How to Stylishly Add Green Colors to Filipino Homes: A Guide by Nix Alañon

Lately, there has been an active online discussion surrounding the extensive use of green colors in Filipino homes. Why this particular hue has captured the hearts of homeowners across the archipelago is a question that has sparked countless threads, theories, and even memes. So, we’re diving deep into this popular trend with designer Nix Alañon to explore its potential motivations and creative applications.

What’s Behind the Green Code?

From urban centers to rural areas, home designs with a single dominant shade of green are a common sight. This is typically seen in wall treatments, roofs, furnishings, and decorative accents. And for many Filipinos, brighter tones hold more significant appeal. 

Among the most common choices are neon and mint green due to practical, psychological, and culturally imbued factors. One of the reasons for their popularity is their affordability since green pigments are generally easier and less expensive to produce than other colors. 

Homeowners also believe that green colors bring prosperity because they’re closely affiliated with money. But one can additionally link this phenomenon to Filipinos’ maximalist tendencies. 

Green, particularly its vibrant forms, is naturally eye-catching. And a generous application throughout a home contributes in establishing a sense of abundance and aesthetic impact. This perfectly aligns with our penchant for creating memorable and visibly rich spaces.

For Alañon, alternatively, the easiest explanation for this trend is green’s inherent connection to nature. He explained that Filipinos have an innate inclination to it because it mirrors the Philippines’ tropical environment. This deep-seated association results in green being perceived as fresh and calming. 

However, rather than overwhelming a space with solid greens, the designer suggests that there are more balanced and strategic ways to achieve its visual and emotional effects. 

Expert Techniques to Use Green Colors

Alañon clarified that incorporating green in homes is not exclusive to paints. There are multiple methods to apply this hue that go beyond merely covering surfaces with artificial pigments. 

1) Explore Smaller Green Elements

Before you consider going all-out on your walls and larger negative spaces, the designer advises to start with smaller accents. In this way, you can gauge your comfort level with the color and gradually build a relaxing atmosphere without committing to a full-scale transformation.

“A green accent wall, upholstery, statement chair, or even accessories would be enough. Sometimes even having actual plants to accent on the table or a simple [indoor] tree can do wonders for your space. It doesn’t always have to mean a full green color transformation,” Alañon suggests. 

2) Introduce Different Shades and Tones

Contrary to the trend’s general interpretation, Alañon does not recommend using green colors in liberal amounts. However, if you take this direction, he encourages varying shades and tones to create a better monochromatic design. 

A good place to start is with versatile neutral shades like sage, moss, and celadon green. He also recommends using hunter and emerald green if you want a more saturated yet elegant feel. Blue green, on the other hand, can also be an interesting option to subtly incorporate an analogous color. 

But the designer emphasizes that the ideal green palette is a matter of personal taste. And by carefully layering your chosen color palette, you can create a far more interesting space than a room with a flat, monotonous green.

3) Distribute Green Throughout the Space

The Phoenix Home Interiors founder specifically noted that when designing a home, “your eye has to travel.” This means green colors should be carefully scattered and balanced throughout the space. In any case, refrain from putting them all in one side or corner to avoid a concentrated, unbalanced look. 

“It has to be unified from one corner to the other, from lower to higher portions. So, your eye moves around and it’s not condensed in one space,” Alañon states. 

Green Colors Through Fleeting Trends

Alañon contends that this design trend in Filipino homes validates the timelessness of green colors. He believes that even if the current surge of green-dominated spaces subsides, these versatile hues’ appeal and relevance will continue. 

Moreover, he notes that green seamlessly integrates into a wide range of design styles, particularly those rooted in tropical aesthetics prevalent in the Philippines. In his view, unless a space has an ultra-modern, minimalist design that eschews color altogether, green will consistently remain a viable and adaptable choice for any home.

“Green is one of the most accessible colors to use. Because you can just go outside, get a plant and that for one is already a green color that would automatically enhance your space. Green will always be on trend and feel good in any space. So, it’s one color that I would highly recommend to stick with,” Alañon closes.

Read more: Mocha Mousse: JJ Acuña’s Hot Take on Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year

Jose Siao Ling: An Architectural Legacy Founded on Integrity

As the built environment evolves, the role of the architect demands reconsideration. For Jose Siao Ling, Co-Founder and Principal Architect of Jose Siao Ling & Associates (JSLA Architects), the role extends far beyond being a licensed professional who designs and oversees construction. By championing ethical practice, ISO-certified systems, and mentorship-driven leadership, he built a firm […]

How FotomotoPH Turned the Paseo Underpass in Makati into an Art Exhibit

Public spaces in Metro Manila are often defined by movement rather than pause. People in transit hurry through; the underpass is a shortcut, not a place to stop.  Underground, the installation by photography group FotomotoPH, reimagined the Paseo Underpass as a visual experience. FotomotoPH is a Philippine-based photography collective dedicated to promoting, exhibiting, and fostering […]

Ito Kish on Balancing Minimalism and Depth This Season

Born and raised in San Pablo City, Laguna, Ito Kish made a name for himself through residential and commercial design, as well as curatorial work. This new season, built on the idea of Filipino Culture Meets Global Curiosity, unfolds both as a composed showroom environment and a new collection shaped by stillness and balance. A […]

On Breakthroughs: Architect Pierre Briones on Establishing His Name in Architecture 

Breaking through in their respective careers is a daunting task for any young professional. For Architect Pierre Briones, architecture has always been an intentional pursuit. Having spent much of his childhood around construction sites, Briones’s environment shaped his interest in architecture, including his fascination with how structures and buildings are built. “Choosing architecture was never […]

Bobby Mañosa’s Iconic ‘Bobi Toys’ Become Sculptures in ‘Tanaw’ 

Not many people know this, but during the Martial Law era, National Artist for Architecture Bobby Mañosa was also a toy designer. He had an iconic line of toys, called “Bobi Toys,” that he sold in Makati during the 1970s and 1980s, which he discontinued as his own kids grew older. His toys have not […]

‘Dialogo’: Two Artists Collaborative and Find Middle Ground in New Exhibit

Cloud Grey Gallery put together two esteemed artists, Manuel Ocampo and Ronald Ventura, for Dialogo. As a gallery located at the Grand Hyatt Manila, Cloud Grey has a more forward-thinking approach to contemporary art movements at the time. “They’re provocations,” the gallery declared as they described their approach, “invitations to see the familiar transformed.” For […]