Feeling blue? Why not add some green

Calm and organic, green-blue colours guide our interiors towards a state of serenity and tranquillity. Harmonising blue’s gentle association to the ocean and sky with green’s ties to inner peace and strength, this colour blend encourages us to stop and stand still, relax and reset.

The versatility of green-blues is such that they can be used in any room from a hallway, powder room to a bathroom, offering all the peace you could want. These uplifting hues are the restful answer to the busy day-to-day lives that can so easily overwhelm us at times.

Create a feast for the eyes with the dark turquoise of Resene Hippie Blue in the lower half of a wall, with its 1960s feel, married with the soft pastel mauve of Resene Wonderland. Paint your trims in the apricot rose of Resene Wax Flower with accent items in pistachio mint Resene Chelsea Cucumber.

If you’re set on bringing the blue-green duo into your home but aren’t clear on just how, consider your preference for green-based hues or blue-based hues to help guide your choice. Would you prefer more green or more blue? The beauty of this blend is that you can take it any direction that suits you – serene seafoam, dusky aqua, gemstones, teals or punchy turquoise.

Resene Colour consultant Amy Watkins suggests trying green-based colours such as Resene Opal or Resene Sea Nymph to Resene Jet Stream, through to the more blue-based hues of Resene Kumutoto or Resene Ziggurat.

Painting your walls in a rich teal will bring a sophisticated, elegant feel to your interior, as well as a feeling of cosiness. These luxurious shades suit any room and look best paired with trims in Resene Poured Milk. Teal tones of Persian blue-green Resene Maestro paired with a burst of fruity terracotta in Resene Japonica on accents or the sumptuous Resene Deep Teal paired with the blue of Resene Cobalt will build a beautiful look. Or try the peacock teal of Resene Dauntless mixed with Resene Sea Fog in accents.

Chalky seafoams evoke the sound of rippling waves and walking through shallow waters barefoot. These hues have a calming feel, ideal for living rooms or bedrooms where we like to escape from a busy, noisy day and recharge in a tranquil environment. Bring in this feel to your home with Resene Duck Egg Blue, with trims in Resene Half Villa White, or the pale duck egg blue-green of Resene Half Jet Stream, paired with the warm milky hue of Resene Swiss Coffee.

Stylist Megan Harrison Turner recommends turning your eyes to nature as your inspiration, taking into account any vista of the sea you might have from a room.

Tie in green-blues with soft grey-browns, by way of a playful approach to paint in various shapes and sizes. The wall in this reading corner is in Resene Half Athens Grey with a shape in Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe, the left wall is in Resene Oilskin, the floor is in Resene Quarter Delta with a shape in Resene Atomic and curvy timber headboard is stained in Resene Colorwood Riverstone. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

“Because so much of our land is on the coastline – and we are islands after all – green-blues work well. Any room that has an outlook onto the sea could be in a green-blue, as could any room that has an outlook onto the bush as the bush tends to be dark-greyed green, which sits well with green-blues. In a way, windows are basically large picture frames, the subject of which changes from day to night and drawing colours of nature into a room enhances a space,” she says.

“For a city home, try the cloudy light blue of Resene Nebula, icy Resene Loblolly or more hints of green in the pale duck egg of Resene Jet Stream. In the country, bring in the white undertones of Resene Paris White or the aqua-tinged grey of Resene Ashanti. These colours are gentler and paler than a seascape or a landscape so they are lovely background colours for a room that won’t overwhelm.

“Intense green-blues need careful lighting and a little pigment goes a long way.

Morning routines are best when they take place in an invigorating, yet peaceful, setting as seen here in this bathroom. The walls are in Resene Longitude, floorboards are in Resene Midwinter Mist, vanity and backsplash are in Resene Juniper and monstera hooks and peg stool are in Resene Streetwise. Project by by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

“So Resene Half Emerge, Resene Cut Glass, Resene Hermitage and Resene Breeze are where I’d look first. Then get braver with Resene Conch, Resene Ashanti and Resene Wishlist. Aquas are great colours for New Zealand’s North Island. The teals and green-blues that suit the South Island are deeper, such as Resene Teal Blue, Resene Stromboli, Resene Cutty Stark and Resene Bush,” Megan says.

For an entrance way where you want to lighten the space, Kate Alexander, creative director of Places and Graces, suggests the pale blue-green of Resene Jet Stream. “It also works in a living area with an outlook to the sea. In some lights it's the exact match of the sea on an overcast day. Resene Ashanti is good for the same thing but with a hint of grey, a little softer and less icy.”

Deeper blue greens with a chalky tone like Resene Thor, Resene Undercover and Resene Juniper work well for a whole room, when aiming to create a cosy and calming space, Kate says.

Warmtimber and fresh white are the perfect additions to a green-blue interior,polished off with a textured rug in an oatmeal hue. In this dining room, the panelled wall is in Resene Ziggurat, the floor is in Resene Mountain Mist, the tall plant pot is in Resene Alabaster, the DIY abstract artwork is in Resene Celeste, Resene Nocturnal, Resene Rolling Stone, Resene Blue Bayoux and Resene Alabaster with frame in Resene Half Duck Egg Blue and the bowl (on table) is in Resene Nebula. Project by Laura Lynn Johnston, image by Wendy Fenwick.

“A clean aqua-green like Resene Scandal or its softer coastal version Resene Half Kumutoto are fun tones to use in a children’s room or playful family space,” she says. “If you want to just dip your toe in a brighter turquoise, try using it inside a hall cupboard as a surprise with tones like Resene Ming, Resene Blue Chill or Resene Guru.”

Bright and refreshing turquoise, uplifts and energises. Although this sharper hue will suit any room, it especially works well in bathrooms where we like to feel stimulated and fresh. Try the lively aqua of Resene Freelance paired with a cool grey.

And amid this tranquillity you can still add a touch of life to your surfaces. A limewash patina using a green-blue tone will bring a sense of movement to your walls, without dominating the room. To give your tranquil home a touch of texture, bring in a limewash patina with Resene FX Paint Effects medium. Or get creative in other ways, such as tying in a tone-on-tone effect with furniture. Stay with the green-blue colour family but go lighter by painting your chairs, cabinets or bookshelves in lighter tones. Furniture in sky blue or a pale jade will pop against a background of rich turquoise, harmonising your interior with this rejuvenating colour palette.

For more colour ideas and inspiration, visit your Resene ColorShop. Get inspired by projects from other home decorators at www.habitatbyresene.co.nz. Search by room and colour to narrow down inspiration to suit your project.