Green paint is everywhere these days, and if you’re looking for inspiration — or simply an interior designer with superlative taste to emulate — look no further than Meghan Eisenberg.
The Southern California-based Eisenberg has gained a steady following in recent years, thanks to her roster of seriously chic projects, which are infused with warm finishes, natural materials, and just the right mix of pattern and color.
Design by Meghan Eisenberg; photo by Haris Kenjar
Today I’m looking at Eisenberg’s own kitchen in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. Built in 1950 by her grandfather and great-grandfather, the home is a beautiful example of mid-century post-and-beam architecture.
Eisenberg remodeled the house to suit the needs of her own young family, and the galley kitchen, in particular, is a showstopper.
Design by Meghan Eisenberg
This kitchen was featured in a recent New York Times piece about interior lighting design (I found all the hand-wringing in the article’s comment section particularly funny).
Design by Meghan Eisenberg
The Paint Colors Used in This Kitchen
Eisenberg used Homage on the kitchen cabinets and Gaspar on the vertical tongue-and-groove on the upper wall, both by Portola Paints.
Portola Paints are made and sold in Los Angeles (and they do ship nationwide and internationally), but if you can’t readily access their line, try these paint colors to get the look of this beautiful kitchen:
For the GREEN CABINETS, try:
- Sherwin-Williams Palm Leaf
- Benjamin Moore Shady Lane
- Behr Eastern Bamboo
- Farrow & Ball Bancha
For the SOFT BEIGE WALLS, try:
- Sherwin-Williams Wool Skein or Stucco
- Benjamin Moore Navajo White or Jute (side note: Jute is a terrific cabinet color!)
- Behr Studio Clay
- Farrow & Ball Off-White
Get the Look of this L.A. Kitchen
I’ve sourced many of the items Eisenberg used in her kitchen. Read on for vendors and links!
Paint: Homage on cabinets and Gaspar on walls, both by Portola Paints
Countertops and backsplash: Arabescato marble
Hardware: Liz’s Antique Hardware
Sconce: D-Lu by Lumfardo
Faucet: Henry gooseneck with pull-down spray by Waterworks
Table lamp: Orb lamp by Victoria Morris (tip: join her mailing list to find out when new inventory drops)
Yellow vase: Gourd vase by Victoria Morris
Stool: Vintage by Panoplie; find similar by Googling “antique three-leg bobbin stool”
Runner: Vintage by Nickey Kehoe; find similar by Googling “vintage Malayer runner” or “vintage camel hair runner” (the runner I’ve included above is this one from 1stdibs)
Dinnerware: Coupe in Opaque White by Heath Ceramics
Salt and pepper grinders: Butler and Column spice mills in Walnut by De Jong
Art: Vintage by Jefferson West Antiques
My Favorite Olive and Army Green Paint Colors
Save this image to Pinterest so you can easily remember all of my favorite olive green paint colors:
The Best Way to Sample These Paint Colors
Undoubtedly my favorite way to test any paint color is with peel-and-stick samples. I’ve been using this resource for years, and they’ve been a game changer — their large samples are made with real paint, and you can re-position them throughout your home. I also love that Samplize delivers overnight.
Another reason I love peel-and-stick samples? They’re more cost-effective than ye olde traditional sample pots and are better for the environment, too. No mess; no wasted paint; no half-empty cans languishing in your basement. It’s a win-win.
And Now, Briefly, a Word About LRV
What’s LRV, and why does it matter?
LRV stands for light reflectance value. LRV is the AMOUNT of light a paint color reflects.
The LRV spectrum ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being pure white (reflecting all light), and 0 being pure black (absorbing all light and heat).
Below are the light reflectance values of the olive green paint colors I’ve featured in this post:
The lightest paint color I’ve included here is Benjamin Moore Tate Olive (LRV 21). The darkest color is Sherwin-Williams Ripe Olive (LRV 6).
Photos of Green Kitchen Cabinets in Action
Because nothing beats seeing photos of paint colors in situ, below are images of these olive green paint colors used in real-life projects:
Sherwin-Williams Palm Leaf
Below, kitchen cabinets painted Sherwin-Williams Palm Leaf (LRV 10):
Credit: Kayla Payne
Below, Sherwin-Williams Palm Leaf on a pair of barn doors with walls painted Sherwin-Williams Pearly White:
Credit: Haneen’s Haven
Sherwin-Williams Palm Leaf in a powder room:
Credit: Kaitlin Madden
Benjamin Moore Shady Lane
Benjamin Moore Shady Lane (LRV 18) in a kitchen designed by Cathie Hong:
Credit for all photos: Cathie Hong
Sherwin-Williams Olive Grove
Sherwin-Williams Olive Grove (LRV 20) has a pronounced yellow undertone — perfect if you want to lean into a camouflage green. Here’s Olive Grove in a kitchen:
Credit: Burnham Design
And here’s Sherwin-Williams Olive Grove in another kitchen featured on HGTV:
Credit: HGTV
Farrow & Ball Bancha
Credit: Bumblee Collective
And here’s Bancha in a charming Yorkshire kitchen:
Credit: Elisha Utley
And Sarah Brown, one of my favorite British designers, used Bancha on the millwork in this London library:
Credit: Sarah Brown
Designer Jared Hughes used Farrow & Ball Bancha in his Atlanta bathroom:
Credit: Jared Hughes
Benjamin Moore Palmer Green
Benjamin Moore Palmer Green (LRV 12) is part of Benjamin Moore’s Williamsburg Color Collection. Palmer Green is ideal for this 18th-century Maine home, below, which was designed by Ari Kellerman:
Credit: Ari Kellerman
Benjamin Moore Tate Olive
Benjamin Moore Tate Olive (LRV 21) is a lighter, less saturated olive green. Here’s Tate Olive is in a space designed by Max Humphrey:
Credit: Max Humphrey
Here’s Tate Olive on a bathroom vanity in a project by Studio McGee:
Credit: Studio McGee
Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue (LRV 11) is more blue and less yellow than the other olive green paint colors I’ve included in this post. It’s a widely appealing dark green suited to many different spaces.
Below, Vintage Vogue on kitchen cabinets:
Credit for both images: Park & Oak
Below, Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue in a powder room:
Credit: Kate Marker Interiors
Benjamin Moore Vintage Vogue also looks beautiful on wainscoting and trim:
Credit: Wayne and Annie Norbeck
And here’s Vintage Vogue used as the backdrop for a gallery wall designed by Carmen Rene Smith:
Credit: Carmen Rene Smith, Aquilo Interiors
Below, Vintage Vogue in a dining room:
Credit: Lisa Shangrila
Lastly, here’s Vintage Vogue on the exterior of a modern preschool in San Francisco:
Credit: Red Dot Studio
Sherwin-Williams Ripe Olive
Sherwin-Williams Ripe Olive (LRV 6) is a very dark, rich green. Similar to Vintage Vogue, it’s bluer and less yellow than the other olive-green paint colors I’ve included here.
Below, Ripe Olive in two different kitchens:
Credit: Savas Construction
Credit: Midwest Eclectic
And below, Ripe Olive on built-ins:
Credit: Probuilt Woodworking
Credit: Kimberly Kay Interiors
Still Feeling Stuck?
I would love to help. Reach out to discuss your interior or exterior painting project!
Credit: Sarah Karon Interiors (moi)
