Dear Green,

Green, oh glorious green! How I love thee. You make me feel as though Spring has sprung, because, well, quite literally, that’s what you do. You have the power to transform a barren brown tree into a feast of color and life in just a matter of weeks. You are the color of nature- plants and trees, frogs, seaweed, moss… One could argue that you are THE color of life and living organisms.

So why, if you are such a magnificent color, are you not as commonly found inside a house as you are outside of a house? I mean, you are the symbol of tranquility- shouldn’t we all want to live in a green house?

I’m a self-professed green-advocate with my clients, and I am always surprised, and a little hurt, when they push back. I recently had a client say that she- cue gasp- HATES green! What can you say to a person after that kind of comment? It’s a good thing this comment came to me by email so I had time to pull myself together. I’m sorry to say it Green, but there are people in this world who just don’t like you.

But why wouldn’t someone like you? In addition to your ties with nature, you are a symbol of money and wealth, stability and tranquility. You make me feel grounded and rooted to the Earth. You are often used in a logo if a company wants to exude wealth or luxury. If a brand’s intent is to make someone comfortable enough to way to stay for awhile- think Starbucks- the brand chooses you to be their ambassador. If I happen to find myself in a space with no green at all, it feels cold and barren, like winter. I know, that sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s true. I just can’t live without you.

I suppose I can understand why someone wouldn’t want an emerald green sofa or a kelly green wall- it’s bold and different, and can feel like a risk. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, even adding a few plants will do the trick.

Ireland loves you so much, they’ve made you their country color. The UK thought you were special enough to be the official color of their race cars and named you British Racing Green. So why, I wonder, in the US, do we consider you to be more of an accent color? Does being in the rainbow qualify you as a color? When I think of neutrals, I think of colors predominantly found in nature- blues, browns, grays, and yes, YOU.

Courtesy of Capra Designs, Photograph by Eve Wilson

If one finds oneself wanting to experiment with adding more of you in their home, let’s suggest painting an accent wall to start. Paint is a relatively low-risk interior design improvement- it’s not permanent. So don’t be scared of a green wall!

It's Not Easy Being Green