COLOUR CONFIDENCE Sophie Robinson on emerald green

Our columnist knows all about the power of a hue, and each month she shows you how to make a shade work in your home

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EMERALD GREEN

While Dorothy knew she wasn ’t in Kansas any more, I felttotally athomewhenthecharacters in TheWizardofOz entered the streets of the Emerald City. What a place! My young eyes filled with wonder at all the decor fabulousness (not to mention the ‘horse of a different colour ’). Having made such a powerful impression on my colour-loving heart, emerald has remained a favourite ever since. Vibrant and dramatic, it emanates awe-inspiring opulence from a land far, far away.

Closer to home, in biophilic design, which suggests that connections to nature are good for our wellbeing, green is the go-to hue for creating a feeling of wellness in a space. And if you ’ re looking for something that’ s less leaf, more luxe, emerald has a lot to offer.

When working it up into an interior design scheme, I’doptforfeelgoodfinishes,suchassilksandvelvets,andbeautiful naturalpatternssuchasmalachiteorjunglebotanicals.Or,tokeep channellingTheWizardofOz,takeinspirationfromtheArtDeco stylethatdominatedthe1930ssetdesign,fromthesumptuous curvilinear furniture to geometric fan motifs.

Emerald is a deep colour that looks stunning against other rich dark tones, so go walnut for woods, gold for metallics, and add sparkle with mirror and glass. Pairing it with other jewel tones is an obvious choice, but you can also be playful with accent colours, including coral red, cobalt blue or lilac, for a modern twist.

In short, emerald delivers all the feelgood vibes of green, then ups the ante by layering in some sophistication. And, in the words of Dorothy,

7 1 Matt green parrot , £349, Tang & Co Home 2 Mildmay in Goblin Green, £105/10m roll, Archive by Sanderson 3 Pegi textured glaze , £24.50, Oliver Bonas 4 Fornasetti Malachite , £185/10m roll, Cole & Son 5 Green scallop lines , £75, Casa Carta 6 The Penn green , £95, Evie & Skye 7 Emerald green glass , £35, Audenza 8 Perle in Honeycreeper, £1,099, Sofology 9 Klippan two-seater in Radbyn green/white, £250, Ikea

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This month, I’ll be at

DECOREX

The Decorex interior design exhibition is the perfect place to discover the latest fabrics, wallcoverings and furniture launches, and to seek inspiration for upcoming projects. I’ll also be looking to get my house in order for the autumn, starting with a good clear-out. Find out more at decorex.com HB