Green paint colors can really elevate your home. Whether your decor leans sophisticated, rustic, or light and airy, there’s a green paint shade that suits your space. Here are some of the best greens available!
Do you feel a pang of envy when you scroll through green paint colors on Pinterest? I do too! (It took me a few years to get past my love of blue paint colors and truly fall for green wall paint. But I did!)
I often daydream about soft, glowing green bedrooms, deep bold green kitchen cabinets, and just-right sage green exterior doors. So why not indulge those fantasies by considering one of the many lovely green paints on the market?
The Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of Paint
First, a quick word about Light Reflectance Value, or LRV, of paint.
As you browse the green paint colors below, you’ll notice a couple of numbers. The first is simply the code for the shade, which you can give to the staff at your local store to ask for it. The second is that shade’s Light Reflectance Value, and I’ll explain why it matters.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) describes how bright or dark a color is. Pure white has an LRV of 100 and pure black has an LRV of 0. So the closer the LRV is to 100, the lighter and brighter the color, and the lower it drops, the darker the shade becomes.
Make sense?
LRV is a helpful tool, but what counts as a light or dark color is quite subjective. I sorted the green paint colors into three groups: light, medium-toned and dark. What I call medium-toned you might call dark. It all comes down to personal preference!
Without further ado, here are some of the best green paint colors to try in your home!
Tip: Use Real Paint Samples
Whenever you choose a new paint color, try the real paint in your home first!
The easiest, quickest way to do that is with Samplize! I use them exclusively for paint samples now. There’s no mess and no leftover pots of paint. They’re also easy to move around the room and simple to keep for future reference!
Try Samplize Paint Samples
The Best Light Green Paint Colors
You can do so much with light green paint! Create a dreamy scene in your bedroom with a soft seafoam shade, or bring relaxing spa vibes to your bathroom with an earthy, light neutral green.
Whatever you picture for light green paint, here are some favorites recommended by interior designers and homeowners alike.
Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams
SW 6204 / LRV 63
This serene, pale bluish green has a devoted following for good reason: its gray undertones keep it neutral enough to suit nearly any space. With a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 63, it’s light enough to use confidently in any room.
It’s also one of my favorite paint shades. I used Sherwin Williams Sea Salt in my kitchen in my previous home, and now I’m using it in my bathroom.
Moonshine by Benjamin Moore
2140-60 / LRV 68.28
As the name suggests, Benjamin Moore Moonshine is an ethereal pale green that’s more often described as a soft gray with green undertones, which can sometimes lean blue.
Once it’s on a wall, it definitely reads as gray, and it can shift depending on which direction the windows face and even as the sun moves across the day.
It looks quite light and neutral in this fun office from The DIY Playbook.
Oyster Shell by Benjamin Moore
864 / LRV 68.94
This is another light gray green that clearly reads as green on the swatch. It’s cool and fresh and casts a very subtle green glow, especially when trees outside reflect through the windows, without tipping into blue territory.
I adore Oyster Shell as a light wall color in this rustic-inspired room with its black, white and neutral palette.
Healing Aloe by Benjamin Moore
1562 / LRV 69.66
Healing Aloe is an incredibly popular light green shade, loved by designers and DIYers alike. This soft, pale green seems to glow in any space, which makes it ideal for nurseries, bedrooms and bathrooms, yet it’s subtle enough to suit any room in the house.
It’s a perfect wall color for this sweet green room from Life on Virginia Street.
Gray Mirage by Benjamin Moore
2142-50 / LRV: 54.9
Benjamin Moore puts it best: “An understated green with gray tones, Gray Mirage invites relaxation and calm. Perfect for turning a bedroom or bath into a tranquil sanctuary”.
Gray Mirage is a great pick if you love sage shades but want a very gentle wash of color in your bathroom, bedrooms, or on bathroom or kitchen cabinets.
Comfort Gray by Sherwin Williams
SW 6205 / LRV 54
This striking, stormy gray is the next step up from the lovely pale blue-gray greens homeowners tend to adore. It’s still light enough to stay subtle on walls in any room, yet it’s slightly darker, which gives it depth and body.
I adore how Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray looks on my kitchen pantry door.
The Best Medium-Toned Green Paint Colors
These medium-toned greens are the earthy middle ground between soft, airy light green paints and bold, eye-catching deep greens.
Earthy and botanical, one of these beautiful colors might be just right for your powder room walls or built-in cabinets.
Clary Sage by Sherwin Williams
SW 6178 / LRV 41
This lovely medium-toned sage green is wonderfully interesting…and maybe for that reason, a bit tricky to get right. It may be too saturated for most interior walls, but how charming is this exterior door?
Clary Sage adds just a pop of color next to the painted white brick. I’m officially smitten.
Sage by Sherwin Williams
SW 2860 / LRV 42
A deeply pigmented sage green with some brown mixed in, Sherwin Williams Sage has just a slight hint of yellow in its undertones.
In this stunning kitchen remodel on Inspired by Charm, it looks spectacular as a cabinet color. The shade has enough depth to be an interesting pop of color, yet it’s muted enough to read as somewhat neutral, which makes it a lovely green for exterior paint too.
Lichen by Farrow & Ball
No. 19 / LRV: Approx. 34
Here’s the description from Farrow and Ball, which I just have to share: “This calm and muted green takes its name from the ever-changing, subtle color of creeping algae that ages stone so beautifully”.
You’ve convinced me!
A beautiful sage green that’s starting to lean toward the dark side, this is a wonderful choice if you crave an earthy feel for your home. How perfect is Lichen in this lovely powder room from Elizabeth Street Post?
Storm Cloud Gray by Benjamin Moore
2140-40 / LRV 27.85
It turns out people just can’t get enough of those ambiguous, almost-gray, almost-green shades. Why? They work as a neutral while adding just a touch of intriguing color.
Take a moment to admire this moody, earthy kitchen from Remodelista. Storm Cloud Gray is muted enough to use everywhere, on the many kitchen cabinets and the trim. Gorgeous!
Oyster Bay by Sherwin Williams
SW 6206 / LRV 44
This lovely, moody green has some subtle sage qualities but is clearly a green-blue with gray undertones. It’s perfect for powder rooms and looks great with white beadboard or wainscoting, or as painted wainscoting like in my fresh-feeling dining room.
The Best Dark Green Paint Colors
Bold, subdued or mysterious, deep greens look absolutely gorgeous on cabinets and green accent walls, and they pair beautifully with brushed gold hardware.
Go for it with one of these stunning dark green paint colors!
Calke Green by Farrow & Ball
FB No. 34 / LRV ~17
I recently used this gorgeous medium-dark green in my powder room makeover. Farrow&Ball describes this color as, “This rich and traditional green … is best used either on its own on both walls and woodwork, or with a darker neutral like Old White to enhance its deep sage notes. It is particularly suitable for smaller rooms and studies due to its dark and masculine feel.”
That masculine feel pairs perfectly with the hydrangea wallpaper above it. I love how it makes the tiny powder room feel stately and traditional!
Retreat by Sherwin Williams
SW 6207 / LRV 21
If you’re a fan of blue-gray greens like Oyster Bay and want to push things a bit further, take a look at Sherwin Williams Retreat.
This deeply grayish green has rich botanical vibes, and as the name suggests, it lends a sense of sanctuary that makes you never want to leave home.
Pewter Green by Sherwin Williams
SW 6208 / LRV 12
Don’t be afraid of this dark, mysterious green. It could be exactly the sophisticated dark shade you’ve been hunting for.
Let your fireplace, home office or kitchen cabinets be wrapped in this rich, grayish green that recalls the depths of an unexplored forest. Is it strange to lust over a cabinet paint color?
I’m so taken with how luminous SW Pewter Green looks paired with gold hardware.
Farrow & Ball Green Smoke
No. 47 / LRV: Approx. 19
If you want to wow guests with an incredibly chic bathroom, Green Smoke by Farrow & Ball may be your shade. It pairs splendidly with wallpaper featuring dark leafy designs, and brushed gold accents will really pop.
Use it to make the wainscoting in your powder room stand out.
Green Bay by Benjamin Moore
2045-10 / LRV 6.51
Searching for that perfect bold emerald? Your search ends here!
Sometimes you just need the bright, saturated green of Benjamin Moore’s Green Bay for your kitchen cabinets, one that would put the Emerald City to shame.
Salamander by Benjamin Moore
2050-10 / LRV 3.66
For a dramatic accent wall that’s almost black but not quite, Benjamin Moore Salamander is a sophisticated, incredibly dark teal. It plays the role of navy, but in my humble opinion it’s far more interesting.
How stunning is Salamander as an upper wall color in this bathroom by Emily Everyday?
Hunter Green by Benjamin Moore
2041-10 / LRV 4.31
Last but certainly not least, the striking Hunter Green from Benjamin Moore is quite dark, yet unmistakably green and beautifully saturated.
It’s essentially a deep forest green with subtle, jewel-toned qualities that stop it from looking muddy or moody. It works wonderfully as an accent color alongside a neutral palette.
Final Thoughts
There you have it: some of the best and most gorgeous green paint colors out there. Whether you want a light, medium or dark green for your home, testing one of the stunning shades on this list is a great place to start your search.
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