Forest green is both trendy and timeless, and it is one of the most popular colors for home renovation.
If you’re planning on featuring forest green in your home, such as for furniture and paint, you might be wondering which colors to pair with it.
Read on to find out about the colors that go with forest green!
What Is Forest Green and What Goes With It?
Luckily, forest green is versatile and goes with many colors. Forest green is an earthly, dark color with grayish tones.
Even though it’s dark, the serenity the color evokes makes it appropriate for large spaces and centerpieces.
Many colors go well with forest green, from those on the opposite end of the color wheel to other shades of gray.
Other earth tones complement the peaceful nature that forest green evokes. On the other hand, some dynamic colors make great accents in a complex space.
What Colors Go With Forest Green?
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Many colors pair well with forest green, either as compliments or contrasting colors. Read on to learn about some of the most popular ones.
1. Mustard Yellow
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Mustard yellow has seen a resurgence in the last few years and is one of the most popular decor colors to use in the home. It is a perfect accompaniment to forest green because they are both earth tones with similar vibrancy.
Of course, mustard yellow is a louder color, which sometimes leads to it having an overwhelming impact.
Using primarily forest with a touch of mustard here and there is a way to mitigate that while still bringing vibrancy into a space. Try painting a neutral room with a forest green accent wall and then having a chair or lamp in mustard yellow.
2. Peach
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Subtle and gentle peach might not be a color you imagine being compatible with forest green. However, pink and green are a tried-and-true match made in heaven. The deep tones of green pair so well with the light and airy pink.
In this case, forest green and peach are on the subtle side of their respective colors.
The peach’s warm tones offset the more gray-scale forest beautifully. Opt for a lighter peach for an accent wall or rug and a more vivid blend for small decor pieces. These two colors often look great as part of the same piece.
3. Burnt Orange
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Burnt orange is another color that’s been sweeping the design world for the past few years. One of the most popular color combinations is orange and green (and for good reason).
The warmth of the orange pairs perfectly with green’s cool tones while still being earthy. This color is somewhat like the orange version of forest green, being vibrant without coming off as overbearing.
Together, these two colors bring the outdoors into your home as two of the most beautiful earth tones. These two colors would look great as throw pillows or swirled together on a rug.
4. Burgundy
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Many people are wary of pairing red with green on principle because of its enduring association with Christmas. Forest green is definitely a very festive color if used in that context, as it is reminiscent of holly leaves.
Most reds will, likewise, be too holiday-reminiscent when paired with forest green. However, that is not the case for burgundy. Burgundy has just the right amount of brown tones to escape any seasonal associations.
Red and green are naturally a wonderful combination, as they are opposite on the color wheel. Pairing burgundy and forest green will give your home an opulent feel without being over the top.
5. Charcoal Gray
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Grays are probably the most popular interior design trend, and they have sticking power. Gray is a wonderfully versatile shade that compliments almost any color, especially earth tones.
Forest green goes well with almost any shade of gray because it has a bit of gray in it, too. Charcoal gray and forest green are a natural combination because of their calming energy and adaptability.
This pairing would be particularly striking in places like a kitchen, with forest green cabinets and charcoal countertops and hardware.
What’s more, it can be utilized outside. Try using charcoal gray planter pots to go with natural forest green ferns and plants.
6. Teal
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Teal is another more unusual choice to pair with forest green. There can be some risk when pairing two shades of the same color together because if they look too similar, it can seem accidental.
However, teal is so different from forest green that their match will be purposeful. The more whimsical nature of teal goes well with the slightly subdued forest green.
Teal is an outstanding accent color for a room that features a lot of forest green because it will add a pop of vibrancy while staying on theme.
Further, teal integrates well with most of the other colors on this list if you’re looking to build an entire color scheme.
7. Brown
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If you’re attracted to forest green because of its earthiness, you’ll be sure to love pairing it with browns. Browns and greens in general are a match made in heaven and are often seen in nature.
Due to its natural abundance, this color grouping works with almost any shade of each color. Both cool and warm-toned browns will look beautiful paired with forest green. Even lighter shades, like tan or beige will stand out against the green.
That makes forest green an ideal color palette if you have a lot of wood in your home. A forest green rug against a hardwood floor or a forest green vase on top of a wooden armoire delivers a gorgeous contrast.
8. Royal Blue
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At first glance, royal blue might not be an obvious choice to pair with forest green. As with burnt orange, royal blue is maybe the blue counterpart to forest green.
It is deep and vivid without being too bright, and it works as an accent color or palette centerpiece.
Because royal blue and forest green are statement hues, it’s more common to use one as an accent and the other as the central color. In addition, these two together work well as joint accents on browns or grays.
9. White
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You can’t really go wrong with white when decorating a home. It’s a timeless color that has the magical ability to fade into the background. That allows other hues in the room to stand out rather than be overwhelmed.
Green and white are one of the most beloved color combinations because they inject vibrance and serenity together. Forest green goes incredibly well with white, especially in the bathroom or kitchen.
A forest green shower curtain against white subway tiles or forest green dishes stacked on white cabinets will give your home a calm and lively quality.
10. Magenta
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This is a bold choice to pair with forest green, but it is all the more stunning for it. If you are looking for some bold pops of color to go with a more subdued palette, magenta is an excellent choice.
Again, pink and green are a fun yet classic color combination that goes with almost all neutrals, from browns to grays. Magenta is almost the opposite of peach in what it has to offer when paired with forest green.
While peach allows the green to stand out, magenta will be the star of the show next to forest green. That means that just a little goes a long way and will be the perfect amount of eye-catching.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Now that you’ve learned all the basics of forest green, you might still have some lingering questions. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions.
Are forest green and sage green the same?
There are a few similar shades of green that can sometimes get confused. Forest green, sage green, and even emerald green can be mistaken for each other.
Each of these shades is a deep green with slight gray tints that make them so earthy. Think of forest green as a midway point between sage and emerald. Emerald is the most vibrant of the three, while sage is the grayest.
What makes an “earthy” color?
As the description suggests, earthy colors appear regularly in nature. Of course, even colors like magenta and bright orange can appear in nature in things like flowers and birds.
However, earthy colors are usually more common and less vibrant. Shades of blues, yellows, greens, and browns are often considered the most earthy.
They are abundant in nature in all climates. Forest green is named after the place where it primarily occurs in nature, with many leaves and pines being that shade.
Which colors clash with forest green?
Because of its earthy tones, almost any color can work with forest green. However, there are a few that are best to avoid if possible:
Crimson (While red and green certainly complement each other, this particular pairing of shades is widely associated with Christmas. Unless you want to be merry and bright all year long, stick to darker reds) Olive (Olive green and other greens with yellow-ish tones can sometimes appear too similar to forest.
It can look very nice to have mixed greens, but if the hues are difficult to distinguish, it can look like a mistake) Bright yellow (Any color that is too bright and artificial-looking, like highlighter yellow or chartreuse, might clash with the earthy tones that forest brings)
Still, while these colors don’t classically go with forest green, there are no hard and fast rules you must rigidly adhere to!
Consider how severe the clash would be within the context of where these colors would be present. After all, other shades or a room’s overall design might mitigate the issue.
What are the opposite of earth tones?
Since earthy tones are those that abundantly occur in nature, the opposite is also true.
Very artificial colors, such as neons, are not classified as earthy. If you can’t imagine a color existing naturally, then that hue is not something earthy.
Do different shades of green go together?
Yes! Mixing different shades of the same color can make a home look sophisticated and subtle. Plus, sticking to one color scheme can make it easier to decorate and paint.
When looking at green shades, consider those that have similar undertones as they usually go well together. To aid your search, use a green color wheel or palette to see which ones complement each other.
What Goes Best With Forest Green?
Forest green is one of the most popular home colors for many good reasons. It is peaceful and serene and, best of all, goes well with other earth tones and bright colors.
These combinations will make a beautiful home, whether for paint, décor, or furniture. Now that you know all about forest green and about colors that go with forest green, all that’s left to do is start designing!