Forest Green Color – Explore Unique Shades of Forest Green

Picture flying over a vast forest landscape, and you are close to what the forest green color is like. However, there are so many shades of green that it can be difficult to differentiate between all that is available. So, we have separated forest green and will be discussing things like colors that go with forest green, so you can create amazing forest green color palettes for the home.

What Is the Forest Green Color?

As a part of the green family, forest green is part of the darker side that is supposed to represent the plants and trees of the forest. The web color in the table below shows a forest green that can be described as dark lime green. You can find this color online by typing in the forest green hex code, which helps to identify specific colors. The table also includes relevant color codes for printing and graphic designs.

Forest Green Color: A Brief History

In general, green has quite a history, starting with the Ancient Egyptians and Romans. During later years, green pigments were quite difficult to come by and some were even highly toxic. Thankfully, there are many safer synthetic pigments available today. Forest green, as a color name, only became known in the early 1900s.

In art, when painting objects like leaves, it is not only a single color but a multitude of shades and tones that help create an image that resembles the real thing.

However, it does impart a sense of growth and nature. To show how many shades of green can be used in a painting, consider Symphony in Green and Gold (1912) by Thomas Wilmer Dewing. The official motor-racing color in the United Kingdom is known as British racing green”, which can be described as a dark forest green. This color association can be traced back to the early 20th century, when auto races were held in Ireland. The cars were made in green to show appreciation to the host country of Ireland.

Over the years, forest green has played a role in worldly culture. The forest green color can be seen on most maps, representing the natural vegetation. Many schools have taken on the forest green color, as well as the Boy Scouts of America. Various sporting teams also use forest green, for example, the Minnesota Wild Ice Hockey Team. Forest green is also often a color found in camouflage uniforms. Forest green is now also becoming more popular in fashion and graphic design as well as interior design.

Forest Green Color Meaning

All the symbolism and meanings of forest green are the same as all shades of green. However, dark forest green can be associated more with being conservative and masculine as well as the color representing wealth. Since forest green represents nature, it is also associated with freshness, growth, balance, fertility, hope, health, harmony, and safety. 

This color also has a negative side and can be linked to things like greed, envy, and materialism.

Shades of Forest Green

If you are looking for colors that are similar or slightly lighter or darker, then you can have a look at some of the below shades of forest green. It is remarkable how many varieties you can get just from a single color. Each color below has a table with the forest green hex code along with the different shades and their hex code.

Kelly Green

This is a more intense shade of green that is named after an old Irish family. The bold color is often associated with St. Patrick’s day. 

Kelly green is a vibrant green that strongly represents independence, but can also show stubbornness. 

Seafoam Green

A soft and fresh color that can be described as a soft cyan that has a grayish undertone. The greenish-blue color contains slightly more green than blue and can be found near the aqua color on the color wheel.

Hunter Green

This color is dark yellow-green and is quite a popular color in fashion. English hunters wore this color before it was replaced by olive drab. 

Hunter green has seen its ups and downs as a trending color.  

Lime Green

Lime green is a more vibrant color, similar to the peel of the citrus fruit it is named after. You can describe this color as being a greenish-yellow and a lighter shade of green that has more energizing qualities.

Colors That Go With Forest Green

Forest green can be an interesting color to work with. Even though it goes well with most colors, some combinations might clash or be out of date. However, most natural or neutral colors go with forest green beautifully. Colors like brown, cream, beige, gray, gold, black, and of course, white. 

The best way to find colors that go with forest green is to experiment!

Complementary Forest Green Colors

Forest green complementary colors stand out when paired. In this case, it is a deep magenta that is positioned opposite forest green on the color wheel. Shades of red are also complementary to forest green. Red and green do bring up images of Christmas, so in some cases, you might not want to pair these colors.

Deeper pinks like magenta can produce an interesting combination that can be considered a bold choice. Slightly softer colors like dusty pink add a feminine touch when paired with forest green, and produce a fun and inviting feel.

Analogous Forest Green Colors

These colors are all in the same neighborhood when looking at the color wheel. These colors are usually pleasant and easy to look at. This can include green with yellowish undertones and moving into shades of yellow, as well as greens with more of a blue undertone. 

You can also consider colors like mustard yellow or teal. 

Monochromatic Forest Green Colors

This combination of colors uses various darker and lighter versions of a single color like forest green. If you want to add more interest and depth to a design, monochromatic colors are a good place to start. These colors also automatically work well together, so are easy to use.

Triadic Forest Green Colors

When referring to the color wheel, triadic colors can be seen as a familiar triangle shape. These colors can offer a nice contrast and include dark reds like burgundy and dark blue or royal blue. Other colors to also consider are burnt orange and lighter shades of blue. 

For interiors, forest green and dark reds can be vibrant and are best paired with other neutrals like cream to white to create a more open look. 

What Colors Make Forest Green Acrylic Paint?

When mixing colors, it is important to understand how paint pigments interact with each other. To do so, a knowledge of color theory can help. It is also helpful to always consider the paint colors, as each paint manufacturer might include different ingredients. There are also different types of blues and greens, which is referred to as a color bias.

Green, a secondary color, is made by blending two primary colors, which are yellow and blue. We referred to color bias earlier, which means colors can be either warm or color. Green and blue colors are cool, while reds and yellows are warm. However, these colors can also have different undertones. For example, ultramarine blue is a warm blue because it has a slight reddish undertone.

Forest green is considered a cool green, so to achieve a green that is as close as possible to forest green, you can try mixing a cool blue like cobalt blue or cerulean blue with lemon yellow. You can experiment with different proportions but try taking two parts yellow and one part blue. 

While experimenting, remember to keep a color chart, where you can record all your proportions.

Creating Forest Green Color Palettes for the Home

To create a balanced forest green color palette, you should try and combine the proper colors, patterns, and textures. Forest green can be a great color for any room in the home. In the bedroom, used with more neutral whites and beiges, it can create a relaxing space. Darker greens also work better in spaces with plenty of light, so south-facing rooms are the best choices.

Forest green can also bring some freshness to a bathroom space, and you do not have to go overboard. Simply bring in towels and other accessories like toothbrush holders or soap dishes in forest green. You can also include natural greenery, such as leafy plants. This would work especially well and contrast nicely with a white or gray backdrop.

Forest green cabinetry in the kitchen should provide a statement, used in combination with white, gray, and other neutrals like cream, beige, or gold. You can also use a variety of green shades including forest green in the living room to bring a fresh and comforting look. Again, you pair it with more neutral colors, so you do not get too overwhelmed.

You can easily do an accent wall in forest green. However, if you are looking for a cozy and cocoon-type effect, painting all the walls forest green can provide that. To pull it off, the room should have plenty of light and maybe be balanced by a white ceiling and light wood flooring. You can also add pops of color like blue or red or orange. If forest green walls are too much for you, you can easily still bring in the color as an accent using cushions, throws, drapes, rugs, and other accessories.

Forest green might be a bit more challenging to use in designs than other more well-known shades of green. Even though it has seen a downward trend since the 1990s, it seems that forest green and other shades of green are seeing a comeback, especially when it comes to interior designs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Colors Make Forest Green?

As with all greens, it is a secondary color, which is made by blending blue as well as yellow. This particular shade of green is darker, so more blue might be needed. However, there are also a variety of lighter and even darker shades of forest green.

What Are the Forest Green Complementary Colors?

Green and red are complementary colors, while forest green complementary colors can include dark magenta, various shades of red and pink, as well as a variety of orange hues. These colors stand out and highlight certain aspects of a design.

What Are Some Popular Forest Green Paint Colors?

There are certain well-known paint manufacturers, who produce a myriad of paint colors. There is the Benjamin Moore Forest Green 2047-10, which is a captivating green color, while Sherwin Williams has the Dard Hunter Green SW 0041, which is a deep forest green color.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.