When It’s a Serene Sage Vibe: Paint Colors

The effect is organic and uplifting, and although I haven’t used sage since 1999 (remember RH’s Silver Sage?), the lush green landscape outside my windows creates serenity. While soft green colors seem to fall in and out of favor (1970s avocado, anyone?), just wait until you see how elegant it can set a mood. Serene Sage Vibe + Green Paint Colors considers the possibilities and color stories to enliven your home.

Elegant sage green French chateau bathroom in an exquisite Newport mansion. #sagegreen #frenchchateau
Photo: Douglas Friedman for Town & Country

Serene Sage Vibe + Green Paint Colors

Sage Greens With an Elegant French Feel

Good gracious, I would never leave this breathtaking bath (from an amazing Newport estate that has hardly changed since 1974!) dressed in earth angel dreamy greens. The trim offers a touch of contrast to calm green walls.

Elegant sage green French chateau bathroom in an exquisite Newport mansion. #sagegreen #frenchchateau

Which paint color would give you a similar look?

Benjamin Moore Sherwood Green

To get this look, focus on natural, leafy greens that aren’t too cool and aren’t too warm. While the color seems delicious to me, it isn’t as bright as say, an apple green. Sherwood Green has a light reflectance value (LRV) of 43.09. While this paint swatch of it (below) may appear a bit darker than the green paneled walls in the image above, bear in mind a color will get washed out with natural light.

Sherwood Green is described as “A spirited medium green with just a dash of gray.” If you like that flavor but want a slightly yellow-green, here’s a contender:

Farrow & Ball Cooking Apple Green 32

Cooking Apple Green is a Farrow & Ball classic they call “a fresh iconic green…which always feels charmingly familiar and, like all greens, creates the feeling of health and vigour. It has a rich, traditional look in darker situations, but often feels much fresher and brighter in well lit rooms and when contrasted with a bright white.”

And can you even imagine creating a moment like this with a minty sage and a warm limestone at your entrance like the one in Provence above?

These gorgeous greens would be amazing on a front door.

When I think of European Country and French farmhouse green accent colors on shutters, I think of those marvelous pastel greens. Here’s a pretty one:

Warm & Natural Sage Greens to Soothe

When you’re after a grayer green suggestive of stone, you may like BM Silver Sage.

BM Silver Sage 506

This dining room’s paneled wall and fireplace remind me of Silver Sage and…

BM Saybrook Sage

While I don’t know the exact shade of sage on paneling and fireplace surround in the elegant dining area above, it seems reminiscent of Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage. And notice how the adjacent mural is a much cooler green-blue. Such an interesting and unexpected pairing.

The unexpected and even a bit of tension are often the goal in timeless design. Rather than match safely, there’s an aliveness when colors don’t “match.” Such combinations suggest evolution over time.

Here is that yummy Saybrook Sage (combined with a warm buttercream) on a beautiful Victorian house exterior:

BM Saybrook Sage green paint color on a beautiful historic home exterior - Lynne Rutter. #saybrooksage #greenpaintcolors
BM Saybrook SageLynne Rutter

I could eat it right up. And notice how the warm sage siding is paired with a cooler pine green on window frames and the door.

Earthy Green Paint Colors Perfect in Casual Settings

Notice all of the tone on tone happening in this sitting room! An emerald green sofa with an earthy paint for walls.

Cypress Green (Benjamin Moore) painted sitting room - design by Vestige-Home, photo by Rebecca McAlpin. #cypressgreen #greenpaintcolors
Benjamin Moore Cypress Green – Design: Vestige-Home; Photo: Rebecca McAlpin

BM Cedar Mountains 706

So often, we automatically think of shades of white to paint paneling, applied moldings, and doors. However, a gorgeous sage can make a lively statement:

Cedar Mountains 706 Benjamin Moore green paint color on paneling in a beautiful home. #cedarmountains #greenpaintcolors
Benjamin Moore Cedar Mountains 706 and BM Cloud White OC-130

Here’s another possibility to liven up beadboard or wainscot with green…Farrow & Ball Whirlybird.

Farrow & Ball Whirlybird

“For “an upbeat space, try this lively green. A lighter version of Breakfast Room Green, Whirlybird is inspired by the papery winged seeds beloved by many playful young gardeners and nature lovers. It looks particularly lively in morning light and is complemented by Beverly and James White.” – FARROW & BALL

Popular BENJAMIN MOORE Sage Paints

Even when you decide you’ll paint a room or a piece of furniture an earthy green, it can be tricky to know where to begin.

A smart place to start is to look to those tried and true green paint colors that have become popular:

Sage Green paint colors from Hello Lovely Studio including Benjamin Moore Urban Nature, Sherwood Green, Louisburg Green, and Kennebunkfort Green.. #greenpaintcolors #sagegreen
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Pin this graphic above so you’ll have it for future reference!

Louisburg Green (Benjamin Moore) sage paint color in a traditional style room. #louisburggreen #greenpaintcolors
Louisburg Green HC-113 in a traditional style room – Benjamin Moore

Gloucester Sage HC-100 for Exterior Trim

What a beautiful combination on a house with BM Harbour Gray and Gloucester Sage!

Sag Harbour Gray HC-95 and Gloucester Sage HC-100 paint colors on a beautiful house exterior - Benjamin Moore. #sagepaintcolors #houseexteriors
Sag Harbour Gray HC-95 on body of house and Gloucester Sage HC-100 on trim – Benjamin Moore

Need a Green Patterned Wallpaper Idea?

Instead of simply suggesting nature or the outdoors with green pigment, you can also do it with pattern and texture.

Beautiful leafy green tree wallpaper inspired by New York's Central Park - Scalamandre Raphael wallpaper from Lulu & Georgia. #greenwallpaper #treewallpaper
Scalamandre Raphael Wallpaper, Lulu & Georgia – Serene Sage Vibes

Here’s a closer look at the various greens in the tree pattern:

Scalamandre Raphael wallpaper is a green leafy tree neutral landscape print inspired by Central Park. #treewallpaper #sagegreenwallpaper
Wallpaper: Scalamandre Raphael, Lulu & Georgia

Add green underfoot! Since I’m a huge fan of hydrangea everything, this pretty rug in the sage colorway caught my eye:

Joie Hydrangea wool rug - Rifle Paper Co.
Joie Hydrangea Wool Rug, Rifle Paper Co.

Another green wallpaper to check out is this Canopy pattern from Rifle Paper Co.

Canopy Wallpaper in sage in a beautiful room - Rifle Paper Co. #sagegreen #wallpaper
Canopy Wallpaper, Rifle Paper Co

Isn’t that green glorious with the soft browns?

Earthy Greens You May Overlook

Not all beautiful green paints have “green” in their name.

9 earthy green paint colors from Benjamin Moore to consider - Hello Lovely. #greenpaint #paintcolors #earthygreen
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Benjamin Moore Fieldstone

On that mood board above is this soothing shade of green that has become quite popular for kitchens and beyond.

Benjamin Moore Fieldstone muted sage green paint color on kitchen cabinets - @caralinesierotainteriors. #benjaminmoorefieldstone #greenkitchencabinets
@caralinesierotainteriorsBenjamin Moore Fieldstone on kitchen cabinets

It works beautifully with white in Shaker style kitchens or even French-inspired homes like Mary Ann’s former remodeled cottage in Newport:

Benjamin Moore Fieldstone paint color on cabinets in a beautiful French inspired kitchen by ClassicCasualHome. #fieldstone #greenpaintcolors
Classic Casual Home‘s kitchen with Fieldstone paint color on cabinets

What a subtle green that can appear grey or even seafoam depending on the lighting:

Fieldstone (Benjamin Moore) painted kitchen cabinets - HuttonandRay. #greenkitchen #fieldstone #greenpaintcolors
@huttonandrayBM Fieldstone for a serene sage green paint color on cabinets

BM Flora on a Front Door

What a beautiful use of Flora on this luxurious home:

Beautiful arched front door painted Benjamin Moore Flora in an Alys Beach home - @alysbeachconstruction. #benjaminmooreflora #greenpaintcolors
BM Flora: Design: @alysbeachconstruction – Photographer: @bgoodbee.photographer⁠ – Architect: @eric_watson_architect

Duxbury Gray

Here’s one of those colors that reads green but doesn’t have green in the paint color name.

Duxbury Gray (Benjamin Moore) is an earthy green paint color on kitchen cabinets - @allisonwebb. #duxburygray #greenpaintcolors
BM Duxbury Gray@allisonwebb

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke No. 47

When Charlotte (Vivi et Margot) painted her glorious French farmhouse kitchen cabinets this deep green – we were smitten!

Green Smoke (Farrow & Ball) paint color on cabinets in a rustic elegant French farmhouse kitchen by Vivi et Margot. #frenchkitchen #greensmoke #paintcolors #frenchcountrykitchen
Green Smoke (Farrow & Ball) on cabinets in this French farmhouse kitchen by Vivi et Margot

Paint Color: Farrow & Ball Green Smoke

Here’s how F&B describes it:

“A smoky green blue, this colour was popular in interiors during the late 19th century. It has an irresistibly inviting deepness and weathered familiarity when used in exterior situations, while evoking calm and serenity when used inside.”

 Farrow & Ball Green Smoke paint color is a lovely sophisticated deep mossy green. #paintcolors #farrowandball #greensmoke #greenpaintcolors

Deep greens are often used in Northwoods style cabins and lodge style interiors. However, you could use this for a moody effect in a room that has both traditional and modern elements.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke painted walls in a living room with European sophisticated style. #farrowandball #greensmoke #paintcolors #deepgreen #moodygreen #greenpaint
Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke

Psychologically speaking, green suggests: masculinity, conservatism and wealth.

Inspirational quote from Mary Oliver poem about worry. #inspirationalquote #quotes #maryoliver #poetry

Just look at how elegant the hue can be on a front door!

Beautiful entry in an English home with stunning sage green painted door - Imperfect Interiors. #entry #interiordesign #classicdesign #victorianhome #englishhome #sagegreen #greenpaint
Imperfect Interiors – green door paint resembles Farrow & Ball Green Smoke. Serene Sage Vibes!

Sage Accents & Art

I can imagine this inspiring a whole design scheme for a room:

Bay Laurel fine art print by Khara Ledonne at Minted. #baylaurel #fineartpainting
Bay Laurel Framed Fine Art Print by Khara Ledonne, Minted

From the artist: “Bay Laurels are elegant and understated trees, quietly holding that spicy-sweet leaf that flavors so much of our cooking. This bay laurel was painted in gouache on a summer day when the warm light danced on the leaves. The loose brushstrokes are playful and easy like summer afternoons.”

I love the cool tones incorporated in the work above. For warmer tones, consider this beautiful fine art:

Field of Lace by Lorent and Leif, a fine art print available at Minted. #fineartprint
Field of Lace by Lorent and Leif, Minted

From the artist: “This piece is a light-hearted painting of a field of wildflowers. The wild and free movement of the flowers remind the viewer of a warm summer day just on the verge of fall. This traditional landscape painting uses layers of different earthy hues to create texture and depth as the wispy grasses recede into the distance.”

Calm Green Patterned Tile

Here’s a tile that would be beautiful in a laundry or mud room:

More Green Paint Colors & Autumn Inspiration

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I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Acid Green Aesthetic

I encountered this sophisticated green painted bench below in Paris in the fall:

Paris in the fall is magic - Hello Lovely Studio. Come explore Dark Green Paint, Autumnal Greens & Interior Design Inspiration!
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This looks so comfy and timeless:

Sage green cotton cabin sweater from Jenni Kayne. #sagegreen
Cotton Sweater, Jenni Kayne

The Magic of Green With Copper

When you’re after a natural green for a kitchen, don’t forget how wonderfully it pairs with terracotta and copper tones.

French farmhouse kitchen with cabinets painted Farrow & Ball Green Smoke - Vivi et Margot. #frenchfarmhouse #kitchen #farrowandball #greensmoke
ABOVE & BELOW: Vivi et Margot – paint color on cabinets: FARROW & BALL Green Smoke – see this French farmhouse near Bordeaux HERE…certainly inspiring indeed.
French farmhouse kitchen with cabinets painted Farrow & Ball Green Smoke - Vivi et Margot. #frenchfarmhouse #kitchen #farrowandball #greensmoke

In another kitchen with Green Smoke, it harmonizes beautifully with the brick floor:

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke on walls and built-ins of a mud room by Park and Oak. #greensmoke #farrowandballgreensmoke #greenpaintcolors
Park and Oak – Farrow and Ball Green Smoke

Tone on Tone Green Color Story

While I don’t often see this repetition in American kitchens, European homeowners and English country design seem to embrace it.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke on walls and cabinets of a laundry room by Simply Scandi Katie. #farrowandball #greensmoke #paintcolors #darkgreen #greenpaint
ABOVE: Farrow & Ball Green Smoke on cabinets as well as walls of laundry room by @SimplyScandiKatie.

It’s also helpful to see brass paired with the green!

Love the rusticity of scaffold boards used for above countertop? Watch this video where you’ll see them with the gorgeous green.

Tone on tone greens can read classic and preppy, yes? And isn’t a mix of greens interesting like the peely apple green French bistro chairs and Tarrytown Green woodwork…

Chic she shed garden retreat with luxurious interior in backyard by Susanne Hudson. Green trim is painted Benjamin Moore Tarrytown Green.
Design: Susanne Hudson/Photo: Erica George Dines for Country Living magazine. Serene sage vibes and paint colors (trim: BENJAMIN MOORE Tarrytown Green.)
Inspirational quote from Mae West: You only live once. #inspirationalquote #quotes #maewest

Fall Inspiration With Eucalyptus Green

Inspirational quote about mistakes and humility. #inspirationalquote #quotes #humility #personalgrowth #motivational
Inspirational quote about gratitude and courage: the most powerful weapon against...#inspirationalquote #quotes #courage #personalgrowth

See this story about French greens for ideas for lighter tones.

Gorgeous grapes in fall floral arrangement by Sarah Winward. #fallflowers #autumnfloral #floralarrangements
Sarah Winward

Discover more inspiring interior design HERE and lovely paint colors HERE. Easiest way to see if a paint color will work? Order samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.

Funny inspirational definition of coddiwomple. #quotes #travel #coddiwomple
Gorgeous fall floral arrangement in vase - Come explore Dark Green Paint, Autumnal Greens & Interior Design Inspiration!
Cornell Florist – certainly an inspiring color combination for fall indeed.
Gorgeous and dramatic fall floral arrangement. #fallflowers #autumnfloral #floralartistry
Design Sponge…certainly a gorgeous fall arrangement indeed.

Eat & Wear Your Greens

j.crew: quilted downtown field jacket for women, right side, view zoomed

Snagged these jeans and highly recommend Paige:

PAIGE Transcend - Hoxton High Waist Ankle Skinny Jeans, Main, color, KODA
Paige Hoxton High Waist Skinny Jeans…in case some comfy mom-waisted jeans are calling.
Wendell Berry poem THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS on Hello Lovely. #wendellberry #peacepoetry

Are you more of BLUE lover? Collect paint color ideas in THIS.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

Thanks for shopping RIGHT HERE to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!

Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Slipcovered Dining Chair
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Slipcovered Sofa
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
French Country Headboard
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Round French Tufted Ottoman
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Rustic Country French Dresser
Laurel Wreath Mirror
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Pamela Arm Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Country Wood Chandelier
French Linen Dining Chair
Gustavian Cabinet
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Bar Stool
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Rattan Armchair
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Designer Favorite Wall Mirror
Holborn Lantern Pendant
French Country 6-Light Chandelier
Tray Side Table
French Country Upholstered Arm Chair
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Jute Area Rug
Mohair Throw
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Linen Modern Wing Chair
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Scrubbed Wood 5-Light Chandelier
Arched Champagne Wall Mirror
Moravian Star 1-Light Pendant
Highback Armchair
Mini Pendant Light
White Vase Set
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Linen Duvet Set
Round Marble Side Table
Rustic Pedestal Farm Table
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing