Colors that go with mint green – punchy pairings for this gelato-inspired shade

There are a wealth of colors that go with mint green that will lift your interior scheme. This ice cream shade is bright and zesty, and can bring a new energy and sense of optimism to a room when carefully paired with the correct color. The shade is heavily rooted in nature’s influence but has a retro edge that harks back to the 1950s.

'Where a rich statement shade can be overwhelming in a large space, and a pale neutral can appear sterile, a muted or pastel shade such as mint can add warmth and colour without being overbearing,' says Helen Shaw, director at Benjamin Moore. Here are our favorite colors that go with green of this shade.

1. Mint green and orange

(Image credit: Tim Williams. Design: Evan Edward, 1stDibs 50)

For a vibrant combination, mint green is one of the best colors that goes with orange. The orange provides the cool mint tone with immediate warmth, while the brightness of the orange is cooled down by the addition of mint green. 

In  this example by designer Evan Edward, a bright orange, monochromatic color scheme has been cooled down and cleverly broken up with painted storage on the shelves and chest of drawers, adding mint green pops in varying heights across the wall.

'The kids study is located close to the formal dining room which is full of rich shades of gold, honey onyx and emerald green,' explains Josh Evan. 'We carried this palette into the study but wanted to make it feel more playful (the clients have two boys under six years old) while remaining consistent with the formal spaces. 

'The secondary millwork color had to make sense with the Mickey Mouse painting over the fireplace so we sampled a few options and landed on this fresh minty green.'

2. Mint green and white

(Image credit: REJO Design Studio)

Mint green works well when paired with a bright white, giving an otherwise pared back and neutral space a touch of color, helping the mint come to the fore in a modern and minimal way. 

In this example from the Saudi Arabia and Turkey-based Rejo Design Studio, the white background provides a canvas for other elements of the room to shine, particularly the mint green hug sofa, creating a beautiful neutral living room idea. 

'We define the harmony between the two colors, by using specific materials and color shades to reach the feeling we want to reflect in space,' explains Reem Olyan of Rejo Design Studio. 'It's not just the green and white colors here, it is the green velvet and rough white wall mixed with the wood of the table, which produce this harmonious scheme as a whole.'

3. Mint green and wooden tones

(Image credit: The Real Shaker Kitchen. Design: deVOL)

This deVOL design is the kitchen of British cook, Rachel Khoo, and is in her north west London home, which frequently features in the background of the content creator's home videos. The green kitchen idea comes in the form of a minty lick of paint on the cupboards, and was picked by Khoo and custom-made for her. It’s fresh and gives a vibrancy to the space. 

The worktops are made from reclaimed Iroko sourced from Retrouvious. Sanded back and oiled they look smart and warm and are complemented by the mint.

5. Mint green and tan

(Image credit: Kelly Wearstler)

Mint green is a color that goes with brown, or more specifically, this shade of tan, as seen in the Beverly Hills Spanish Colonial home owned by interior designer, Kelly Wearstler. 

Sitting in the vestibule of a powder room is this pair of Utrecht chairs by the Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld, that Wearstler upholstered in a distinctive geometric District fabric. The warm pinks and tan clashing beautifully with striking pops of mint. Using mint with pattern makes a great powder room idea.

4. Mint green and grey

(Image credit: Alan Gastelum. Design: The New Design Project)

For a refreshing look, mint green and light grey come together in harmony. The stony, charcoal color allows for the minty green to really pop without it overwhelming the space. The result is a soft scheme that works well for a calming room like a bedroom or bathroom.  

In this room, the color pairings are influenced by the living room wall art. The color is taken and inspires the rest of the aesthetic. 'We decided to give center stage to this painting so we designed the rest of the room to celebrate it,' says Fanny Abbes, creative diretor of Brooklyn-based interior studio, The New Design Project. 

'The painting has a greyish background so it just made sense to me to echo it with a grey daybed. The same way, we used the other textile accents like pillows and rugs to give even more of a lift to the painting colors to compose a fresh look. Even the wall color, a very light grey has a very soft green undertone,' she adds.

6. Mint green and black

(Image credit: @jennosias)

For a punchy Art Deco design, mint really stands out when paired with black, and for an even stronger homage to the decorative art style, bolder add accents of gold in the form of accessories or gilded framing, as seen in this mint green dining room in DC. 

'Mint and jade were and still are very predominant colors in Art Deco design,' explains Jill Steinberg of Toronto-based Fine and Dandy Co, who specialize in wallpaper and coverings that take influence from Victorian, Mid-Century, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Post-Modern, Gothic and Modern Art genres.

'Adding a touch of gold and or black, the two key colors in a Deco palette really creates a bold and instantly opulent look. 

'They create a dramatic and impactful color combination that can be leveraged in any space you're looking for to make a statement. An entryway or dining room are a natural fit for this look, however a powder room, bathroom, or kitchen can also be transformed into something extraordinary with this vintage color combination. Just swap out old fixtures for retro-inspired gold hardware and you're set.' 

7. Mint green and pink

(Image credit: Studio 2LG)

For a pleasing pastel combination of ice-cream shades, mint green is a color that goes with pink, especially in rosy, pale hue. Interior design 2LG Studio, based in south east London use this combination in many of their projects. 

In this particular Victorian detatched house, each element was inspired by found objects and prints from within the house. Its previous owners had a passion for interiors as it had pink walls throughout, and green carpets. The studio used this fondness for all things retro as inspiration for the scheme.

'This green works beautifully with the pale white-washed oak, both cool tones. We used accents of warm pink to complement the combination and a bespoke table with chunks in pink and gold made in collaboration with Olivia Aspinal x 2LG,' commented 2LG Studio.

What are the best colors that go with mint green?

In terms of the best colors to use, Annie Sloan looks to the vintage ice cream parlours for inspiration. ‘Pair with retro pastels like Louis Blue or Pointe SIlk and a cool-tined white for a playful 50s influenced look. Alternatively, mint green looks utterly edible when the freshness of this modern color is balanced with richly enveloping chocolate brown.’ 

Meanwhile, Jill Steinberg of wallpaper company Fine and Dandy Co sees the shade as distinctly Art Deco, especially when paired with black and gold. Whatever historical decade mint green transports you to, here are our favorite shades to pair it with. 

What rooms best suit mint green?

‘Mint always feels like you’re bringing the sunshine into your home,’ explains Christina Nielsen of the eponymous design house. ‘I also always think of a 1950s-esque kitchen with a black and white checkerboard flooring when it comes to mint green. It’s great in a nursury and I love the look of mint green in small rooms such as a powder room or laundry room. Smaller space with color allows for larger visual impact.

'A great way of incorporating a pop of color is via painting your window in a mint green. I love the contrast of walls and wall trim in varying colors, this one will really stand out yet is calm and neutral enough to be timeless,’ she adds.