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The color sage green is an earthy green hue named after the aromatic and soothing herb sage. Sage green is often described as a soft, muted green with gray undertones. The sage color is highly regarded for its tranquility and natural elegance. Sage green has a gentle and neutral personality that makes it a popular choice on its own or when combined with other earthy colors. Sage green is a timeless color that can add a quiet touch of sophistication wherever it is used, whether on walls, decor, or furniture.
Why is Sage Green Popular?
Sage green is a color that is consistently popular in home design and decor. While some praise its adaptability, others are drawn to its calming, natural tones. Sage green is a fantastic addition to your home’s color scheme because it possesses all of these characteristics and more.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Sage green’s delicate yet refined presence gives it outstanding aesthetic appeal.
- Nature-Inspired: The classic quality of natural colors never goes out of style. The sage herb’s leaves serve as an inspiration for sage green hues, lending the shade an organic feel.
- Versatility: Sage green can function as a complementary, neutral, or foundational color, depending on the shade.
- Psychological Impact: Sage green’s benefits extend beyond its allure on the eye. The color’s natural inspiration creates a calming, peaceful atmosphere that promotes harmony and emotional balance.
Best Sage Green Paint Colors
Paint manufacturers provide an extensive range of stunning sage green paint colors for you to select from, owing to the color’s immense appeal. As is always the case with paint colors, the trick is to look at the undertones to determine whether or not a certain shade will go well with the colors in your surroundings. Select a sage green that has undertones that are similar to your other colors for the most foolproof approach. Choose a sage green with warm undertones if your home has a warm color palette, and a cool sage green for a cool color scheme.
It is also vital to consider the particular sage green color’s LRV. This stands for Light Reflectance Value and measures the amount of light a color reflects. This value ranges from 0-100. The closer the number is to 100, the more light the color reflects and the lighter it looks to the eye.
October Mist CC-550
October Mist from Benjamin Moore is a pale and subtle sage green. This sage green color has a healthy dose of gray, which mutes the colorfulness of the green. Thus, this is the ideal green to blend into other color palettes or if you want a soft and neutral sage green paint color. It leans slightly warmer, though the warmth is subtle, so it can work with a variety of color palettes. October Mist has an LRV of 46.54, so it is a light to medium range sage green.
Evergreen Fog SW 9130
Evergreen Fog from Sherwin Williams is another light sage green. It is often compared to October Mist. While these colors are similar, they have distinct differences that are worth considering. Evergreen Fog is a cooler sage green color with blue rather than brown or yellow undertones. Like all sage greens, Evergreen Fog has a healthy dose of gray that mutes the colorfulness of the hue. Evergreen Fog has an LRV of 30, so it is a medium-toned sage green.
Lichen No.19
Lichen, from Farrow and Ball, is another mid-range sage green. They compare this color to the subtle and changing color of creeping algae. It has a subtle blue, or cool, undertone, so it works beautifully both indoors and outdoors. Farrow and Ball do not publish their paint’s LRV, but this color has an estimated LRV of 34, which means that it is a mid-toned green that can hold its body even in bright light.
Silver Sage 506
As its name suggests, Silver Sage from Benjamin Moore is a barely there sage green color. This color is almost white, with a hint of gray-green added to it. Silver Sage has a warm undertone, though because the color is so light, the undertone is not strong. It also has gray in the mix, which mutes the colorfulness of the green. It has an LRV of 63, so this color reflects a considerable amount of light.
Halcyon Green SW 6213
Halcyon Green from Sherwin Williams is a cool sage green option. In fact, this color is often described as a combination of green and cyan, so it has a visible undertone of blue. This color is a medium-toned sage green with an LRV of 39. This color holds its color in a bright room, and it will look darker and more intense in a room with less natural light.
Treron No. 292
Trenon is a shade from Farrow and Ball that is a mid to dark-toned sage green. Trenon has ample amounts of gray in the mix, which keeps the color muted and earthy. This color has a balanced undertone and can change based on the surrounding colors, but it does lean slightly cool. The estimated LRV of 26 gives Trenon more body than other sage greens. It will hold its color in a well-lit environment and look moody and deep in dark rooms.
Clary Sage SW 6178
Clary Sage is a popular sage green paint color from Sherwin Williams. It is a medium-toned green with an LRV of 41 that holds its color in light rooms, but it is not too dark for rooms without much natural light. Like all sage green paint colors, Clary Sage has gray undertones that mute the colorfulness of the green. It also has yellow-brown undertones that make it lean toward the warmer end of the color spectrum.
Misted Green 2138-50
Misted Green from Benjamin Moore is another medium sage green color option that looks light in appearance. Misted Green has soft gray and cool blue undertones that make it soft but complex. Misted Green has an LRV of 46.44, but it actually appears lighter than this due to the high concentration of gray that mutes the color.
Coastal Plain SW 6192
Coastal Plain is a medium toned sage green color from Sherwin Williams. This color has gray and cool blue undertones that give it a fresh and modern feel. Because the undertones are subtle, this color changes considerably based on the surrounding colors and available light. It has an LRV of 37.
Green Smoke No. 47
Green Smoke, from Farrow & Ball, is the darkest sage green paint color on our list. It has an estimated LRV of about 19, so there is not much light reflected in this color. Yet, this color is exciting and nuanced, thanks to its complex combination of green, gray, and blue. Despite its low LRV, this color does not always appear as dark because of the ample gray in the mix. It mutes the colofulness of the color and gives it a more subtle, moody look. The appearance of Green Smoke depends heavily on the colors that surround it.
Colors That Go With Sage Green
One of the reasons people like sage green is its ability to complement a wide range of other colors. Choose colors with similar undertones to create a color palette that works well together. Here are some winning color combinations for you to try.
Sage Green and Neutrals
- White/Off-White: There are many different shades of white that look great with sage green. Even whites have undertones, so make sure the white you use has undertones that work with the sage green.
- Beige/Taupe: These warm colors add warmth to sage green and complement its natural and organic appearance.
- Black: The combination of black and sage green creates a bold and modern look.
Sage Green and Earth Tones
- Brown: Light and dark browns give sage green a grounded and natural feel.
- Terracotta: Terracotta and sage green are a stunning combination that combines the fiery earthiness of terracotta with the calming qualities of sage.
Sage Green and Cool Tones
- Gray: Light and dark grays complement sage green well because gray is such a fundamental component of the color. Sage green is updated and given a contemporary vibe by the use of grays.
- Blue: You can almost get a tone-on-tone effect by combining soft and deep blues with cool-toned sage greens.
Sage Green With Warm Accent Colors
- Yellow: Adding golden yellow accents like mustard or ochre to sage green creates a vibrant and stylish look.
- Coral/Peach: The warm pop of peach or coral adds brightness and energy to sage green.
Sage Green and Complementary Colors
- Reddish Purple: Red and green are natural complements, so lean in to the reddish side of purple. Deep purple colors like eggplant provide depth and elegance to sage green.
- Soft Pink: Soft pink and sage provide a touch of delicacy to certain shades of sage green.
Monochromatic Sage Greens
- Sage Greens: Creating a monochromatic color palette with sage greens means incorporating different sage greens with varying tones. Begin with a mid-toned sage green and add lighter and darker sage green accent colors that have a similar undertone. Including a variety of textures as well as dark or light neutrals can help give the design more depth.
Sage Green and Metallic Accents
- Gold or Brass: Gold or brass accents add a touch of luxury and sophistication to sage green.
- Silver: Silver accents do not stand out as much as gold or brass, but they provide an understated and harmonious complement to sage green.
