Dulux has just dropped news of their new colour of the year for 2027, and it’s a instant crowd pleaser for our interiors. Soulful Sage is one of those comfortable greens that instantly makes you feel good when you’re in its presence.
Each year the global colour experts at Dulux release the colour of the year that is based on real research and insights, and this year it’s reflected in this soothing shade of green which connects us to the natural world, making our interiors feel lighter and brighter.
Alongside the hero colour, Dulux has created 3 supporting colour stories this year. Each one has a definite nod to the natural world which plays on the earthy inspired interiors that are becoming one of the hottest design styles of the moment.
Here’s everything you need to know about this colour of the year from Dulux, and how to approach it in your own interiors as we transition into the coming year.
What colour is Dulux Soulful Sage?
Soulful Sage is described as an ethereal, soft and silvery green. This soft sage green is easy on the eye and beautifully grounding.
Naturally a healing and mood boosting shade of green, it’s as versatile as a soft neutral and naturally pairs so well with other neutrals, bolder shades, earthy colours and darker shades of green if you want to go down a double drenching type of approach in your room.
Did you know that green is also one of the easiest colours on the eye? It’s soothing, calming and instantly a feel good colour because of that connection to the natural world.
Is it best for a north or south facing room?
I love a good shade of green because it’s one of very few shades that work well in both counteracting the darkness in a dark, north facing room and also in balancing the intensity of the sun in a south facing room.
And in a north facing room, whilst it may feel counterintuitive, you could choose to lean into darker, earthier colours to pair with it such as reds and browns to really create a moody and indulgent colour scheme.
Use the below example with the ‘Glow Colour Palette’ suggestion from Dulux to create something similar.
What colours go well with Soulful Sage?
Dulux have created 3 supporting colour stories to pair with Soulful Sage, so the hard part in knowing what colours to pair with it for a stylish look, is done for you.
The ‘Glow Colour Story’ perfectly follows the lean towards the natural world and represents an earthy colour palette. An earthy interior is one of the easiest to replicate, just looking outside at the colours that surround us gives inspiration to what types of colours sit together well with a green.
“Based on natural, earthy shades, Glow paint colours work brilliantly in a living room. They can bring warmth and comfort even to a North-facing room at the same time as maximising the sunlight”, shared Dulux.
This is apparent with the earthy browns and reds and greys which feature throughout their palette. The below story features Slumber Seed and Clay Walls alongside Soulful Sage.
Next up is the ‘Light Colour Story’, for those who wish to take a lighter, brighter approach to their decorating, and it brings a breathe of fresh air to an interior with this colour palette.
Pairing soft greys and blues with this green is such a soothing and calming approach to what colours to pair with Soulful Sage, yet it feels so much more elevated than blanket beiges and soft creams.
In the scheme below, Slow Living and Ashen White are used as the main colours with the green on the upper wall and ceiling.
For a more uplifting and bolder scheme, their ‘Lift Colour Story’ is such a beautiful way to use this green in a colour scheme. With darker greens, a mustard yellow and pinks, these colours feel so joyful together.
Taupe Pink and Faded Damson provide the perfect warm and uplifting foundation against the green in this dining space below.
There are so many fun approaches that you can make to decorating with paint in an interior now, whether you choose to colour drench your room in Soulful Sage, or perhaps try colour capping which involves using a paint shade 1 or 2 shades darker on the ceiling to create a dramatic, yet subtle look in your interior. Fern Forest by Dulux is a perfect pairing which is just slightly darker than Soulful Sage.
We’re starting to see much more movement towards this style of painting now as it delivers more interest and depth than one singular colour. It’s definitely an approach as a designer that I am really enjoying right now (take a look at our living room makeover to see how effective colour capping can be!).
Soulful Sage is definitely a nod in the right direction from what I am seeing from paint colour trends that are coming through our interiors right now.
As I always say, it’s so hard to feel bad when surrounded by a good shade of green! Well done, Dulux!
