Sage advice: how green become the new neutral

Science says that the colour green can help to diffuse anxiety, create an overall feeling of calm and boost your inner optimist. How? Well, being surrounded by green actually puts less strain on our retinas, which, in turn, allows our nervous system to relax. Clever nature, eh?

As a result, design experts now flock to an earthy palette when creating spaces designed to relax and rebalance (fun fact: it’s also the reason actors retreat to a ‘green room’). Plus, green hues look undeniably chic. But can you go green on a budget without turning into an Instagram interiors cliche? And is it a trending aesthetic that, in reality, won’t outlast 2022?

Well (in that particular order), yes and no. Whether you ease yourself in with a khaki cushion or wash your walls, skirtings and ceilings with sage, green is an affordable style stalwart that’s set to become the hardest working neutral in your home for aeons – just don’t tell greige, yeah?

Decor novices, tentative types and tenants, listen up: ‘Soft furnishings, indoor plants and light fittings are an easy way to refresh your home,’ says Channel 4’s George Clarke. ‘They’re affordable and they look good, too.’

Cue the John Lewis Segment Cushion in Myrtle Green. Consciously crafted from 100% cotton and filled using Downpass-certified, ethically sourced feathers, this stylish design detail is as soft and light as your most perfect white tee, meaning it feels as good as it looks when you fancy a snuggle on the sofa.

Looking to customise pre-loved pieces for an instant update? Try our DIY Recycled Ticking Stripe Furnishing Fabric in Verde. Perfect for pro upholsterers and interior enthusiasts, the stripes and colour combo will ensure you stay one style step ahead for 2023. 

Whether you’re moving home, refreshing your pad or looking for the perfect present for a green-eyed pal, think ‘successories’ – aka, decadently delightful home accessories that always adorn the most stylish of shelves and boast great gift credentials to boot.

From diffusers and vases to candles and lamps, you’ll be hard-pushed to find someone who doesn’t love sprucing up their interiors with a stylish, standout piece. But make it green and call it #mantelscaping and they’ll be laughing all the way to the trends bank this season.

For home offices, you can’t go wrong with the John Lewis Bankers Desk Lamp. Both elegant and sculptural, it’s the ideal buy for WFH-ers and classic-design aficionados alike. Meanwhile, for birthdays, bar mitzvahs, weddings and housewarmings, Diptyque’s Figuier Vert Scented Candle, with its fresh wood and fig-leaves fragrance, will instantly transport you from the mantelpiece to a lush Mediterranean landscape. 

Pondering what shade of green might best suit furnishings in your living space or bedroom? Don’t stop at sage or pear: instead, think of green as a neutral that can pair with pretty much anything, be it a deep-emerald sofa or the covetable Swoon Karla Armchair in Fern Velvet. Fusing the laid-back angles of a deckchair with a weathered oak frame and soft, feather-filled back cushion, this iconic piece is perfectly pitched for kicking back after a long day.

Of course, the next question is: what colours go with green decor? Traditionalists may prefer to pair this palette with earthy taupes, antique brass, terracotta and ivory, while modernists will look to monochrome details to inject drama. 

If you’re looking for a surefire way to transform your home into a soothing, calming, cocoon-like sanctuary, house plants are the answer. While the past few years have triggered a rise in at-home wellness tech, ultrasonic diffusers and luxury loungewear, our adoration for indoor house plants has similarly skyrocketed.

Believed to bring down stress levels, improve our mood and encourage creativity, there’s no faster way to bring the outdoors in than with this gorgeous Botanical Monstera Deliciosa plant, which thrives in a well-lit spot and cultivates feel-good vibes as standard.