Olive Green Colour: Shades, Paints and Pairings

Olive green is having a long moment, and it's easy to see why. It's earthy, warm and grounded, a green that feels natural without being as cool as sage or as dramatic as forest green. It looks wonderful with wood, leather, linen and brass, it flatters almost every skin tone in clothing, and it works in everything from a cosy living room to a kitchen or a front door.

In this guide I'll explain exactly what colour olive is, the different shades of olive green and their hex codes, what colour green olives really are, how to mix olive, what olive symbolises, the best olive green paint colours, which colours go with olive and how I use it in real rooms.

What Colour Is Olive?

Olive is a dark, yellowish green, named after the colour of unripe green olives. It sits between green and yellow on the colour wheel, with a muted, slightly brown or grey quality that makes it feel earthy rather than bright. In design terms, olive is a "dirty" green: green that's been warmed with yellow and softened with a touch of black or brown.

Shades of Olive Green

"Olive" covers a family of colours, from light, silvery greens to deep, brown-leaning tones. These are the main shades, with the official web colour names where they exist and approximate values for the others.

"Olive", "olivedrab" and "darkolivegreen" are all standard named colours in web design, which is why those three hex codes are so widely quoted. Paint colours are richer and more complex than screen colours, so always test a real sample.

What Colour Are Green Olives?

Fresh green olives range from pale yellow-green to a deeper olive, depending on the variety and how they're cured. They're simply olives picked before they ripen; left on the tree, they darken through purple to black. The colour we call olive is closest to a cured green olive: muted, slightly yellow and soft rather than bright.

How to Make Olive Green

If you're mixing paint, icing or watercolour, there are several ways to make olive:

1. Yellow plus a little black. The simplest route; add the black very gradually.
2. Green plus a touch of red or brown. Red is green's complement, so a little of it dulls green towards olive.
3. Yellow plus blue plus a little red. Mix a warm green first, then soften it with red.
4. Yellow ochre plus a touch of blue or black. Ochre gives a lovely, earthy olive.

Add the darker colour a drop at a time, and mix more than you need, as olive is hard to match twice.

What Does Olive Green Symbolise?

Olive green carries some of the oldest symbolism of any colour. The olive branch has been a sign of peace since ancient times: in Greek myth, Athena's gift of the olive tree won her the city of Athens, and in the Book of Genesis a dove returns to Noah's ark with an olive leaf, a sign that the flood was over. Olive wreaths crowned the winners of the ancient Olympic Games.

In the 20th century, olive took on a very different meaning as olive drab became the colour of military uniforms and equipment, which is why it's still associated with utility, practicality and durability. In interiors today, olive is linked with nature, calm, balance and a warm, grounded kind of comfort.

The Best Olive Green Paint Colours

Every brand has its own olive, and they vary enormously in light. These are good places to start your sampling.

The Remodelista listing for Bancha quotes Farrow & Ball's own description of it as a "mid-century modern green" whose "sober tone creates rooms that feel calm and serene". For a softer, greyer alternative, the sage shades in the best green paint colours are olive's calmer cousins.

How to test olive paint: paint large samples on at least two walls, look at them at different times of day and next to your floor, woodwork and fabrics. Olive can look yellow in warm evening light and grey or almost khaki on a dull morning.

What Colours Go With Olive Green?

Olive and terracotta are my favourite pairing of all: both come from the earth, and together they feel warm, natural and relaxed. A touch of mustard yellow brings out olive's golden undertone for an autumnal, 1970s-inspired scheme, while pink, its near complement, makes olive look fresh and contemporary.

For woodwork, a warm white such as Wimborne White sits more comfortably next to olive than a bright, cool white.

How to Use Olive Green at Home

Living rooms

Olive is one of the best living room colours for a warm, enveloping feel. Try olive walls with cream upholstery, a caramel leather chair, walnut furniture and brass lamps. For a cosier look, colour drench the whole room, including the skirting and ceiling.

Kitchens

Olive cabinets look sophisticated and slightly retro, especially with brass handles and oak or marble worktops. If you prefer something lighter, sage green kitchen cabinets are softer and greyer, with the same natural feel.

Bedrooms

Choose a lighter or greyer olive for a restful bedroom, with oatmeal, rust and blush bedding. Olive and rust layered together give the feel of a cosy autumn bedroom all year round.

Hallways, studies and snugs

Small, enclosed rooms can take a deeper olive or Bancha-style shade. With warm lighting, they feel intimate rather than dark.

Woodwork, doors and ceilings

An olive front door, painted skirting boards or a tongue and groove ceiling in olive add colour without committing whole walls. Painted timber boards overhead look especially good in olive, and a tongue and groove ceiling colour drenched to match the walls is a lovely modern idea.

Furniture and accessories

An olive velvet sofa, a painted chest of drawers, olive linen bedding, ceramics or a single armchair are easy ways to try the colour first.

Olive Green Colour Schemes to Copy

• Earthy Mediterranean: olive walls, terracotta pots and tiles, cream linen and rattan. Add olive branches in a ceramic jug for a touch of a Spanish bedroom.
• Retro autumn: olive, mustard, rust and walnut, with a sheepskin and warm lighting.
• Soft and modern: light olive, blush pink, white oak and brushed brass.
• Dark and dramatic: deep olive walls, plum velvet, black frames and candlelight.
• Natural calm: olive, cream, linen, jute and pale wood.

Olive Green in Fashion

Olive is one of the most wearable colours in a wardrobe. It works like a neutral, pairing with denim, white, cream, camel, black, rust and burgundy, and it flatters warm, olive and deeper skin tones particularly well. An olive utility jacket, trench coat or knit is an easy way to add colour to chic casual outfits without anything too bright.

Olive Trees and Olive in the Garden

As a florist, I love using olive foliage in arrangements. Its silvery grey-green leaves last for weeks in water and look beautiful in loose, Mediterranean-style displays. Olive trees in pots are also popular in British gardens and on terraces; they need full sun, free-draining soil and shelter from harsh frosts and winter wet. For more seasonal ideas, the flowers and garden section has plenty of inspiration.

Common Mistakes With Olive Green

Frequently Asked Questions

What colour is olive?

Olive is a dark, yellowish green with brown or grey undertones, named after the colour of unripe green olives.

What is the hex code for olive green?

The standard web colour "olive" is #808000. "Dark olive green" is #556B2F and "olive drab" is #6B8E23. Interior olive greens are often softer, around #708238.

What colour goes best with olive green?

Cream, terracotta, rust, mustard, blush pink, plum, navy, caramel leather, black and natural wood all work well with olive.

Is olive green warm or cool?

Olive is a warm green because of its yellow undertone, which makes it a good choice for north facing rooms.

What is the difference between olive and sage green?

Olive is warmer, darker and more yellow. Sage is lighter, cooler and greyer, with a softer, more muted feel.

How do you make olive green?

Mix yellow with a little black, or soften a green with a touch of red or brown. Yellow ochre with a little blue also makes a lovely earthy olive.

What colour are green olives?

Green olives range from pale yellow-green to a deeper olive green. They're olives picked before they ripen and turn purple or black.

Is olive green still in style?

Yes. Olive and other earthy greens remain popular in interiors and fashion because they feel natural, warm and timeless.

A Warm Green for Every Home

Olive is the green for people who want colour that feels calm, earthy and grown up. Pair it with warm whites, wood and a touch of terracotta or pink, test it in your own light, and it will feel just as good in ten years as it does today.

For more colour inspiration, explore the decorating section, and if you'd like help choosing the perfect green for your home, you can book a one-hour online interior design consultation with me.