Looking for a color that feels like nature but still looks fancy in your home? Try Dark Olive from Benjamin Moore!

This color is a deep, quiet green that reminds you of olive trees and forests. It’s not too bright or loud—instead, it’s calm and relaxing.

Dark Olive works great in living rooms, dining rooms, or bedrooms. It can make a room feel cozy and peaceful. You can use it on all walls or just one special wall.

This color looks beautiful with wood furniture, gold or brass decorations, and cream-colored fabrics. It also pairs nicely with light gray, tan, or soft white colors.

Dark Olive brings the feeling of outdoors inside your home. It’s perfect if you want a room that feels both natural and special at the same time.

Understanding Benjamin Moore’s Dark Olive (2140-30)

Color Terminology

Undertones:

• Dark Olive has subtle earthy/brown undertones
• It’s a deep green with muted sage and forest influences
• Not a bright or vibrant green, but a refined, natural neutral

Psychology of Dark Olive/Deep Green Colors

• Deep greens like Dark Olive create a sense of grounding and connection to nature
• Earthy tones: Offer richness and organic appeal
• Muted greens: Evoke peace, stability, and timelessness
• Benefits: Less harsh than black, adds depth and character to spaces, creates a dramatic backdrop for lighter furniture and accents

Why Choose this color?

Key Features

Benjamin Moore Dark Olive offers exceptional depth and versatility across different lighting conditions. It maintains its rich character in bright spaces while creating a cozy, enveloping atmosphere in rooms with limited natural light.

Its timeless earthy quality provides a cultured backdrop that complements both traditional wood elements and contemporary metal accents without dominating the space.

Adaptability

Benjamin Moore’s Dark Olive demonstrates remarkable adaptability with existing elements like wooden furniture and neutral textiles, creating cohesive transitions between spaces.

It provides enough depth to feel grounding while maintaining a refined, enduring quality that won’t quickly date your interior design choices.

This versatile green works equally well as an accent wall or as an all-over color for creating immersive, nature-inspired environments.

Durability

Benjamin Moore Dark Olive, particularly in premium finishes like Aura or Regal Select, delivers outstanding durability with excellent coverage in both new and repainted areas.

Its deep tone and earthy undertones help conceal minor imperfections and everyday marks better than lighter colors while maintaining its refined appearance.

When properly applied, this paint resists fading and holds color consistency even with regular cleaning.

Texture Patterns

Benjamin Moore’s Dark Olive creates a rich, velvety texture that adds dimension to walls and architectural features.

Its natural undertones produce beautiful shadow play that enhances textured surfaces and adds visual interest to even flat walls.

When applied to different finishes, it can dramatically highlight structural details while maintaining a consistent, worldly-wise appearance throughout connected spaces.

Room-by-Room Color Recommendations with Dark Olive (2140-30)

Living Spaces and Open Floor Plans

• Dark Olive works exceptionally well as an accent wall in open floor plans, creating visual interest and depth while maintaining a cultured neutral palette.
• The 11.77 LRV of Dark Olive provides a grounding anchor that makes spaces feel intentional and curated without overwhelming the environment.

Bedrooms and Relaxation Areas

• Dark Olive creates a cocooning, restorative atmosphere in bedrooms that promotes deep relaxation and sleep.
• The earthy undertones in Dark Olive evoke a connection to nature while creating an elegant backdrop for bedding and furniture.
• Consider Dark Olive for accent walls behind headboards or on ceiling tray details to add depth and drama without darkening the entire space.

Kitchens

• Dark Olive in eggshell or satin finish on kitchen islands or lower cabinets creates a striking contrast with lighter upper cabinets and countertops.
• The rich depth of Dark Olive complements both brass/gold hardware and stainless steel elements, making it adaptable to various kitchen styles.

Bathrooms and Spa-like Retreats

• Benjamin Moore Dark Olive creates a luxurious, grounding atmosphere in bathrooms. Its deep green undertones establish a connection to nature while complementing white fixtures.
• This versatile shade pairs beautifully with brass fixtures and natural stone, creating a timeless, refined retreat that feels both calming and indulgent.

Dark Olive (2140-30) Color Pairings

Dark Olive is a rich, earthy green with deep natural undertones. Its low Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 11.77 makes it a grounding anchor that adds sophistication and depth to spaces while maintaining a connection to nature. Let me help you with color pairings and combinations for this shade.

Complementary Trim Colors

• White Dove (OC-17) – A warm white that creates beautiful contrast without harsh transitions
• Cloud White (OC-130) – A soft white with a subtle warmth that balances Dark Olive’s depth
• Pale Oak (OC-20) – A light greige that complements the earthy qualities of Dark Olive
• Revere Pewter (HC-172) – A medium-toned neutral that creates a refined, layered look

Coordinating Wall Colors

• Hale Navy (HC-154) – A deep blue that creates a rich, library-inspired palette
• Alexandria Beige (HC-77) – A warm neutral that softens Dark Olive’s intensity
• Muslin (OC-12) – A light beige that provides breathing room in open floor plans
• Stonington Gray (HC-170) – A cool gray that balances Dark Olive’s warmth

Accent Colors

• Caliente (AF-290) – A vibrant red that creates dramatic contrast for accessories
• Golden Retriever (2165-30) – A mustard yellow that highlights Dark Olive’s earthy qualities
• Palladian Blue (HC-144) – A soft blue-green that creates a serene, nature-inspired palette
• Chelsea Gray (HC-168) – A medium warm gray that creates refined depth

Coordinating with Furniture and Decor

Wood Tones

Dark Olive pairs exceptionally well with rich, warm wood tones like walnut, mahogany, and cherry. When combined with these darker woods, the deep green creates a refined, library-inspired aesthetic.

For a more contemporary look, light oak or ash provides striking contrast while maintaining an organic connection. Reclaimed or weathered woods enhance Dark Olive’s natural qualities and create depth.

Metals

Aged brass, antique gold, and bronze hardware highlight Dark Olive’s earthy undertones and create a timeless, elegant look. Matte black fixtures offer a dramatic contrast that feels both modern and grounded.

The rich green base allows copper elements to shine as statement pieces, developing a beautiful patina over time that enhances the natural aesthetic.

Decor

Textural elements like wool, leather, and velvet in cream or camel tones create a refined contrast against Dark Olive walls.

Vintage textiles with subtle patterns in rust, ochre, or indigo add dimension without competing with the rich backdrop.

Ceramic pieces in natural earth tones, stone sculptures, and amber glass accents complete the refined yet organic atmosphere, while botanicals and preserved greenery reinforce the connection to nature.

Similar Paint Colors: Perfect Alternative to Dark Olive

Vintage Vogue vs. Dark Olive (2140-30)

Vintage Vogue

• Soft, muted sage green with gray undertones
• Mid-range LRV that balances brightness and depth
• Creates a subtle, nostalgic atmosphere with vintage charm

Dark Olive (2140-30)

• Deep, earthy green with brown/black undertones
• Low LRV of 11.77 creates dramatic depth and richness
• Establishes a bold, grounding presence with urbane appeal

Key Differences:

• Vintage Vogue offers a lighter, more subtle approach to green with its higher LRV
• Dark Olive provides significantly more drama and impact as a statement color
• Vintage Vogue has cooler gray undertones, while Dark Olive leans into warmer, earthy qualities
• Vintage Vogue works better for all-over applications in average-sized rooms
• Dark Olive shines as an accent wall or in larger spaces with ample lighting

Application Considerations

Vintage Vogue creates a softer, more versatile backdrop that easily transitions between spaces, while Dark Olive commands attention and defines areas with its rich depth.

Choose Vintage Vogue for a subtle green presence or Dark Olive when you want a color with authority and timeless grace.

Final Thoughts

I’ve uncovered Dark Olive to be an unexpectedly versatile anchor for cultured design in my home.

This rich green provides the perfect balance—deep enough to create dramatic impact yet natural enough to feel timeless and grounding in ways that trendier colors cannot achieve.

Whether paired with contrasting whites, layered with complementary neutrals, used as a statement accent, or coordinated with existing furniture, Dark Olive adapts beautifully to transform spaces.

Its earthy undertones work harmoniously with natural elements while maintaining its distinguished character throughout changing light conditions.

I’ve learned that embracing a deeper color means creating spaces with intention and personality. With Dark Olive as my foundation, I’ve created rooms with unexpected depth that feel both bold and enduring.

Not all greens are created equal—but Dark Olive has elevated my home to a new level of refined culture.

Alex Guerrero

Alex Guerrero, a graduate with a Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, has been a visionary in the world of color and design for over 15 years. His professional journey began in the heart of the fashion industry in Milan, where he developed an acute sense for color harmonies and trends. Alex joined our team in 2018, offering fresh and innovative perspectives on color utilization in various spaces. Renowned for his ability to blend contemporary trends with timeless elegance. Outside of work, Alex is an accomplished painter and a volunteer art therapist, his artistic talents further enriching his professional insights.

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