Olive Green Sofa Decorating Ideas

Looking for green living room ideas? A dynamic and refreshing color, green comes in many different shades, from the more elegant and cool sage to bright and cheerful emerald or deep and relaxing teal. And green goes well with everything – whites, creams, and greys, all the staple living room colors. From accent furniture pieces to all-over green color schemes, we guide you through the best ways to transform your living room with a new fave color.

'Often associated with health and rejuvenation, green paint is an uplifting choice for any room of the home. It's unmatched in its ability to bring life to any space, representing the balanced tones of nature and promoting a feeling of wellness and vigor.' says Patrick O'Donnell Farrow & Ball Brand Ambassador.

'If you're using green paint in your living room, pinks (another supremely popular shade) respond beautifully to green for accessories and accent choices, as do mid-tone brown-based neutrals, yellow-based neutrals, and blues.'

When you're done browsing, check out our living room ideas feature too for loads more inspiration.

1. Color block with green paint

The front of Rob and Paul's 1930s semi is like any other – but the back of the house hides a beautifully finished open-plan kitchen and garden room

Colorblocking is such an easy way to introduce some more fun shades into your living room without feeling like you are fully committing to the technicolored life. Check out how in this living room, the green only comes a quarter way up the wall, and the rest is left crisp and white. The space still feels light and airy, but the green just adds a splash of color and makes the furniture and the decor pop more than if they were just set against a totally white backdrop.

2. Create a boho vibe with green and wood

How gorgeous is this green living room? Just look at all those fabulous layers, the exposed brick, the beaded chandelier, the leopard print! And yet despite all these elements going on the room doesn't feel overwhelming, in fact, it has a very relaxing boho feel to it. It's down to the simple color palette – green and browns which look lovely layered together and means you can go a bit bolder with your pattern choices.

3. Mix green with blush pink

Pink and green should never be seen right? WRONG! Pink and green should always be seen. A dark green and a blush pink are a combo to be reckoned with and the tones you choose to match can totally change the style of your living room. Pick a deep green and a dusty pink for a very 2021 contemporary look. Or go for a more Regency vibe with pale pink and pale green if you want a more period-style vibe.

4. Go all out with one shade

Found a green paint you love? Don't hold back, use it as a four-wall color and paint your work wood and radiators too. This all-over look can create a really cozy feel, especially if you choose a darker, warm green like this fabulous deep teal. Give the wall color a lift by hanging artwork and pick furniture in contrasting colors.

5. Create a serene feel with beige and green

So far, we have a focus on quite bold green living room ideas but green lends itself to neutral, more serene spaces too. Beige is actually having a bit of a moment right now, and its lovely softness works perfectly with a cooler more muted green. Just bring in the color in small ways like in prints, plants and cushions and mix in some natural textures too, to create a really fresh, laid-back feeling living room.

6. Transform the room with a bright emerald wallpaper

A bright emerald mid-green is the perfect color to take a room that's crying out for an update to the next level. Choose bright green paint for maximum impact, or use a wallpaper for a softer look that's more suited to more traditional living room ideas.

7. Enliven dark grey with a green velvet sofa

Balfour Sofa 3 Seater - House Velvet Forest Green

Looking for green living room ideas but don't want to go all our painting the room just in case? Add a focal piece of furniture in a green hue that compliments your current space. Start with a green armchair or sofa, which will add a subtle, softening contrast to darker or neutral shades.

Love this green living room? See more grey living room ideas.

8. Cheer up a north-facing room with an intense green

Our top design tip for dark, north-facing living rooms is to pick vibrant, juicy green shades that won't be washed out by the lack of daylight. These colors really come into their own in darker rooms, looking rich rather than garish. Paradoxically, bright colors also make small space feel larger, so an all-over green shade will work well in a small living room.

9. Create a neutral palette with muted greens

If you prefer a neutral decorating scheme, but still like the idea of going for a green living room, go for muted green shades such as sage or mossy green. If in doubt, pick shades that lean more towards grey or blue for a more understated effect. Again, these tones of green look wonderful matched with greys.

10. Keep a green living room light with a pale pattern

Large and airy living rooms tend to do better with brighter, more neutral color schemes and can be drowned out by very bright colors. So, if you have a large space and are looking for green living room ideas, a wallpaper with a delicate green pattern will be your best bet.

We have more statement living room wallpaper ideas over in our gallery if you love this look.

11. Create an elegant look with sage green

traditional living room with green walls in London home

This is not an absolute rule by any means, but cool greens tend to be suitable for creating a smart, formal design scheme. This traditional living room benefits from a cool green shade that's brighter than sage, but less demanding than a bright emerald.

12. Create an easy-going scheme with ditsy prints

If yours is a country-style cottage – or you'd love to create a cottage look – a small repeat floral patterned wallpaper in green is a fabulous choice. Match it with dark woods and furs for a cozy, welcoming feel.

13. Complement warm hues with a cool green

living room with green walls leather chair and drinks cabinet

Dark floors and dark furniture tends to create a formal look, so if you're looking for green living room designs to suit a more traditional – or vintage-style – living room, pick a tone that matches the dark wood shades, but ensure you add touches of warmth in richer, hotter colors with the addition of accessories, such as rugs.

14. Warm up a cool room with turquoise green shades

Turquoise can lean either more towards blue or more towards green, but it always evokes summer and warmer climes – perfect if you want a more Continental vibe in your space. Add further warmth to a green living room by choosing furniture in bold, warm shades, such as sunshine yellow – here, the upholstery picks out the lighter tones of the wallpaper design.

15. Choose petrol green for a more contemporary feel

If your living room has a contemporary look that you want to keep subtle and stylish rather than bold, pick a piece of furniture in a deep, petrol green, rather than a louder, apple shade. It's the perfect complement to industrial materials, such as metal-framed windows and exposed brick walls.

16. Contrast olive greens with punchy furniture

Velvet sofa in a moody grey-green living room

Olive green is such an easy, elegant shade of green to live with, but what if you want to give your living room color scheme a little more punch? One way to do so is to pick furniture in bolder colors – and if you are really clever, you can add two accent colors at the same time. Here, the main accent shade is gold – seen in the sofa and accessories; the pastel pink makes a single appearance, perfect for maximum impact.

17. Choose a large repeat print for a feature wall

Farrow & Ball green wallpaper in a mid-century style living room

If you want to put green on one wall only, picking a large repeat print green wallpaper will create lots of impact. You can match this type of wallpaper design with all kinds of furniture styles to create the type of room you'd like; here, it's the perfect backdrop to Mid-century modern furniture.

18. Pick out a leafy design for a restful feel

Ask a color psychologist and they'll tell you that green is the most restful of shades; add an element of nature to your room's design, and you'll maximize the effect. So, if you're after green living room ideas that will create a restful haven, a leafy green wallpaper (or curtains, or upholstery fabric) should be your go-to choice. Push home the point by doubling up patterns, prints and colors, as here with the sofa/wallpaper combination.

19. Go two-tone for a contemporary effect

If you're feeling particularly adventurous, then you may want to introduce another bold shade to your green living room scheme. Our tip is to use just one wall, or part of a wall, for your 'wild card' color.

20. Use green to add depth

Farrow & Ball green and yellow living room

If your living space is open-plan, you may want to try zoning it into different areas with the help of different colors. Our advice is to use harmonious or contrasting colors to create a color scheme that is vibrant yet coherent.

21. Opt for green window treatments to create atmosphere

Go for green blinds or shutters in order to create a relaxed atmosphere in the living room – green window treatments will help color gently stream into the room, and you can keep the rest of the design scheme neutral.

We have more living room window ideas for your to browse.

22. Use teal as part of a darker decorating scheme

Mid century modern living room with Farrow and Ball wallpaper

Teal is another chameleon shade that can lean either towards green or towards blue, and can sit right in-between. It's a great option for creating a dark and atmospheric design scheme in your living room.

This living room combines a deep teal wallpaper with dark flooring and warm Mid-century furniture. We think it all works beautifully.

23. Accessorise with plants for a naturally green look

living room with checked sofa and abundant plant life

After a really easy green living room idea? Plants are the easiest of ways to create green accents in your living room – and they add plenty of texture, too. Combine trailing and upright plants for maximum effect, and explore our tips for transforming your home with house plants for more ideas.

24. Pick a light grey green for a period-style room

If you've installed wall paneling in your living room, picking a shade that might have been typically authentic will give it a smart, period feel. We love grey-green which, matched with black, creates a sophisticated feel. However, we'd always advocate adding a splash of warmth in furniture or accessories, with red/pink being the perfect color contrast.

25. Create a green accent wall to liven up an all-white decor

Fitted storage wall in a living space by Neville Johnson

Looking for green living room design ideas to enliven an all-white living room? A green accent wall is a great place to start. Pick an easy-going pale green shade if you prefer a more understated look and pair it with light greys and dark blues to ground the look.