Olive Green Paint Colors for Mid-Century Modern Homes

Olive green is a mid-century staple. It connects the low, horizontal form of a mid-century modern to its landscape and references the organic modernism of the 1950s and 60s. These muted, earthy greens work with the flat rooflines and large windows that define the style.

Ripe Olive Retro

Ripe Olive is a deep olive with brown undertones that feels true to the era. On a mid-century modern, it grounds the house and makes the large window walls pop.

Walls
Ripe Olive
SW 6209
#5B6245
Trim
Dover White
SW 6385
#D4CCB4
Front Door
Cavern Clay
SW 7701
#B0754F
Shutters
Ripe Olive
SW 6209
#5B6245
Accent (fascia board)
Whole Wheat
SW 6121
#C5A97E

Dried Thyme Period

Dried Thyme is a lighter olive with gold leanings. It shifts between green and gold with the sunlight, a color that feels alive on a flat-roofed facade.

Walls
Dried Thyme
SW 6186
#788063
Trim
Alabaster
SW 7008
#EDEAE0
Front Door
Tricorn Black
SW 6258
#2F2E2D
Shutters
Dried Thyme
SW 6186
#788063
Accent (carport ceiling)
Downing Straw
SW 2813
#C3AB76

Tips for Olive Green Mid-Century Modern Homes

  1. Olive greens on mid-century homes look best with warm cream trim. Bright white trim reads as too sharp against the organic tones.
  2. If your mid-century has exposed post-and-beam, stain the wood warm rather than painting it. The contrast of natural wood against olive siding is period-correct.

Related Color Palettes

See these colors on your Mid-Century Modern home

Upload a photo of your house and preview any of these palettes in under 30 seconds.

Try PaintVue Free

Frequently Asked Questions

What olive green works on a mid-century modern house?
Ripe Olive (SW 6209) is a dark, rich olive. Dried Thyme (SW 6186) is lighter and more golden. Both are period-appropriate and work with the flat rooflines and large windows of mid-century architecture.
Were olive colors used on mid-century modern homes?
Yes. Olive, avocado, and sage greens were among the most popular exterior colors of the 1950s and 60s. Modern versions of these colors use the same warm, earthy undertones.

Browse by House Style

Colonial · Ranch · Craftsman / Bungalow · Split-Level · Cape Cod · Mid-Century Modern · Farmhouse · Contemporary · Tudor · Mediterranean