Grey Matter: How to Choose the Perfect Grey Paint
Neutrals are the quiet backdrop to a vibrant life and over the last few years, grey has been launched to the top of the style list. Beige has been steadily nudged off the palettes of interior designers and what a rich transformation it has been!
Grey was once thought to be harsh, dreary and often ugly, but now the paint world has been flooded with a gorgeous, rich grey palette with so many great choices. Paint manufacturers are really bringing their A-game to the park when it comes to greys and I couldn’t be happier about that – there are some amazing grey tones out there right now!
Grey has steadily developed a reputation for being sleek, stylish and sophisticated and it is well deserved. With undertones of brown, blue, purple or green there is an outstanding amount of gorgeous paint colors to sample and coordinate with. I’m pretty convinced there is a perfect shade of grey for every room.
Pale greys in any undertone
These colors are a sleek, updated alternative to white or beige. They make a room feel airy and open without being stark.
Light greys with a blue undertone
These paints can look like they are almost a softly reflective silver in a room flooded with natural light. Very bright, fresh and clean feeling.
Mid-tone greys with a warm undertone
Choosing a grey with a brown undertone can create a stylish, mature warm space. The warmer shades of grey maintain their sleek style without being at all cold or harsh. These tones are my first pick for northern hemisphere homes where the natural light appears blue when bouncing off snow. During all those months of a snow blanketed world, we need a little warmth inside! Be careful not to steer too far into the brown undertones if you are wanting a grey rather than a taupe.
Mid-tone greys with a purple undertone
This tends to be a softer, more feminine color and often makes a space feel more casual and warm. Greys with purple undertones tend to be much less formal than a classic stark grey with black undertones. This color can bring some maturity to a space without being harsh.
Rich greys with a blue undertone
These greys are very bold and cool and lean the most toward classic grey with black undertones. This color is perfect for a heavy, masculine, calm space or a room that needs to be visually cooled down. It can provide much needed balance from things like lots of south-facing windows or warm finishes (wood flooring or warm-colored stone). It can balance and ground things really nicely.
Dark toned charcoal greys
This is a bold range of paint colors but these gorgeous, rich colors are so rewarding. A deep, rich color on the walls with pure neutral undertones can be striking, sexy and enveloping. You will feel grounded and calm in a space painted the right dark shade of charcoal grey. I am a huge fan of this color range for bedrooms – these colors tend to be just right for a restful sleep and a quiet mind at bedtime.
Here are a few fabulous greys I’ve been loving lately!
Ready to love where you live?
Join 25 000 others for instant access to my library of free, practical, and down-to-earth interior design resources!
Looking to Pin for later?
Here you go!
