room with Forest Green Paint

dark green walls in family room
Console Table | Lamp | Coffee Table (similar) | Vintage Brass Art Light

Forest Green Color

Before I painted, I'd been talking to Luke about dark colors for the walls for months. I got a few swatches and just couldn't pull the trigger. Then, I had a lightbulb moment and knew that I wanted the same depth of shade as our kitchen cabinets but I wanted it to be a dark green paint.

In 2018, I found the forest green color that I loved and, since then, I've slowly been finding my way in terms of style and function in our space.

Starting with Creating a Focal Point with Art

A big part of finding the overall style to the space was the Korhogo art piece. I finally figured out how to frame the oversized textile and it really is the grounding piece for the space.

oversized African textile art in living room with leather sofa in front of art

A friend of mine wrote an article about Creating Personality Without Chaos and I agree with so many points. Adding texture, mixing styles and thinking about contrast in your space can really help make your space shine. I feel like the Korhogo piece did all of those things itself.

Slowly Curating Decor For Green Walls

In 2020, I knew that I wanted to invest a bit in the space and buy a few forever pieces. I've been on this kick of really thinking about each and every item I buy (see my #20in2020 post for intentional living for more of the backstory on this).

black console with vintage art and a brass picture light over art with cat sitting on console
Paintable Outlet Cover | Vintage Brass Art Light | Console Table | Lamp

I made a list of "would love to have in the living room" and have been slowly working on sourcing and intentionally adding those items to our space.

Without going into the play-by-play of the pieces I've bought, moved or subtracted from the space (hit the #20in2020 for that), let's just say that the space has come a long way over the past six months or so.

One of my biggest back-and-forth decisions in the green living room has been chairs for the space. I bought black leather chairs from Restoration Hardware and, when they got here, I hated them. The leather was, thankfully, not close to the swatch of leather that I ordered from them so I was able to get my money back on the custom chairs. That process was scary because I spent a lot of money and I made a bit of a mistake on the look and feel of the chairs for our space.

For years, I've had my eye on the Field Lounge Chair from Blu Dot but have heard mixed reviews on the comfort level. I almost pulled the trigger on two for our living room back in April when they were running a huge sale but I didn't end up doing it.

modern green living room with orange chairs
Handmade Wall Tiles | Coffee Table Decor Ideas | Light in Entryway | Coffee Table (similar)

Around that time, I found two orange velvet chairs on Facebook Marketplace. They were a good deal and I liked the lines on them so I scooped them up.

I bought mid-century replacement legs off of Etsy to help give the chairs a look that was more in line with my style. I recently bought new fabric to have the chairs recovered (you can't see it well in the photos, but the arms and fronts of the chairs have definitely been scratched by a cat) and am excited to get that done next year. Guess what color fabric? I'm going with a slightly darker hue of orange than what I currently have on my chairs. Orange or rust are great colors that go with dark green.

green living room ideas with mid century furniture, chess board on coffee table, etc.
Handmade Wall Tiles | Coffee Table Decor Ideas | Light in Entryway | Coffee Table (similar)

A simple DIY that I did in the space was to buy paintable outlet covers (see the outlet below on the wall) and paint them to match my dark green wall paint. Honestly, this was a great project. It's super simple and, if you have dark walls like I do, with white outlet covers... it's well worth your time to buy the paintable outlet covers so they blend in with the walls!

plaster art on dark green wall in living room with paintable outlet cover in forest green paint
Custom Art (similar) | Paintable Outlet Cover | Lamp

I get lots of questions on the dark green living room paint color, so let's talk about it as it's a custom mix.

leather couch and black coffee table with dark green paint room
Spy how the dark green living room plays with the blue/white wall paper and greenery in our formal dining room.

Forest Green Living Room Paint Color

The Modern Green Living Room Walls are a custom mixed color that starts with Fig Tree by Behr. I had Home Depot go a bit deeper with the color by adding two extra shots of black. I'll give you a picture of the paint formula so you can get the same color if you are interested.

Custom paint color formula to darken paint for Behr Fig Tree.

If you take that photo of the paint color formula into your Home Depot, they should be able to recreate it. I've had a few people tell me that the associates at their store were confused, but other people, have said the opposite. Ask for a manager or someone with experience in the paint department if you run into problems! It's worth trying to get the exact color because it's really the perfect forest green paint!

What Colors Go With Dark Green?

In my opinion, as you can see in my living room, I think tan, cream, black, and charcoal go really well with dark green walls. Orange or a deeper rust color are great accent colors for a dark green room. They brighten up the space a bit with a pop of interest.

green living room walls with leather sofa and midcentury orange chairs

Shop My Modern Green Living Room

I'm content with my space right now but I'm definitely looking forward to the new upholstery on the chairs. Eventually, I'd also love to have two round end tables but I'm in no rush. I've found that the slower I take a space, the happier I am with it. For me, slowly adding layers over time, is where the magic sauce is.

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  1. Lauren

    January 28, 2019 at 6:58 am

    Love it so much!! I think it’s the perfect shade!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 28, 2019 at 9:11 am

      Thanks Lauren! I'll be excited to see the shade with more decor up but I'm just taking one thing at a time!

      Reply
    • Evelyn poole

      January 30, 2023 at 5:12 pm

      love this dark green. going to one wall in my living rm. thanks e

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 31, 2023 at 11:47 am

        yay! Hope you love the green paint color in your living room as well.

        Reply
  2. Penny

    January 28, 2019 at 7:02 am

    I love the green. We just recently painted our living room green and I LOVE how cozy it feels. Also think the shade you chose is really beautiful and flows well with the rest of your decor. You could definitely go darker if you wanted, but as is, is stunning!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 28, 2019 at 9:11 am

      We are green living room twins! Glad your living room feels cozy with the paint color as well.

      Reply
  3. Charlotte

    January 28, 2019 at 8:17 am

    LOVE IT! I think it looks great.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 28, 2019 at 9:10 am

      Thanks Charlotte! It's a big change but I think it's a good one!

      Reply
  4. Ardith

    January 28, 2019 at 9:04 am

    Count me in as team forest green. You rocked this color choice; it really brings your living room together perfectly, Ashley. Cheers, Ardith

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 28, 2019 at 9:10 am

      yay! Glad you like the forest green paint color! I think it helps makes the room come together for sure.

      Reply
  5. Alison

    January 28, 2019 at 9:17 am

    It looks great to me. Much more inviting than the white. I don’t think it should be darker. Great job.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 28, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Thanks Alison! The green paint is much more inviting, I definitely agree!

      Reply
  6. Create/Enjoy (@suzannahstanley)

    January 28, 2019 at 9:51 am

    Oh my gosh, it's perfect! You had a vision and it totally works! I'll admit I wasn't picturing it before but now I think it makes that large space have more personality, and it looks so good with the pieces in there, including your gorgeous dream light fixture. Darker would have worked too but I think the color you chose is so definitely GREEN it's a little more unique and bold in that way. Great job!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:45 am

      Thanks Suzannah! The large space just felt so overwhelming with the white walls. It definitely feels like a more usable, approachable space now.

      Reply
  7. Jesseca

    January 28, 2019 at 9:59 am

    I like the dark walls Ashley! I think I agree that a bit darker (maybe even a bit more earthy) might work a tad better, but honestly it looks great as is.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:46 am

      I think a darker earthy color would be amazing! I may change it in a few months.

      Reply
  8. cassie bustamante

    January 28, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    i just love it, ashley! the earthy drama is AMAZING

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:46 am

      Thanks Cassie! We needed a change and this seemed like a good choice.

      Reply
  9. Jillian

    January 28, 2019 at 8:32 pm

    I think it looks great! So warm and inviting! But I may also be biased - I love dark green walls.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:46 am

      Haha, thanks Jillian! I'm on board with green walls now too!

      Reply
  10. Megan

    January 29, 2019 at 6:18 am

    Love it! We just did the same in our dining room 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:47 am

      That's awesome to hear! Do you love them?

      Reply
  11. Linda

    January 29, 2019 at 8:21 am

    Love it. Have you considered painting the ceiling and the crown the same color?

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:45 am

      I considered doing all the trim and the crown! I'm still on the fence on that. Our ceiling has asbestos, so it can't be painted over.

      Reply
      • Rhonda Loumena

        January 30, 2019 at 4:18 am

        Ive looked all over the internet and multiple people includung " this old house" says you can paint asbestos ceilings. You can even use a paint with primer in it to do 2 jobs in 1.

        Reply
        • Ashley Mayes

          February 04, 2019 at 10:49 am

          Hi Rhonda,

          I'd do a bit more digging! Each state has published laws for asbestos and once you read that, you can make your own determination for how to proceed. For us, we feel like it's better to be more cautious but I know now everyone has that mindset. Happy hunting!

          Reply
  12. Kim Domingue

    January 29, 2019 at 10:10 am

    The green is quite lovely. North facing rooms can present a bit of a challenge depending on where you live. In some regions the quality of light coming through a North facing room renders white walls cold, flat and unappealing. The green color you chose adds depth and coziness to the room as well as a bit of drama/flair. The white woodwork really pops now against the dark green. Very nice. Were it me, I probably would have gone just a tad darker but that's just me. The room is lovely and very inviting.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      January 29, 2019 at 10:47 am

      Thanks Kim! I wish I would have gone a tad darker and may still do that!

      Reply
  13. Sue

    January 29, 2019 at 11:22 am

    Winner,winner chicken dinner. I love it.

    Reply
  14. Taylor H

    January 29, 2019 at 12:49 pm

    LOVE! We're moving in March and I plan to paint our office a vibrant jade green. It's a smaller space and I hope the brighter tone opens the room up while still offering all the relaxing qualities green possesses.

    Reply
  15. Lucinda

    February 15, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    Wow! Just love the green! There’s a possibility I will borrow your color as an option for our kitchen cabinets. I’ll have to be sure to send you pictures if we decide to go with this green. Love your style. Keep up all the work. I really enjoy following you on IG and reading your blog.

    Reply
  16. Lucinda

    February 15, 2019 at 2:14 pm

    This is green is on point! I love it. I may have to borrow it for an option for our kitchen cabinets. I’ll be sure to send you pictures or tag you in one so you can see how they turn out if we decide to go with this color. I just love your style and watching as it evolves. Keep up all the work. I enjoy following you on IG and and also reading your blog.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      February 20, 2019 at 4:21 pm

      Thanks Lucinda! Totally borrow it and share if you do.

      Reply
  17. Brittany McGruder

    February 05, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    Hello i'm trying to get this paint color and they are saying it's 2 extra ounces of black instead of just two shots. Is that correct or are they the same thing? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      February 06, 2020 at 2:54 pm

      Hi Brittany,

      To be honest, I'm not sure if it's ounces or "shots". The person I talked to at the store called it extra shots but if you take that exact formula, they can always recreate it.

      Reply
    • Kaitlyn

      March 19, 2020 at 6:49 am

      My Home Depot was confused about this as well, and said the same thing about two ounces. I showed them the exact formula, but they said that adding two ounces of black would be a lot, so they didn’t know if that’s what I wanted.
      Love this color and the rest of your house. Thanks for all your photos and inspiration.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        March 24, 2020 at 1:22 pm

        Hi Kaityln,

        I'm so confused about this! I'm sorry. I'll definitely head out to Home Depot to clear this up and ask more questions once it settles down out there.

        Reply
        • Kaitlyn

          August 01, 2020 at 8:23 am

          No biggie. Thanks for all you do! Your house is so beautiful, and I’m happy you share it with us!

          Reply
  18. Cindy

    July 29, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    Absolutely loooooove! In a similar vibe, I painted my living room a deep teal and was seeking a cognac leather sofa and accents in the same palette you describe for the greenut also so small touches of soft pink. Blues and greens work well together.. I had been eyeing the teal for awhile but not long after I’d seen dramatic deep greens and it was hard to decide. I love the teal as it really changes colour in different light- truly moody blue. But now that I’ve enjoyed for a few yrs, I’m going green in the fall. We bought a dark blue leather sofa and I’m excited to see it in the green room.
    I’m really digging this room and totally envious of the light fixture.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      July 31, 2020 at 7:26 am

      Thanks Cindy! I bet that will look so good!

      Reply
  19. Hannah

    February 05, 2021 at 12:08 pm

    Hi! Wondering how the shag rug in living room is holding up?

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      February 05, 2021 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Hannah,

      It's doing great! Honestly the first few months, we had a lot of shedding. I would say to plan on 6-8 months of shedding but now, all is well! It's soft and cozy

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. House Updates - Bigger Than the Three of Us says:
    March 21, 2019 at 2:49 am

    […] I’ve been tweaking my living room again. Hear me talk about painting the crown green and if you want to see more about the living room, then check out the post I wrote about the Forest Green Living room.  […]

    Reply

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