It’s no revelation that grey has hit interiors like a storm. Certainly neutrals like grey, beige, white and black are classic and enduring, but in different eras and combined with different colours, they can also be very trendy.
In my creative role at Benjamin Moore over the past 15 years, I have had the thrill of designing spaces and colour plans for folks both real and fictional. With this I am always looking back and forth at how the colour trends develop and morph and while looking through some of my archives for another project, it surprised me how quietly grey began to steal the spotlight. After its’ hey-day in the eighties, grey played more of a supporting role in nineties interiors by simply “greying” other hues. (Remember the grunge look in fashion? Everything, including colour was “greyed.”) Sand, tan and khaki tones (admittedly you could call them “greige”) dominated the home fashion scene.
As we moved into the new millennium with a little more hesitation then we anticipated, every variation of neutral became popular again, so grey too was welcomed back in all its variations. Here are a few of my favourite “timeless” grey rooms from my archives at Benjamin Moore.
My first venture into “grey land” with Benjamin Moore was in a 2004 house project where we gave each room 2 different looks. Here the master bedroom was painted with 2 grays: metropolis CC-546 and boulevard CC-394. Red was still a very popular accent choice in those first 5 years of the new millennium – classic but still daring.
This grey living room came to the forefront in our 2006 Colours for your Home Trends, setting the tone for some time. Here asphalt CC-548, a deep grey, fills the background and is layered by lighter values of grey in furnishings and rugs. The pop of hampton green 2150-50 was an unexpected pairing in this formally furnished grey room and so began our take on the “pop” colour trend.
Furnishings by elte.com
For our 2007 Colour Trends, we went off the wall with grey! chelsea gray HC-168 hit the ceiling and trim, and sandlot gray 2107-50 the walls, giving the modern town home a rich heritage feel. A little more eclectic in styling, we began experimenting with scale and pattern, incorporating traditional and modern lines which the grey helped to accentuate. (Chelsea Gray by the way is one of Candice Olson’s designer picks.)
In 2008 we were all about loft-living (even if you weren’t living in a loft!) The soft grey escarpment CC-518 referenced the industrial concrete block and felt shades lighter with all the natural sunlight, disappearing behind the creamy white furnishings. Texture, texture and more texture is what makes the monochromatic grey story work.
The versatility of grey has loads to do with its composition — sometimes warm, sometimes cool and sometimes perfectly balanced. Here we used a warm grey, thunder AF-685 to help ground the heavy wood beams in this amazing space we envisioned as an artist’s studio. I can soooo envision myself painting by the fire….(my retirement plan!)
And finally with the deep grey desert twilight 2137-40 composed of a rich, green undertone, the walls in this family room are like a chameleon changing throughout the day and night. We furnished the room with various shades of grey inspired by the slate floor for a textural grey story that is anything but drab!
Furniture elte.com; Artwork artinteriors.ca
Today’s grey is a sophisticated, adaptable neutral that we just can’t seem to get enough of!
Have you embraced grey this time around or does the memory of the harsh “eighties” grey put you off?
Sharon
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I have always loved the color grey. Even as a teenager, I sewed a very stylish grey wool pleated dress for myself that today, would be used as inspiration for a room. Grey has both a sophisticated & an industrial appeal making it the perfect wall color for most rooms.
I agree wholeheartedly – grey is a perfect colour in many ways. Sophisticated with an industrial appeal – you are so right. Exactly why it is a favourite for many and works within so many style genres. Thanks so much for your comment Esther!
-Sharon
I have always loved the color grey. Even as a teenager, I sewed a very stylish grey wool pleated dress for myself that today, would be used as inspiration for a room. Grey has both a sophisticated & an industrial appeal making it the perfect wall color for most rooms.
Timely: In process of painting my bathroom “chatsworth cream” – complements new greyish, off-white w/touches of darker grey ceramic floor tile – fun and room is not TOO big to become tired of it before finishing. . . .
I am painting my whole house ( well figurative speech) and want to work with grey. Literally I am going insane and hubby as well after 20 samples. So far in love with HC 172 revere pewter for open floor plan, Bedrooms AFC90 metropolitan and family room Cumulus cloud 1550. Wish me luck!!!
Hi Alexandra, Those are all great choices! Don’t forget to share pics on our Facebook page- we love seeing the final results! Also if you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out to me. -Michelle
Want to paint my open living room/dr area a pale grey..trying to modernize room and get away from old country french look. My rooms do not get alot of sunlight so don’t want it too dark. Any suggestions? Sofa is turquoise, some warm woods in it and wood floors.
Have you considered HC-172 revere pewter or OC-20 pale oak? Let us know what you think of these samples and good luck! – Michelle
Hi Jamie,
if I may add my two cents the metropolitan look insane with the turquoise is so modern with a classic twist.
Thank you for this article on grey! It was wonderful to read since we are in the process of choosing an accent wall for our rather large master bedroom. We have finally decided (I think) to paint Natural Cream (not a cream at all!!) throughout the house and add accent wall colour to each room. We have Willow in one bedroom and Overcoat in the other – looks fabulous with Natural Cream paint! Can’t decide on our Master accent wall though – Metropolis, Silhouette, Fusion, Kasbah, Pashmina, Nightingale…? We have dark grey curtains, white wooden shutters, beige carpet, a neutral bed, white trim and loads of natural sunlight. I would love opinions! Thanks!
The accents colors you have chosen are all great colors to flow with natural cream. Silhouette is one of our favorite affinity colors and will give you a very bold, dramatic look! Our only concern is the deepness of your gray curtains, we don’t want them to fight each other. Are the curtains on the same wall as the accent color?
Also to help you decide, you might also want to consider the undertones of these grays, fusion and kasbah will give your room a purple undertone, metropolis has a cool blue undertone, and pashmina will give you a warmer contrast to natural cream. Remember color is a personal choice and you are the best judge! Good Luck! – Michelle
I am looking for a grey for my teenage sons room. He likes the Barnie’s room on the tv show How I met Your Mother. The room does have a lot of natural light with 4 large windows on one side. He also wants black furniture. Any help would be appreciated!
I am looking for a grey for my sons’ rooms – would like to do all 3 bedrooms the same colour for now. Heading over to Benjamin Moore store to have them mix up a small can of Thunder to try. Would welcome other suggestions.
All trim and doors are natural cream.
Main living areas are brandon beige and stampede for an accent wall.
Bathroom number one has ranchwood painted vanity and undecided on wall colour (would welcome a suggestion for this wall too, I’m finding stone hearth a little pinky with the natural cream trim).
Bathroom number two has asphalt painted vanity and thinking about revere pewter for wall colour.
thanks in advance.
Lynne
I would like to paint my living room Metropolis CC-546 and I want to paint the feature wall a pale aqua. What color do you suggest?
I then want to paint the feature wall in my dining-room Boulevard CC-594 and the other three walls a turquoise shade. Again what color do you sugggest?
I am under new construction and have an open floor plan. I am considering Wickham grey for the foyer and hallways, What colors do you suggest work with that color? Thanks for any information you can provide.
I am painting my living room grey (not sure which one yet). I have a border and a different color on the top of my wall and wondering what color to paint this with the grey. I have a black entertainment unit and a black leather sofa set. Would like something with a punch.
Thanks,
Martine
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We are in the process of completing a new office and maintenance shop. Our front entrance to the building has dark charcoal stained timber framing inside and out. The AF685 thunder grey would look great with the dark timbers along with white trim. To complicate the colour choice is the fact that we will be using as a display piece an antique caterpillar bulldozer that is yellow (Cat Yellow). There will be a number of pieces of this colour in the front entrance great room. Would you have any suggestions, I would be willing to send photos if need be.
Thanks for your time,
Joe Dibbits
Hi, I have a family room with full wall wainscoting with med. brown finished hardwood…I would like to paint the full wall wainscoting with a white or light grey…any BM colours that anyone could suggest???
Can you tell me whether Gray Owl is a warm grey? I’m working with white and green kitchen cabinets, and want a pale, neutral grey but not one with a cool tone.
Owl Gray is not warm…I put it in my family room. A beautiful “crisp” gray with blue undertones. Great warm greys are: Revere Pewter (green undertone); La Paloma (cooler than Revere Pewter but beautiful..more of a brown undertone); Indian River…more of a grey with khaki under tone. Good luck!
FYI my comments all refer to BM colors.
My husband and I have just bought dark grey (almost charcoal) sofas for our den/living room. It’s a casual room, used by the kids as well, but we’d like to transform it into a bit more of a “grown-up” room, hip, but fun. The living room opens up into the dining room and hallways. All or our walls are painted a taupe, with more of a pink undertone, depending on the indoor or sun light. We have discussed painting the living room walls a lighter shade of grey, but we’re worried about it looking good next to the taupe. Any suggestions please?
Thank you!
Debi