John Lewis's cool green kitchen, starting from £15,000

JUST as the shoots of green leaves and buds are appearing outdoors and transforming the landscape, so green shades are taking root, blooming and refreshing our homes.

You're sadly out of date if you've dismissed green as the standard colour for boring things like school uniform or the dreary paintwork choice for public buildings and institutions. Suddenly green is enjoying a new lease of life in our rooms as well as our wardrobes.

The trend for a fresh palette indoors reflects not just our heightened awareness of Nature and the environment but also a desire for a softer, warmer atmosphere for our rooms and a move away from cool, chilly neutrals.

As Sarah Cole, director of paint specialists Farrow & Ball, points out: Whether on painted or wallpapered wall, green has been the most popular colour family since colour first started appearing properly in our interiors some 350 years ago.

Today there are so many choices of green from the more drab' historical greens before Prussian blue was introduced to the paint in the 18th century, through to the later bright greens and also hugely popular blue greens. Green remains a most versatile colour suitable for any room."

If the choices are overwhelming - and a sea of green makes you feel a little queasy - be guided by interior design consultant Morwenna Brett.

She's joined the green gang' - in good company with a host of leading designers - and welcomes the palette's revival. She says: Green's always refreshing to look at and restful for tired eyes. It combines perfectly with neutrals and natural materials, especially stones.'' Morwenna, author of a new book, The Home Decorator's Tile Sourcebook, which is an invaluable guide to colour as well as tiles, believes the key to a successful interpretation of green for today's rooms is using fresh, warm tones of Spring green rather than the forest or dark ivy greens.

Modern greens are those that are softer in paler Spring-like shades or heading towards the citrus or chartreuse shades which have a crispness about them. These greens look brilliant teamed either with pale, creamy neutrals or the chic choice paired with dark, earthy colours like coffee, leather brown, and cocoa brown."

Wary of going green all over? Morwenna suggests instead adding accents of green to a monochrome scheme. "Black and white can look a little stark, but adding some brilliant green accessories, a picture or a rug will give a scheme instant vitality and verve."

Go for green by following our guide to the look.

GREEN ROOMS

NATURE'S green colours and floral-inspired patterns have traditionally featured on classic papers for traditional and period rooms and now they have been given a chic twist

10:19am Friday 11th April 2008

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