Mint Green Color – How to Create a Mint Color Palette

Green is a popular color chosen by many as their favorite color. However, there are many different shades of green, and if you are looking for something a little more subdued, the mint pastel colors are a perfect fit.

What Color Is Mint Green?

The name might come from the mint plant, but the mint color is a little less intense than the leaves of the mint plant. What color is mint green? The mint color can be described as being part of a group of mint pastel colors and is a combination of blue, green, and white. The strength of the color is influenced by the proportions of each color.

The mint color is a lighter version, but it still has vibrancy and a fresh, cool quality to its appearance. Mint green is sometimes mistaken for seafoam green, however, seafoam is more neutral and lighter. Both these colors are separate and have their own identifying hex codes for web designers.

Mint Color: A Brief History

Green is a natural color and can be seen abundantly in nature. Ancient Egyptians saw the color as symbolizing rebirth, growth, and health. The ancient Romans eventually created a green pigment through the process of weathering metal. A bluish-green substance, known as verdigris, formed on the outside of brass or copper.

During the Renaissance, the green color was considered special and only worn by the gentry. Color represented a person’s status or social rank in society. Other green pigments also came into light during the 18^th century. For example, arsenite, a chemical compound, was used to create a vivid green color.

Unfortunately, this chemical was and is toxic and may have caused quite a few fatalities, including Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor. Thankfully, today we have more synthetic pigments that can produce a variety of green shades. The color green over the years has also become a political symbol, but today it is seen as a color that represents sustainability and is closely linked to everything eco-friendly.

The mint color was originally used as a name in the early 20^th century. A few years later, there was a time referred to as the Art Deco era, which saw mint green become quite popular. The color was often used in kitchens and bathrooms. However, it also became a popular color for automobiles. The mint color was often used alongside black to form a beautiful contrast. Today, mint pastel colors are becoming more prevalent in both the fashion industry as well as in interior designs.

Meaning of the Mint Color

Studies show that the human eye can discern more green hues when compared to other colors. All green shades are closely associated with nature and bring harmony and peace. The mint color is more subdued than other varieties, but still provides a nice crisp and fresh look.

The color is calming and can help people to relax. Light shades like mint green are also associated with creativity, wellness, growth, fertility, and health. The color is also linked to positive emotions, and people who favor green are usually calm and patient. They are easygoing and are considered natural peacemakers.

Even though green is mostly seen as a positive color, it can also have some negative connotations. Green is often seen as greed or jealousy and can also be associated with possessiveness and indicate envy. Green can also be linked to sickness, and people who choose green may also exhibit over-cautiousness and selfishness.

Mint Green Color Combinations

Mint green is a versatile color and can work wonderfully with many colors. Combine it with shades of blue and lilac for a soft and soothing effect. To find the perfect color combination, you should look to color theory. Here you will find the color wheel and the various color schemes available. Each of these color schemes is laid out differently on the color wheel.

Shades of Mint Green: Monochromatic Colors

Take mint green and then create different shades and tints of the same color, and you have a monochromatic color scheme. In the table below, you can see some examples of light to dark shades of mint green. Neo mint is a popular current pastel shade that is being used for interior designs.

Analogous Mint Colors

This color combination is relaxing to look at and involves colors that are in the same range or close together on the color wheel. In this case, the mint color we have chosen will work well with other shades of green and blue.

Complementary Mint Colors

This is a popular color scheme as it involves contrasting colors. Find the mint color on the color wheel and opposite this, you will find its color complement. As you can see below a moderate pink will make the mint color pop and stand out when they are placed alongside each other.

Triadic Mint Colors

Sticking with colors that stand out, another color scheme that works is the triadic color palette. This can be identified by forming a triangle with equal sides. Whenever using this color combination, make sure to use it carefully as too much of all of these colors can become overwhelming. Rather choose a base color, which can be your mint, and then use the other colors as accents. This way there is more balance with all the colors.

Four or More Colors in a Color Scheme

Four or more colors in a color scheme can become a little tricky. However, if you are more comfortable with colors and you want to experiment, then there is no reason why you should not give it a try. When it comes to four colors, you can get a square or tetradic color scheme. This is four colors in an equal-sided square or rectangular form on the color wheel. Below is an example of a tetradic color scheme for the mint color.

Mixing Mint Green Paint Colors

Since many artists enjoy painting natural scenes, green is going to be a popular color. When it comes to the primary colors for pigments, artists may consider the RYB, which represents red, yellow as well as blue. So, if these are your primary colors, you should combine blue and yellow. You can try using lemon yellow and cerulean blue. You will then get a secondary color of green. To get closer to a mint color, you will then need to add titanium white to the mixture.  

You can try different proportions of paint colors to find the best mint color you are looking for. You can also take green paint in a tube and mix this with white, as a simpler way to get to mint. You should be aiming to make a bright, lighter green color. However, if you want a darker, more saturated color, you can also add in a little blue.

Mint Color Palettes in Design

Mint green has become a popular color in fashion design and can be seen in clothing items, accessories, make-up, and nail polish colors. In the home, the mint color can offer a cool, calm, and fresh space that can be used in any room. If you want the perfect fresh look, mint green and white are always a great pair. Shades of gray is another popular mint color palette combination.

In the bathroom, mint can be used in the wall tiles to add a modern art deco look that is refreshing and calming. Along with more neutral colors including white, beige, and brown, mint green can be an eye-catching accent color. You can create a very natural and appealing look for any room.

In the kitchen, consider a lighter shade of mint for the kitchen cupboards, making it a subtle, yet attractive focal point. Bring in a beige rug or neutral color floor and ceiling to balance out the look. Appliances and kitchen furniture can also bring in color. For example, a mint green refrigerator or toaster.

Choose a shade of mint that can be used as your base color on the walls or go for a darker version and make an accent wall instead. This can create an elegant and interesting space. The color is ideal for a bedroom or as a neutral color for a baby’s room.

You can also bring the mint green in using accessories like rugs or cushions. You can also consider furniture in a mint color or use curtains in a mint green shade. In the bedroom, you can also bring in mint green with mint pillows, linen, throws, bedspreads, lamps, or pictures. Mint colors also work well with bolder colors like dusty pink and combine nicely with natural wooden elements. Gold accents can also bring a bit of warmth and luxury into a space.

Conclusion

The mint color is becoming a more popular color, most probably because is it a beautiful soft color that is versatile and still brings in that fresh and calming feeling. The color is not overbearing and can be used in anything from fashion to interior designs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Is Mint Green?

The mint color is a little more subtle than its plant namesake and can be described as being a bright and lighter shade of green. You can also get lighter or more mint pastel colors to darker versions. However, all shades remain crisp and fresh.

How Can You Mix Mint Color Paint?

This is fairly easy, as you only need your primary colors of blue and yellow to make the secondary color green. To this, you can add white to achieve a mint green color. You can also simply mix green paint with white and add a little blue to darken if necessary.

Why Decorate With Mint Green?

All shades of green including the mint color are seen as positive and are associated with nature. Mint green is fresh and calming and can lend a clean, bright, and tranquil yet refreshing feeling to any room in the home. It is also best to use mint green with other colors for a more harmonious look.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.