This Is the "It" Color for Spring, According to Designers
I’ll cut right to the chase: Green is officially that girl for spring. It’s the color making its way onto every wall, cabinet, backsplash, and pretty much everything in between. Designers and color experts (myself included!) are all pointing to green as the “it” color of the season. It’s not just another olive green moment (though, fun fact: 21% of designers that our team recently surveyed did predict this hue’s rise). This spring, it’s all about mellow green — a softer, cozier take on the trend.
What Is Mellow Green?
Unlike its deeper cousins (think: olive, forest, or Benjamin Moore’s Essex Green HC-188), mellow green is warm, welcoming, and surprisingly versatile. It’s just vibrant enough to feel fresh, and grounded enough to work as a neutral. If you’ve been looking for a way to bring color into your home without feeling overwhelmed, this shade might be your perfect match.
Here’s everything you need to know about mellow green as the best color for the season ahead.
Why Is Mellow Green a Good Color to Use in Your Home?
While green has always had an innate connection to nature and balance, its presence feels especially fitting for spring. “You’re probably thinking: Green for spring? Groundbreaking …,” jokes Camilla Masi of Otto Tiles & Design. But there’s a reason this color is resonating. “People are looking for feelings of nostalgia to feel [a] comforted escape,” she adds. “Green can have a very powerful, grounding, and calming emotional response.”
Elliott Caldwell of Home Team Luxury Rentals agrees, adding that a mellow green has staying power. “Sage green inherently evokes nature, harmony, and modernity,” he says. “Beyond providing spaces with an element of calm and renewal, this shade also works in both residential and commercial spaces, attracting discerning buyers.”
How Can I Introduce Mellow Green into My Home?
Not sure where to start? Designers say the kitchen or bathroom is a great place to try mellow green. “Green works especially well in the kitchen — it’s good for feng shui and connecting to nature,” Masi shares. Try it through a tiled backsplash, or if you’re looking for a less permanent option, she suggests painting cabinetry or adding green alcove shelving in the bathroom.
Accessories
For an even lower barrier to entry, accessories are your best friend. A green vase, a set of soft green towels, or even a green statement lamp can help you ease into this trend without a major commitment. Using the color in smaller doses around you will allow you to learn your tolerance for the hue and see if you enjoy it.
Color Drenching
If you really can’t get enough of a color, why not go all in? Color drenching (painting your walls, ceilings, and even trim in the same color) is one of the boldest ways to embrace a room while making it look intentional and cozy. This works best when it’s layered with other colors and patterns so that the space feels dimensional and doesn’t fall flat. For a recent project, I paired mellow green walls with a buttery yellow floral wallpaper (an ode to last year’s “it” color!), and I love the movement between everything happening in the room.
A Springy Color Pairing
“Nothing says spring like beautiful young blossoms,” says Debbie Featherstone of ML Interiors Group, which is why she recommends amethyst as the perfect pairing with a mellow green. Amethyst is a beautiful, soft shade of purple that sits at a distance on the color wheel from mellow green — speaking to why it works with the shade so well. “It’s such a happy color,” Featherstone adds. “Adding touches of amethyst to a room makes it feel fresh, rich, and not too girly. The perfect way to recover from a long winter.”
Ultimately, the best colors are the ones that make you feel at home. Masi summed it up perfectly: “Make sure you love the color and aren’t just following a trend. It’s your home. There are no rules, so decorate how you love to live.”
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
