The dos and don'ts of decorating with grey – to pick the right shade for you

Grey is undeniably the new neutral, the cool color that adds a sophisticated edge, elegance and a refinement to a room, and a go-to for anyone who wants an easy-to-live with tone that's easy to color scheme and redecorate around. 

As Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene explains, ‘Greys, neutrals and white are a decorating staple, are combined in both classical and contemporary decoration style to present a backdrop upon which to decorate; but, this is not the end of the story, as the use of stronger neutrals leads us to a more exciting vision.’

Also known for being a somewhat unwelcoming color – a paler shade can feel cold on its own – grey is best when teamed with other greys on the comprehensive spectrum that it occupies or, of course, combined with other colors to create a striking, warmer, more layered look. But where to start?

Here, we've listed the dos and don'ts of decorating with grey, so you can pick just the right shade for the right place.

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By Sophie Warren-Smith

Due to its versatility, most colors go with grey – it is a neutral after all, which means it acts like a blank canvas on which you can put your mark. However, before you consider a color scheme with grey as a base, it's worth considering the effect you want to create.

Judy Smith, Color Consultant at Crown confirms our thoughts: ‘Pale and mid greys like Linen Cupboard and Tin Bath can offset the hottest and most vibrant tones of orange and deep yellow to add balance and a calming foil, they can also blend with soft and watery turquoises, purples, glass and metallics for a hazy look.'

This, of course, is perfect for when you want a warm, contemporary contrast. However, if you prefer a softer effect, like in the room above, you will want to choose greys and complementary colors that don't jar as much.

'Natural tones of pebble and stone mix with other natural colors like sand and chalk, as well as materials like linen and pale wood also make for a laid back and restful scheme.’

As we said before, most colors go well in a grey living room. You can team it with other shades of grey, sage, deep magenta, inky blues, jet black, tumeric… the list is endless. 

However, when asking yourself this question, it's important first to talk about how much natural light your living room gets. Is it north-facing or south-facing? If the former, choose warming shades a warm grey with warm accent colors. If, however, the sun streams into your living room all day long, you can afford to choose a deeper tone, such as the one above. 

The second question to consider: what effect do you want to create? This is largely going to be down to when in the day you use the room – if it's at night, a dark color, accessorized with warm shades and lit well can feel incredibly cozy. If, however, you want the room to feel light and bright, going for paler colors both for the grey and the accent shades will be more successful.

What color accent wall goes with grey? The answer is that most accent wall colors will go with grey – the key is in creating a cohesive feel so getting your tones right is vital. 

Here, the golden color of the accent wall in the background – and curtains in the foreground – is exactly the same tone as the grey. This means that they work together from a visual point of view. Picking a wall color that tones with the flooring, too, creates a feeling of calm – perfect for a busy space, such as an entry.

This is very much dependent on what shade of grey you have on your walls. For example, if your walls are slate or charcoal then opt for paler furniture in taupes, blush, coral and a paler grey. They will add a wonderful contrast to the dark walls and the result will be striking. 

You can use the reverse methodology if you have pale walls – so choose darker furniture like a slate or deep terracotta sofa and accessorize with taupe cushions and a textured throw or two. 

Antique furniture works well in both scenarios, the color of the wood will warm up the scheme and it will add character too.

We couldn’t resist asking TV interior star, Joanna Gaines what her favorite grey shade is, and interestingly, she used it in Fixer Upper: Welcome Home - Episode 2 of her fabulous new show that you can watch on Magnolia Network. 

The color is Prairie Smoke – you can see the beautiful depth it has when you see it used in the primary bedroom and how Joanne has used it on the wood cabinetry and trims. It contrasts beautifully against the warm tones of the bed and side table. It's very like the very beautiful dining room wall color, shown here.

Renowned British designer Louise Bradley founded her interior architecture and product design studio over 28 years ago and creates stunning sophisticated interiors for those who love bespoke and beautifully designed homes. 

Below, she shares her advice on how to add warmth to gray rooms as depending on which tone you choose, can sometimes feel on the cool side:

‘To avoid a gray color scheme feeling cold in an interior, you can add warmth through textured fabrics and the layering of patterns. 

'Softening the light using tailored window treatments provides both privacy and intimacy within the space. Introducing hints of color through accessories dressed with greenery and foliage injects energy and lifts the space during the dull winter months.’

Vancouver based design practice Sophie Burke Design is known for its creativity, subtle sophistication and warmth. This loft in downtown Vancouver was given a much needed revamp which included turning this space into this stylish living area that honors the industrial elements. 

Sophie explains the use of grey and how you can focus design around a grey couch, ‘We love using grey – to us it's the perfect neutral. It adds depth to a room and always feels calming. Grey is a sophisticated color with so many amazing subtle tones to choose from, whether it is a warm grey or cooler, softer dove grey like this sofa.’

In this space the grey sofa is the main focal point and it’s visually anchored by the fabulous knitted style darker grey rug. By keeping the rest of the room neutral you allow the seating area to be zoned – it’s the main source of grey and this is why it works from a design point of view. 

Joa Studholme, Color Curator at Farrow & Ball has painted her fabulous office window space in two shades of grey. The walls are Dimpse No.277 in Estate Emulsion and the floor is Downpipe No.26 in Modern Eggshell. 

The furniture you choose needs to complement your paint colors, black works really well with all shades of grey and glass table tops act as a light reflector. Vintage furniture gives a space meaning and character, look out for one-off finds as they add a warmth to a space. 

Warming shades like taupe or mushroom upholstered furniture with rusty coloured armchairs look great with light grey floors; they will create a welcoming and cozier feel against a cooler, pale floor (above). 

And don't forget you can add pops of color – like the contemporary red stool shown here. On paper it may feel like it shouldn’t work, but actually it does though is helped by the patchwork style rug. Rugs are a great option if you feel your floor feels too expansive.

Every color of the spectrum will go with a grey floor, and again, the one you choose will largely be down to the effect you want to create: elegant and cool or warm and cozy. Black, white, cream and shades from the cooler end of the color palette will work best on walls for sunny rooms with cool grey floors; spice shades and more welcoming tones of green and blue on walls will work with warmer grey floors.

If you are looking for a middle ground, we particularly love this plummy shade that warms up a potentially cold room. While light and bright spaces are appealing, they can be sterile if you don’t add some cozier colors. This living room has been turned into a cozy welcoming space when teamed with various plum tones, patterned grey carpet, sky blue cushions and brass accessories.