Emerald embrace

Designers’ appetites for shades of green have been insatiable.

The rich, jewel-toned hues of emerald and deep green are making a particularly striking comeback – hues like Resene Stromboli, Resene Kaitoke Green and Resene Atlas. Saturating a room in the velvety embrace of green is a great way to add elegance to a room.

Green has long held a powerful place in design history. For centuries the hue has been associated with royalty, nature and the divine. Green pigments were rare in ancient times, and the colour was generally reserved for the elite. Think of the lush green robes in Renaissance paintings or the emerald jewels adorning royal crowns. Green symbolised both wealth and the vitality of life, thanks to its connection to fertile land. The allure of jewel tones – rich, saturated colours like emerald, ruby sapphire – has never truly faded. But now we’re seeing these hues experience a renaissance in interiors. As global design trends shift towards a slightly more sophisticated, refined aesthetic, deep greens like Resene Stromboli and Resene Kaitoke Green have surged in popularity.

The trendiness of green can also be attributed to its popularity with celebrities. Greens have made appearances in a number of celebrity homes – Vanessa Hudgens’ and Emma Chamberlain’s kitchens are both washed in avocado greens. Both homes are a perfect example of how green can effortlessly transition between classic elegance and modern chic.

When you saturate a room with a single green tone – whether it’s emerald or a more muted variation – you create an environment that feels elegant and undeniably luxurious. There’s something quite special about enveloping a space in one colour, as it gives the room a sense of total unity and harmony. The beauty of cocooning a room in one hue, like this one in Resene Stromboli, is that it creates an atmosphere of calm and intimacy. A room bathed in a single colour becomes an enveloping space where time slows down.

Resene Stromboli is our star in this casual dining space, a soft, deep green that gives the room a sophisticated feel. The hue feels velvety and invites you into the space, whether that be to sit and read a book or to share a meal. For the floorboards, we opted for Resene Breathe Easy – a soft, muted off-white that complements the richness of Resene Stromboli while maintaining a sense of lightness. The combination of these two tones instantly adds contrast without breaking the room’s unified look.

The furniture choices here were key. For the bench seat, we chose Resene Deep Teal, a clean blue-green that enhances our Resene Stromboli painted walls without clashing. This deep teal is a perfect match for our warmer hues and wood tones in the space. The dining table was another opportunity to play with colour. Resene Teak for the table legs is a tea-stain brown shade, offering a beautiful contrast to the green tones and warms up the space. For the tabletop, cream Resene Putty balances the boldness of the green while adding a modern, subtle touch.

We added ceramics to the table to add to the personality of the room: an oblong antique plate in soft, muted pink Resene Casal, a small bowl in pale, buttery yellow Resene Popcorn and another plate in rich terracotta Resene Tuscany. Planters painted in Resene Deep Teal and Resene Casal, a muted and greyed green blue, bring in more of the jewel tones and a little greenery. A tall plant will also work to lengthen your room and give the illusion of higher ceilings.

To further tie the room together, why not create a personalised upcycled wall hanging using colours from your scheme?

Here’s how to get the look:

• Start with an old plate. Give it a light sand and a wipe clean to ensure a good surface for painting. Apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal to help the colours adhere, followed by a basecoat of Resene Teak.

• Next, sketch out linear patterns across the plate using a pencil. Choose colours like Resene Casal, Resene Deep Teal and Resene Tuscany to paint in some of the shapes.

• After the colours are dry, add a border with Resene Popcorn to create a striking contrast against the darker tones.

• Attach a hook to the back and you’ve got a fresh piece of art to complete your room.

To soften the richness of the emerald tones, introduce texture with velvet brown cushions. The deep, tactile nature of velvet contrasts beautifully with the smoothness of the green walls, adding an extra layer of luxury. Pair these with a cream or beige chair to provide visual balance – these neutral tones help to prevent the space from feeling too heavy and provide a calming counterpoint to the boldness of the green. A basket with a throw in Resene Bastille, a deep, warm grey, adds texture. The combination of textures and colours here feels effortlessly chic and utterly timeless.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Moneuan Ryan. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2024