Fern paint colors
Top picks for fern
4 best matchesThe truest fern matches across every US brand. Each card links to a single-color reference or full brand guide.
More fern shades
21 variantsDrill into shade variants — modifier-specific bands (light, deep, muted) and named in-between shades each link to their own hub with cross-brand matches.
Fern at every US brand
19 brands · up to 10 picks eachThe closest fern matches at each brand, truest first, drawn from its full lineup. Tap any swatch for its single-color spec; tap the brand title for the brand's complete deck.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Annie Sloan
Backdrop
Kompozit
About fern
Fern is a deep, mid-saturation green named after the plant. It sits right in the middle of the green family, balanced between blue-leaning greens and warmer, yellow-leaning ones. That balance is what makes it feel natural rather than minty or olive. It reads as a true, grown-up green that borrows from the outdoors without going neon or muddy.
On a swatch it looks rich and a little dressy. On a wall it behaves like a soft neutral, which is why people reach for it when they want color that still feels calm. Think of it as the green version of a great navy: saturated enough to have presence, restrained enough to live with.
One thing to know up front: fern is a color name and a digital reference, not a single can you buy off a shelf. The hex value (#4F7942) is a starting target. Real paint gets matched to it and mixed to order, so almost any major US brand can make a fern for you. The rest of this guide covers what makes a good fern, how it acts in a room, and how to actually get it mixed.
What Makes a Good Fern
A good fern keeps its green clearly green. The undertone should stay balanced, not pull hard toward blue (which makes it feel cold and almost teal) or hard toward yellow (which pushes it into olive and can look dated). When you hold a chip up, you want to see a green that feels fresh and slightly earthy, like the underside of a leaf.
Undertone is where most ferns succeed or fail. Look at the color next to a true gray card in real light. If it suddenly looks blue or gray, it was mixed too cool. If it looks brown or khaki, it drifted warm. The sweet spot is a green that stays confident and a touch deep without tipping either way.
How Fern Reads on a Wall
Fern has an LRV of about 16, which is firmly on the dark side. LRV (light reflectance value) runs from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white), and anything under 20 is going to read as a deep, enveloping color. That means fern will not brighten a room. It will wrap it, add depth, and make the space feel cozier and more grounded.
With an LRV that low, expect the color to shift a lot through the day. In strong sun it opens up and shows its green clearly. In dim or evening light it goes darker and quieter, closer to a forest tone. Always test it on the actual wall and watch it morning to night before you commit.
Where Fern Works Best
Fern shines in rooms where you want mood and intimacy rather than airiness. Dining rooms, studies, libraries, powder rooms, and bedrooms all wear it well. It also looks great on cabinetry, a kitchen island, built-ins, or an accent wall where a full deep-green room might feel like too much.
Light direction matters because of that low LRV. South- and west-facing rooms get enough light to keep fern from feeling heavy, so it stays rich and lively there. North-facing rooms and spaces with little natural light will make fern read darker and cooler, which can be moody on purpose or gloomy by accident. In a small, dim room, go in knowing it will feel like a jewel box, not a bright space.
Pairing Fern With Trim, Ceilings, and Other Colors
Because fern is deep, crisp trim gives it a clean edge. A soft warm white on trim and a slightly warm white on the ceiling keep the room from feeling cold and stop the green from looking flat. A bright stark white can work but sometimes reads a little harsh against such a saturated color; a creamier white usually feels more at home.
For coordinating colors, fern loves warm contrast. Natural wood, brass and aged-bronze metals, tan, terracotta, and soft clay tones all flatter it. For a quieter scheme, pair it with warm off-whites, greige, or oatmeal. If you want it to feel more tailored, black hardware and dark wood sharpen it nicely.
How to Actually Get Fern in Real Paint
Fern is mixed to order, not pulled from a single product. The hex value is a digital benchmark, and screens vary, so the number is a target rather than a guarantee. Any well-stocked paint counter can match fern by entering the color or scanning a reference, then tinting a base to hit it.
The practical move is to find the closest in-fan-deck match at the brand you prefer, then buy a sample of that. Brush it on the wall, not just a chip, and look at it in your own light. If you already have a fern reference, ask the store to color-match it; a good match holds up across brands, so you are not locked to one company to get the look.
Fern paint — frequently asked questions
Is fern too dark for a small room?+
Not necessarily. With an LRV around 16, fern is dark, so it will make a small room feel cozier and more enclosed rather than bigger. If you like that wrapped, jewel-box feeling, it works beautifully. If you want the room to feel open and airy, a deep green like fern is the wrong tool.
What undertone should I look for in a good fern?+
You want a balanced green that does not lean hard blue or hard yellow. Too much blue makes it feel cold and teal-like; too much yellow pushes it toward olive. Check the color against a gray card in real daylight to see which way it actually pulls.
What color trim and ceiling go with fern?+
A warm or creamy white usually flatters fern best, on both trim and ceiling. It keeps the deep green from looking cold or flat. A stark bright white can work but sometimes feels harsh next to such a saturated color, so test both.
Can I get fern in any paint brand?+
Yes. Fern is a color reference, not a single product, so it is mixed to order. Almost any major US brand can match it by entering or scanning the color and tinting a base, which means you can get the look from whichever brand you prefer.
Why does the fern hex code not match the paint exactly?+
The hex value is a digital number meant for screens, and every screen displays color a little differently. Real paint is a physical mix that the store tints to hit that target. Treat the code as a starting point and always confirm with a real painted sample in your own light.
What are the most common mistakes with fern?+
The biggest one is skipping a real on-wall sample and judging it from a chip or a screen, which hides how much it shifts in your light. People also underestimate how dark it reads at LRV 16, especially in north-facing or dim rooms, and they pair it with a cold stark white that makes it feel flat instead of rich.