Gray paint, or just the color gray in general has been all the rage lately. Warm grays, cool grays, grays with a blue undertone or even grays with a purple undertone! If you are in the process of choosing a new color scheme and are considering grays then you may be feeling overwhelmed with all of the different choices on the market. You are not alone! Where do you start? Keep reading to discover and learn more about my favorite gray paint colors.
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Gray is the new tan
“Gray is the new tan” or “Gray is the new beige.” Not sure if that is an official quote or if I just made that up, but it sounds about right! I love how a fresh coat of gray paint will create a space that feels modern, clean and serene without feeling too cold (if you use the right shade of gray). It creates a good base for a neutral monochromatic scheme or a great neutral backdrop for spaces with pops of color in fabric or accessories.
I have my favorite go-to gray paint colors that I love to use and I wanted to share. I broke them down into categories: Warmer Grays and Cooler Grays. As always, all the colors below are connected to the Color Wheel and you can find my color scheme picks by clicking on a specific color. Additionally we offer all of the colors mentioned in this post as a peel and stick paint sample. When you are ready to invest in gallons of paint we suggest checking out myperfectcolor where you can get any color on the market matched and shipped to your home.
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Warmer Gray Paint Colors:
Can I just say, that I love these warm gray paint colors? I feel like a broken record saying how much I love them, but seriously, it’s true! They come out looking gray on walls, while not feeling too cold. Appropriately, they are often called “greige” because they are warmer grays that have undertones of beige or taupe to them. I broke these down into smaller categories to speak into some of them specifically.
Depth with Warm Gray Paint color
Repose Gray, Mindful Gray and Requisite Gray are gorgeous as overall gray paint colors. For something different and trendy, try Dovetail or Griffin for your trim color. Going darker on your trim can add an unexpected spin on your space and can create some depth against your wall color in an “inside out” kind of way (most often trim is painted a lighter shade than the walls). Spice up your Kitchen cabinets by painting them a darker color as well.
I love the look of painting the lower cabinets a darker gray color while keeping the upper cabinets white or cream. I recently saw Black Fox painted on the inside of a front door and it looked awesome! To add a bold statement, try painting an accent wall with these darker gray colors. For more thoughts on using dark gray or black walls as accents, see my previous post HERE.
- Repose Gray SW 7015
- Mindful Gray SW 7016
- Dovetail SW 7018
- Requisite Gray SW 7023
- Griffin SW 7026
- Black Fox SW 7020
Not too gray, but not beige
These next gray paint colors: Agreeable Gray and Anew Gray are slowly become some of my new favorites. Once again, they are the perfect in between “not too gray, but not beige” colors. I have had two clients who recently used Anew Gray as their overall main paint color and it transformed their space and looks amazing.
Mega Greige and Warm Stone are great as accent walls or even as trim (similar to what I mentioned above). Next up are my old favorites: Accessible Beige and Balanced Beige. I recommend them all of the time, truly. Tony Taupe is a great color to use in a space that has good natural lighting that could be used on all walls, such as as home office or spacious guest room. Virtual Taupe is great for accent walls or, you guessed it, trim!
- Agreeable Gray SW 7029
- Anew Gray SW 7030
- Mega Greige SW 7031
- Warm Stone SW 7032
- Accessible Beige SW 7036
- Balanced Beige SW 7037
- Tony Taupe SW 7038
- Virtual Taupe SW 7039
I also wanted to give a quick shout out to one of my newer paint discoveries, Worldly Gray. I recently viewed it in a client’s home and fell in love. It’s perfect as a warmer gray paint color choice. Perfect Greige is another newer paint addition that I would like to see more of.
Griege warm grays
Lastly, Colonnade Gray and Modern Gray. Modern Gray is a bit more “taupe-y” than Colonnade Gray, but both are still warm gray paint colors that would work in any space that is hungry for a good overall griege color.
Enough from me. Leave me a comment if you have tried any of the above warm gray paint colors. I would love to see some pictures!
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Cooler Gray Paint Colors:
Gray paint colors that tend to be cooler can sometimes have a green, blue or purple undertone. Undertones are tricky and if not addressed before paint selection can leave you will a mess at the end of your project.
Cool Gray Paint Colors With Blue Undertones:
I actually have Lattice as my overall paint color in my home and it has a blue undertone that I love. The color is a cooler gray, but doesn’t come out feeling too cold or sterile either. Front Porch is a slightly darker version of Lattice that looks great as an accent wall or on all walls in a space that has the appropriate lighting.
These soft, gray-blue colors, like Silver Strand, Passive and Gray Screen are gorgeous and give a feel of a spa-like soothing atmosphere with almost an ethereal look. Tinsmith and Gray Clouds are two gray paint colors with blue undertones from the “Concepts in Color” paint deck that would be great options as well.
- Lattice SW 7654 (this is the interior color in my home)
- Front Porch SW 7651
- Silver Strand SW 7057
- Passive SW 7064
- Gray Screen SW 7071
- Tinsmith SW 7657
- Gray Clouds SW 7658
Cool Gray Paint Colors With Green Undertones:
Similar to the gray paint colors with hints of blue undertones, these green-y grays give off the same serene feel. Aloof Gray and Sensible Hue have more of a gray feel than the others in this category.
Some of my personal favorites of all time, Sea Salt, Comfort Gray and Oyster Bay could almost be in the blue category, but I put them with the greens because they can really go either way. I have talked about this before in past blogs, but Sea Salt looks perfect in a Master Bathroom (or any bathroom for that matter!) to create an insta-spa appeal.
- Aloof Gray SW 6197
- Sensible Hue SW 6198
- Sea Salt SW 6204
- Comfort Gray SW 6205
- Oyster Bay SW 6206
- Conservative Gray SW 6183
- Austere Gray SW 6184
Cool Gray Paint Colors With Purple Undertones:
I know it may seem crazy to have a gray paint color with a purple feel to it, but trust me, these are surprisingly elegant and beautiful. Back when I worked in the model home industry, there was a model home that we painted using Imagine, Flexible Gray and Chinchilla. The color scheme was Gray-Purple and Navy and we also used a beautiful accent color called Naval.
The home was an upscale model in a new development in the suburbs of Houston. I still remember walking in to install the furniture and accessories and being wowed by the effect that the paint had on the space, along with the creamy white countertops and dark wood flooring and cabinetry. Grayish, Essential Gray, Proper Gray, Minute Mauve and Ponder are other good choices to accomplish this same look. Consider also using accents of a super soft creamy yellow like Crisp Linen for a complementary color scheme.
- Grayish SW 6001
- Essential Gray SW 6002
- Proper Gray SW 6003
- Imagine SW 6009
- Flexible Gray SW 6010
- Chinchilla SW 6011
- Minute Mauve SW 7078
- Ponder SW 7079
Wrapping up my Favorite Gray Paint colors
I hope this has been helpful if you are considering taking the plunge to painting one or all of your walls gray. If warm grays or cool grays or any of those blue gray paint colors (any gray at all for that matter) are still giving you fits then check out my color consultation packages. I would love to help you find the best gray for your space! If you are looking for more paint tips, check out my past blog post on Favorite Neutral Paint Colors. Feel free to comment for any questions you might have or if you have other gray paint suggestions that have worked well for you!
Can you please tell me the color in the first picture. Thank you
It’s Anew Gray 🙂
Amazing color this Anew Grey – on this picture it looks blue, to me! https://images.rughdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/anew-gray.jpg
Ha! Yes, colors can really change in your lighting and/or in pictures. Always best to test them out first! 🙂
I have collanade gray to the right when you walk in my house in my family room and am putting watery to the left in my dining room…. But am stuck on what to put in my hallway … Will go up the stairs to the small hallway outside of bedrooms…we want a neutral but so many look lavender or pink… Have tried everyday white, steamed milk, etc. help?
Hi there! Based on what you told me, I would try Incredible White SW 7028. It’s the lightest gray on the paint chip for grays that complement Collanade Gray. Another one to try would be Aesthetic White SW 7035. Definitely get some samples first and try them out. If they don’t work, I would consider just taking the Collanade Gray all the way through the hallway and up the stairs. Especially if you have good lighting. That will eliminate your problem with some of the lighter grays/neutrals from feeling too pink or lavender. Happy painting!
Thank you so much for your suggestion on the incredible white! After lots of samples we tried the incredible white and loved it. The painter came today and it looks beautiful 🙂 thank you so much!!! Also he watery from sherwin Williams we put in the dining room beside the incredible white is beautiful too!!
I’m so glad!! Watery is s beautiful color too. Enjoy your freshly painted space!
Would love to see a picture too if you can post it!
Such amazingly helpful information. You truly know your colors! I had previously painted my entire house in Lattice and loved it, but just bought a new house and have experimented with a ton of grays trying to be different in the new house. I’m going back to Lattice after reading this breakdown. I had planned to do my cabinets in Cream, but I think after reading this I should stick to the Extra White. Thank you color Guru!
Thank you! I love Lattice, too and it looks so great next to the pop of Extra White. Enjoy your beautiful new home!
Laura, I previously painted my cabinets a match to BM Putnam ivory, luckily they turned out a slightly lighter shade. The backsplash is Durango travertine that has beige and some grayish tones and the counter is uba tuba granite. I’m trying to repaint my 1st floor (kitchen, two story foyer, 2 story sun room, 2 story family room which are all connected. Also planning to paint a living room, office, dining room and powder room. I really wanted to do a warm gray/taupe but feel like I’m stuck bc of the cabinet color. I also have orangy wood floors and planning to paint the trim Bm cloud white. I saw your other post and started thinking maybe I should paint macadamia or relaxed khaki as my overall color instead of trying to force a gray pallet on my warm color scheme. Would you let me know what you recommend for an overall color scheme and possibly a couple accent color ideas? Thanks, Brenna
Hmm…without seeing your space in person, its a bit tricky. Based on what you told me, you may have enough gray in your countertop and backsplash to try a warmer gray neutral, like Anew Gray or even Balanced Beige. Get some samples and see how they look next to your cabinets. I would also get some samples of Macadamia or other warmer neutrals too to see what truly looks best. I do think that you can try to mix warm and cool, especially if you have the Durango Travertine and the Uba Tuba granite. Svelte Sage might also be a nice accent color to try. It is a greenish-gray and would bring out some of the green in the Uba Tuba. Best of luck!
Hi, I am about to paint my Kitchen/Dining room, but have been stressing out about what color for several months. My Kitchen and Dining room are all in one room… the living room and the rest of the place are separate (not open floor plan).
The area also does not get a lot of natural light. There is a window and french doors leading to the patio, but above there is a balcony that blocks a lot of light and this is a townhouse so no windows on the side.
Currently the walls are a light yellow. The floor is tile that looks like travertine (creamy whites/yellows and browns). The kitchen cabinets are dark brown (espresso) with white granite counter top. The back splash are subway tiles, but they are not white.. the tiles are mixed between black and different shades of gray. I also painted the french doors a dark brown as well.
My plan is to paint the trim & ceiling white white and the walls some sort of light gray, but I am worried that the room will be to gray and to monochrome. I was thinking of a beige, but figured that might be to yellowly.. like it is now, so I was looking at a grayish brown light tone like accessible beige… maybe paint an accent wall on the side the dining room table is at. Any ideas on paint colors would be very much appreciated. Your posts and the post about neutrals has been very helpful in narrowing down some colors.
Hi Alex,
Thank you so much for reaching out! I sincerely apologize for my delay reply. Your comment got buried somehow and I missed it! Accessible Beige would be a great color to use. I would add some some accent color in your furnishings like drapery, pillows, and artwork to add some interest and make sure the scheme doesn’t get too monochromatic.
Thanks again,
Laura
Hi, I am wanting to repaint the entire first floor of my Sears Craftsman home. The trim is bright white, the wood floors are warm honey color. The kitchen floor is a white with light gray/blue pieces. Currently, all of the rooms are a slate gray. Its a bit too dark and we are really looking to lighten up the home with a nice neutral that makes the home feel airy and new. I am also thinking of replacing my very outdated kitchen cabinet which are bright white with gray cabinets. I was leaning towards kilim Beige for the entire first floor, but since I am really wanting the gray cabinets, I’m not sure the kilim beige will go with the gray cabinets,What are your ideas for either lattice in the kitchen and kilim beige on the rest of the rooms, or lattice throughout?
Hi there,
Since your flooring in the Kitchen is light gray/blue and you would like to paint your cabinets gray, then I would stick to more of a light gray neutral for your entire first floor so that it flows together. I love your idea of using Lattice. In fact, that would really be a great overall color to use! I have it in my home all throughout and love it. It also pops against my white trim. Anew Gray is also a great gray-ish neutral that I love to use for an overall color. Let me know what you decide!
Best Wishes,
Laura
Hi I have Silverplate write now from sw in my foyer in some lighting it looks blueish I have natural sealed oak floors with white trim I’m really looking for a natural grey not greish I’m thinking of painting with anew gray Wich I just got done doing in costomers home looks like a nice grey but nervous about doing it in my home what would you recommend
Hi Jamie,
Silverlate definitely has some blue undertones to it. Anew Gray is a warmer greige that could work for you! It depends on the other design features in your home. If you tend towards warmer tones, Anew Gray would work. If you need a cooler tone, there are several other gray options that are a bit cooler or more of a true “gray” versus a “griege” (gray with some beige in it: a warmer gray).
I would love to help you find the perfect color for your home through an Interior Color Consultation. Let me know if you are interested!
Thank you so much for reaching out,
Laura
Can you share the name of the yellow paint on the fireplace? It looks great with the gray walls!
Hi there. I would really like to know what color the lighter grey in the second picture is and what brand of paint as well. Thanks
My kitchen cabinets are maple with a mocha glaze, bianco antico counters, floors hand scraped distressed hickory. A built in bookshelf, mantle on the fireplace and beams on the ceiling are the same color as kitchen cabinets. Desperately need help choosing wall colors. The entry foyer and formal dining are adjacent to each other. From the entry foyer you step into family room that also has a dining nook and kitchen (open floor plan)I have always leaned toward warm colors but think I might to try cool colors. Any advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Carol
Hi there,
Your home sounds beautiful! I love cooler colors and definitely have my favorite neutral ones. For more of a gray look, try Anew Gray or Amazing Gray. Balanced Beige is also a wonderful neutral paint color that is more of a taupe-gray, and always turns out beautiful on my client’s walls. Based on what you told me, I’m leaning towards Balanced Beige as a great neutral overall color for you. If you want to do something different with more of a color, I would try Lattice. It is still neutral, but has a hint of blue, so it comes out looking a bit gray-blue. Grab a few samples and try them out in your lighting first, and then I would love to know what works out!
Can you tell me what colors those are in the second picture (the one with the yellow accent). And also do you have any pictures with sensible hue and aloof?
Hi – I’m redoing my whole main floor of a 2 story colonial. My kitchen cabinets are now a french vanilla with a smoke glaze. The countertop will be Cambia quartz in Berwyn http://www.cambriausa.com/en/Designs/design-palette/berwyn/ and we’re having LVT flooring in a medium to dark wood tone with gray undertones. I have chosen Collonade Gray for the upstairs hallway, down the stairway, in the front entry way, and throughout the hallway leading to the open floor plan between the kitchen and family room. Since the kitchen cabinets go all the way to the ceiling, only a little of the kitchen walls show (above the doorway to the dining room, above the window over the sink, and a little to the side of one wall cabinet).
The upstairs hallways is already painted so I can see what the Collonade Gray looks like. I’m going slightly darker for the kitchen with Pussywillow. I will also use Pussywillow above the fireplace mantle (between built-in bookcases painted in Westhighland White, which is similar in color to the kitchen cabinet color). All of my trim has also been painted in the Westhighland White.
Off the front entry, I have a living room, which leads to a dining room. My question is: should I carry the Collonade Gray all the way through the main floor, or choose something slightly different? Maybe do the Pussywillow in the Living Room as well? My dining room has a chair rail molding, currently with a blue on top and a beige on bottom. In trying to keep consistent with the gray hue, what would you suggest?
Thanks,
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Your home sounds beautiful! I love Collonade Gray and it sounds like it goes perfect in your space. In answer to your question, I think that you could go a few different directions for your Living Room and Dining Room. Pussywillow would look nice in your Living Room and keep everything neutral and consistent. If you want to mix it up a little bit, it would be fun to use a sage green or a gray-blue on the walls for some contrast against the Collonade Gray. Wheat Grass, Sheraton Sage or Grassland are a few green colors that I would suggest to complement the gray tones that your currently have. A good option for a gray-blue to try is Comfort Gray. It’s one of my favorites and it also looks great with Collonade Gray and Pussywillow. For your Dining Room, you could tray a dark gray neutral like Mink, Thunder Gray or Warm Stone below the chair rail and then use a softer color like one of the sage colors or Comfort Gray above the chair rail. All of these options would go well with your gray hues. Let me know what you end up trying!
Hi Cindy,
I stumbled upon your site in doing hours of research for the perfect greige color. I have about 7-8 samples of various warm grays up now, but I’m not sure any of them look great. A little info. on our home. We have taupey carpet, dark cabinets in the kitchen, and white trim. Our house sometimes feels dark to me – we face West, but back to a tree lined ravine. Right now, I have SW perfect greige, amazing gray, versatile gray, requisite gray, and functional gray on the walls. Perfect greige and versatile look a little too pinky, functional looks too dark and muddy, amazing looks too cool. It’s a color going in most of our home, so I need it to be perfect. We think we need something warm, but we don’t like the pink or purple undertones that may be appearing due to our whitewashed fireplace. Additionally, colors like requisite and versatile seem to light, but functional and perfect too dark. If you have any advice, let me know! Thank you!
Kelly Campbell
Hi Kelly,
Finding the perfect wall color can definitely be a challenge at times! I looked at all the colors that you have tried and after hearing about your home, I would suggest trying Anew Gray. It’s warm, but is still greige and it’s not too dark or light. I have a client who painted her whole house this color and it looks beautiful. One more suggestion is Balanced Beige. It’s more taupe, but is a gorgeous color that I use all the time with big success. Let me know if either of these work or if you would like more help. I also offer remote services, if you are interested (see my services page for more info). Thanks!
Nice to know I am not the only one who underestimated the intricacies of gray paint! I would love some suggestions here. My husband and I started a small residential construction firm 2 years ago after 20+ years in corporate america. Basically, I design the floor plans, figure out all the colors, fixtures, features the home should have. My hubby then builds them and and I sell them as I have a real estate license. We built homes on the coast of NC so only about 15 minutes from the beach. Homes range from approximately 1700-2600 HSF. Our clientele is 99% US Marine families aged 20-40 as we are very close to Camp Lejeune, home of 40K marines. 95% of business is spec homes rather than presales so I pick out the colors. All the builders in the area use one color throughout the home since these are spec homes and it costs less to buy one color. We do one color too with the exception of the Owner’s bath which I prefer to do something like SW Crystal Clear. Here’s my question: I just finished developing 3 new plans. They range from 2396 – 2605 HSF. All are open concept homes. Since I’m by the coast I want to do a kitchen with white cabinets, mid to darker grey island and then a lighter grey on the walls. I want this to be more of a cool gray as I use the warm grays (Agreeable Gray and Accessible Beige) when I’m designing kitchens with oil rubbed bronze fixtures or darker nutmeg/expresso cabinets with warm granites. I’m kinda looking for a pure grey without the blue/green/purple undertones. Currently, I was thinking of using SW Network Gray or SW Storm Cloud (leaning towards this one) for the island and either Grey Screen, Zircon or Silver Strand for the walls. Thoughts??? I need the walls to be dark enough so the white cabinets, wainscoting, beadboard will “pop” out from the grey but not too dark to turn buyers off. It would just need to definitely go well the darker grey on the island. All builders in the area to engineered hardwood floors in the kitchen – would you suggest a light, medium or dark wood floor with the mid grey island / white cabinets? Also looking for a suggestion for the owner’s bath something similar to Crystal Clear but maybe not quite as bright. The nearest BM store to me is 1.5 hours away so need to stick with SW. Any and all comments very much appreciated! Warm Regards, Joanne Flick
Hi Joanne,
What a fun job! If you are looking for more of a pure grey that has cooler undertones, I would suggest trying either Anew Gray or Mindful Gray for the walls and Warm Stone or Dovetail for the Kitchen island. Anew Gray & Warm Stone are a bit warmer than Mindful Gray & Dovetail. You could try a small sample of both to see which you prefer. Silver Strand is gorgeous, but it may tend to have some blue undertones, depending on the lighting. I would also suggest using a light-medium wood floor since you are designing near a coastal area and they would go well with the white cabinets and gray walls. For the Owner’s Bath, my favorite soft spa-like blue is Sea Salt. Rainwashed is another one to try. Let me know what you end up trying or if I can help in any other way. Would love to hear how everything turns out!
Definitely fun but LOTS of responsibility as I’m always worried about getting all my colors to work well together for walls, floor, cabinets, countertops etc. Won’t be able to post pics for a few months as we just broke ground on Friday. I think I’m having a “what color is that dress” experience similar to what happened on the internet a few weeks ago as when I look at Mindful Grey and Dovetail on the SW color wheel, my eye sees more beige undertones than I would like but yet you see them as a purer gray. Do they just look more grey when they are painted on the wall?? And, of course, none of the colors on the wheel look like they do online either! I already use Agreeable Gray and since Anew Grey is literally only one step away on the same card, I know that will have more beige than I want. My husband painted me a sample (wood board w/Kilz) last night of Software and Storm Cloud for the island. Waited for them to dry overnight and looked at them just now. Software seems to have some green undertones and Storm Cloud has alot of blue undertones so I’m back at square one for my island color as well. Does Serious Gray have less blue than Storm Cloud? I have to head to the SW store today to get more swatches as the color wheel I have from them is last years and doesn’t have some of the new grey colors like Zircon, Gray Clouds, Front Porch, Silverplate, On the Rocks or Knitting Needle etc. In general, will the colors on primed drywall be darker or lighter than the SW paint chips? Will they look darker or lighter when painted on wood for the island? I think my hair is turning grey cause of all this! What shade????? Who the heck knows??? LOL
Yes, paint can definitely be tricky! Also, like you mentioned, it can look one way on the swatch and then seem totally different on walls in different lighting. I was looking through my “Concepts in Color” paint deck and had another suggestion to try for a more “pure” gray color: Collonade Gray (walls) & Pavestone (island). If you can sample these, I feel like they might be what you are looking for. In general, the paint on primed walls should match the paint swatch, but there are some factors that may make your paint color look lighter or darker such as, the lighting and/or the sheen (flat vs semi-gloss or gloss). Painting on wood, will affect the color some (usually making the color darker), so testing it out first will help in your decision.
Let me know if the Collonade Gray works out! Also, just to let you know that if you would like more detailed help, I offer remote design services if you are interested. Here is the link for my services page for more information: Color Consultation
Laura – thanks a million for your suggestions. I took the day off yesterday and drove the 1.5 hours to Wilmington to visit Benjamin Moore. Picked up lots of swatches and will be looking at them today in the natural light as the flourescent lights in the stores always throws things off. I will definitely let you know on what we decide once and will send pics once the house is actually painted. As I said, will be about 90 days as we just broke ground but thanks again!
We are getting ready to paint our bedroom & I am planning to use Collonade Gray as an accent wall for the bed and Modern Gray for the other 3 walls. Can you tell me if this is a good combination? My duvet cover is a pretty green, similar to Aloe or Spearmint.
Hi Patsy,
If you are wanting to make a statement with the accent wall, then I would suggest going with a color that will contrast against the other walls a bit more. Try using a color like Pavestone or Taupe Tone for your accent wall and Modern Gray or Collanade Gray for your remaining walls. That will make a huge difference and will go very nicely with your mint colored bedding. Let me know what you end up choosing or if you would like more in-depth help, please feel free to Color Consultation for a paint consult. Thanks so much!
Hi! We are building a home and doing a bright white kitchen. I am pretty sure I want to do dorian gray in the kitchen but am not sure what to do in the family room (open floor plan). I also wanted to do something more bold in our dining room to make the wainscoting pop but i have no idea what to do. I was thinking dark blue. Not sure which one. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Katie,
The Kitchen sounds gorgeous! I love a bright white Kitchen and I love Dorian Gray. 🙂 What if you try a lighter overall color like Repose Gray or Agreeable Gray for your open areas? I also love your idea of doing a dark blue accent in the Dining Room. Some to try are: Tempe Star, Rainstorm or Riverway. It might depend on your other accents, though. Blues can be tricky. Let me know what you decide or if you would like Color Consultation! Thanks!
If I chose Sea Salt for the master bath….what color would go well with it for the master bedroom?
Hi Lee,
I love Sea Salt! Especially for a Master Bath, great choice. There are lots of options, but some of my favorite coordinating paint colors are greige colors, like Anew Gray, Balanced Beige or Requisite Gray. Another option is to do a darker accent wall on your focal point or headboard wall. I love Virtual Taupe, Dovetail or Warm Stone for an accent wall. You could do the other walls in the coordinating softer color (ie. Virtual Taupe for accent, Balanced Beige for remaining walls). Let me know what you works out! If you need further help, check my Color Consultation for more options. Thanks so much!
What is the color in the second photo with the yellow fireplace? Thank you!
I went with Alpaca instead of agreeable grey as an all over house color. I have white ceilings and white wainscoting in several rooms and up the stairs. I felt like the agreeable grey may looked washed out and I have a lot of grey tile in the house and wood floors with a greyish tone, I wanted to warm things up a bit but felt requisite grey was too dark. Do you think this was a good choice?
Hi Amie,
It sounds like you made a great choice! Very well thought out and I love all of the colors on the Alpaca color strip. Alpaca does have more saturated color than Agreeable Gray, while still being not too dark. I would love to see pictures! Your home sounds beautiful. Thanks for your comment and let me know if I can help with anything else!
Hi Laura,
Thank you for this very useful information! We are currently debating between Anew Gray vs. Mega Greige for the majority of our house (hallways, living room, entry way, dining room, family room). Which color would look better on that much wall space? We have very high ceilings in the living room with some (not a ton) of natural light. Would the lighter color be better as an overall home color with the Mega Greige for some accent walls?
Hi Stephanie,
I would recommend going with Anew Gray as your overall color. Mega Greige can get dark (used on all walls) in a space with not a ton of natural light. I agree that you could use Mega Greige for some accent walls for sure! Thanks for you comment and please let me know if you need further Color Consultation.
Hi Laura,
Fantastic information here. I appreciate your post. There is one thing I would like to ask your opinion on please. What is the best SW paint color to use for trim with the gray’s/ Gray is so popular and I am going to be using SW Silver Strand. I have no idea what color of white for the trim. There are so many options for white. Thank You!
Hi Jill,
Thank you! My favorite white for trim (especially with the grays) is Extra White. All of the trim in my home is this color and it pops out so nicely against my gray/soft blue walls (Lattice). Silver Strand would look perfect next to Extra White! Another nice choice is Pure White. You might want to try both to see what you like best. Let me know what you decide!
Thanks for your help Laura. I so appreciate it. I have been looking and I agree that both would look fantastic! No all I have to do is decide. You have help out so much!
Thanks again
You are so welcome, Jill!
I will be putting Anew Gray on my open concept Kitchen, DR, LR walls and I’m thinking of using Dover White on the kitchen cabinets and all the window trim and base boards…..can you recommend some other nice whites I could consider. I’m having a hard time!!
Hi there,
Dover White is a good choice, but my all-time favorite is Extra White. I have it in my home as my trim and ceiling color and I love it. It’s a true white without looking too cold and would work very well with Anew Gray. Try some samples of both to see which one you prefer and let me know how it goes!
great information. Helping my son (29) decide on what colors to paint his house. 689 sf 2 br, 1 bath, kitchen & living room. Edan Walnut vinyl plank floors. He really wants to go with sw repose gray walls with white trim, doors and ceilings for all rooms. Would Dovetail for the kitchen & bathroom cabinets be a good combination? What would be a good color to use as a accent wall in the living room?
Hi there,
Repose Gray is a great choice! I have a family member who has this in their home as the main wall color and it turned out amazing. I have been loving gray trim and cabinetry lately and Dovetail would be a great contrast against the Repose Gray. I say, go for it! One color that I might recommend for the accent wall is Storm Cloud. I don’t know if there is a particular color scheme that you are working with, but this one is a darker blue-gray color that would work well with Repose Gray. Let me know if you would like further Color Consultation!
Great! Can’t wait to see how it turns out.
my main concern was using to much gray color tones….and not enough contrast. So I really appreciate your input. thanks again1
No problem!
Thank you!
Laura
I tried a sample of SW Dover White and it’s too yellow for my liking. What would be a good white on my kitchen cabinets/window/baseboard trim that’s not too yellow nor too stark/bright white. I do gravitate toward warmth but do not like too much yellow. It would have to coordinate with the SW Anew Gray which I love. Anyone with more ideas? I have to let cabinet maker know today and I’m agonizzzzzzzzzing over this! Thx!
We are painting the walls mindful gray & Alabaster white for trim, Alabaster 200% for the cabinet’s. Tinted the Alabaster just enough to have a slight contrast with the trim & not pure white.
Check out the Sherwin Williams color mate app…it shows pure white to be one of the best accent colors. Maybe try increasing the tint by 100% or more to done the white down.
Hope this helps
I currently have 9 different shades of gray up on my wall right now.:/ we moved into a new house and love the idea of gray walls but everyone of them looks so different from the paint swatch once it’s up on the wall. Some of the contenders are colonnade gray and amazing gray. I’m afraid of going too dark bc we have espresso cabinets in the kitchen and medium brown wood floors. Our trim is Dover white. We just want a nice color we can paint through most of the home. My husband might kill me if I come home with any more paint samples!!! Help!!!
Hi Dayna,
I’m so sorry for my delayed reply! I realized that some of my comments got buried in my inbox, I’m so sorry that choosing paint has been hard. If it’s not too late, I would love to help through an Interior Color Consultation:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
I would love to help! Thank you so much for reaching out.
Laura
well I’ve got a extension on my paint color decision and now I’m leaning towards either BM cloud white or BM white down. Both are warm colors with White Down having a bit more yellow. I have to consider my backsplash, counters, flooring and my natural light in this equation. I would probably change my wall color to BM Revere Pewter because it looks nice with either and it is also a warm gray. My cabinet guy uses SW paint so he can color match. Feel free to chime in on my latest samples. Thx I appreciate the help!
Hi there!
All of those options sound like they could work! It is always best to get samples if you can and try them out to see what will coordinate with what you currently have (like you mentioned). I have heard really good things about BM Revere Pewter. As far as whites go, my favorite white of all time is SW Extra White. I have it in my home as my trim and ceilings and love it. It is definitely more of a bright white, but it doesn’t come off feeling too cold. One more white to try for SW is Alabaster. It looks like it has less of a yellow-y tone to it. Let me know if I can Color Consultation further. Thank you!
Do you advise on exteriors too? We have a contemporary house with painted siding and creamy colored limestone (grey and yellow undertones) and are thinking of painting the siding Mindful Grey and the trim Dovetail. It is currently painted with Dovetail siding and Black Fox trim, but we need to go lighter to reflect the sunlight better.
Hi Marta,
That combo would be gorgeous! Especially if you are already familiar with that color swatch “family” and know that it looks good with your limestone. I imagine that you will be very happy with lightening things up a bit with your exterior! Let me know if I can Color Consultation with anything else.
I just bought a home that is 3 years old and the original cream/ivory paint is in perfectly flawless condition. The entire interior of the home is painted that color. It is an open floor plan as well. HOWEVER…I really want paint the first level a shad of gray. The colors I have in mind are SW Repose Gray or SW Colonade Gray. The challenge is I do not necessarily want to paint the entire house or the ceilings. Primarily just the main level which includes the dining room, living room, kitchen and sunroom. I would like your opinion on how these grays might look with a cream ceiling. Also the way the floor plan is the walls for the stairs upstairs and downstairs are visible from the main floor but I do not really want to paint everything. Is there a different shade of gray I should be considering to pair better with my ceiling and walls?
Hi Rosa,
I think either gray (Repose or Collonade) would work with cream/ivory trim and ceilings. One of my clients recently painted her home Repose Gray and her trim/ceilings/cabinetry are more creamy. It turned out looking great! Test some samples out before you commit, but I say go for it! Let me know if you would like further help. I offer Color Consultation and can view your space to be able to give you more specific advice. Thanks!
Hi! We have been searching for the perfect grey. We love passive grey for our living room. We need complimenting colors for the dining room and hallway. The living room sits between hall and dining. Hallway does not get much light. So we need a lighter color, but need all three colors to flow together. Thank you so much!
Hi there,
What if you tried Agreeable Gray for your Hallway and/or Dining Room? It’s a light gray/neutral and coordinates well with Passive, which has some blue undertones. It might be fun to go darker in your Dining Room if your lighting will allow. Mega Greige is gorgeous and in the same color family as Agreeable Gray. You could even just do an accent wall or do it below a chair rail (if you have it). You could also use Gray Matters in your Dining Room since it’s on the same swatch as Passive. Grab some samples and see what works! Let me know if you would like further help. I offer remote design services and would love to be able to see your space and help you problem solve. Thanks!
Great site and info thanks!!!
I am looking for a medium gray exterior colour with a slight purple undertone. I have a hardboard-type siding, and I live in Canada, therefore we see the 4-seasons…lots of snow! 🙂
The overall look I am aiming for is that silvery gray, coastal cedar shake colour. I have no loyalty to any specific paint company.
I don’t want to go too dark, since the siding went from light, blindingly bright aqua (yuck) to a medium olive tone, and I don’t want it to warp or chalk too much from a very dark shade.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi there,
Thank you for your comment! I would suggest trying Proper Gray SW 6003 for a medium gray with purple undertones. I think it might be what you are looking for. Functional Gray SW 7024 would be another one to try, but it has less purple undertones to it. Try some samples and let me know what ends up working out!
I am getting ready to paint my main floor from a nomadic dessert type color to a gray. I have narrowed my selection down to either requisite gray or anew gray but just can’t decide. I have 13′ ceilings and almost floor to ceiling windows in lots of areas. Or if you have a different color you think would look better let me know. I currently painted my master bedroom and bathroom in agreeable gray. Thanks!
Hi Kristi,
I honestly think either of those are great choices! A client of mine recently painted her whole house Requisite Gray and it turned out lovely. Make sure and get some samples and test them both out in your lighting. Have fun and let me know if you would like Color Consultation! Thank you!
Hi… I’m painting the living room… I would like a color that goes with a dark green sofa and light gray side chairs. The color is only on one wall; no outside light; recess and ceiling fan lights. I was thinking of SW Mink, but it may be too dark.
Hi Kay,
I think you are right that Mink might be a bit dark, especially against a dark green sofa in a room with no natural light. Mega Griege might be a good one to try since it is lighter, but still in the neutral gray family. Let me know what you decide!
Hi. I am thinking about painting my lower kitchen cabinets and island peppercorn sw7674, upper cabinets along with trim throughout incredible white or pure white. i am having trouble on deciding what color to choose for the walls. it is an open concept so would carry the color to the living area as well. I am thinking repose gray, but might be too light.
Hi Cristina,
Respose Gray could work…it really depends on your lighting. Get several samples of some colors that you like and see what might work best next to Peppercorn. There are tons of options for greige neutrals. Let me know if you would like further help and we can set up a Color Consultation! Thank you!
In need of your help!!! I have an open concept house. Walls were suppose to be painted BM Gray Cloud (at 50%), however, it was mixed wrong and has more of a blue undertone than it should. My trim is SW Extra White. With my kitchen opening up to the living room, I want to tie in the gray and white and planned on doing BM Gray Cloud cabinets. I was thinking Alabaster for the walls (I have SW extra White Trim) but am doing my kitchen nook with Oh Joy Petal Pusher (Pearl) wall paper. Reading thru your article and some of the comments I am of course second guessing myself and thinking I may need to look at Lattice. Just curious what your thoughts would be!
Hi Natalie,
I apologize for my delayed reply! I am going back through comments and realized that some of them got buried and were never answered. I would love to help you if you still need it through an Interior Color Consultation:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much,
Laura
Hi Laura! Building a new home. My cabinets are white with platinum glaze. My floors are beige, gray and white porcelain. I’m painting main area which is all open (LR, Kit, a Carolina room, DR) Lattice. Bedrooms balanced beige and master bath sea salt. We use sw super white for ceilings and trim. If I use extra white instead would it pop with balanced beige and sea salt or is super white ok to use? Also Carolina room is open to DR with an arched opening. Should I consider a different color on those walls? If so, what would recommend? Many Thanks, Maggie
Hi Maggie,
First, please forgive me for my delayed reply to this! I am catching up on my missed comments. I realize it’s been awhile since you left you comment, so hopefully I can still help. I love what you have chosen color-wise and I do think that Super White works with them. If you aren’t 100% sure, get a small sample of Extra White just to try it! Arched openings are tricky, so if it makes sense and there is a good stopping place for the paint, you can do a different color in there. I might try (depending on your lighting, etc.) Tony Taupe or Anew Gray for something different from the Lattice, while still coordinating with everything else. Let me know if you have more questions or if I can help you further! Thank you again for reaching out!
Hi Laura, With the white platinum glazed cabinets and lattice paint I’m doing brushed nickel faucets and door hinges throughout house. My biggest dilemma is light fixtures. I’m not a fan of brushed nickel lighting. Can I use ORB fixtures or should I play it safe with the nickel? Thank You!
Hi Maggie,
I like to stay consistent with the hardware typically,but you technically can mix metals! As long as the styling is the same, then you can do different lighting fixtures. Let me know how it all turns out!
Laura
Hi Laura! I am struggling with a paint color for our home’s exterior. Painters are coming in two weeks and I’m still unsure. Our roof is GAF weathered wood which is a mixture of browns/grays/taupe. We also have some brick in the front which is grayish, orangey, rust. Started off thinking I wanted gray, but I’ve concluded that plain gray just looks too cold/modern for me and my 1950s ranch home. So am looking for a medium taupe gray that will contrast well with our roof. Don’t like when the house color is the same tone as the roof. And don’t want brown roof/brown house. Any suggestions? I’m also open to a grayish taupe with a tad of green. We’ve tried Tony Taupe but is a tad too brown, not enough gray. Thanks for your help!
Hi Rinahen,
I’m so sorry for my delayed reply! I missed some comments that got buried in my inbox. I would love to still help you through an Exterior Color Consultation if you need it.
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/exterior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much,
Laura
I wish I saw this blog sooner! I have the painters coming back on Tuesday to finish a job. They started the prep work and I’m not liking the color I picked. It looks purple in some areas. I thought it was just me! The color I picked is Alpaca. Now I’m running around trying to find a gray tone that has no purple undertone. I hate purple. What are your thoughts on Popular Gray? Does that have a purple undertone? If so I’ll try something else 🙂 Thanks!!!
Hi Kathy,
I might be too late in my response! Sorry! I do think Popular Gray could work. Agreeable Gray is another favorite of mine that is close to Alpaca, but with less purple undertones. Let me know what you decide! I you would like further help, please visit my services page for more information. Thanks so much!
Thanks Laura! I might do agreeable gray for the accent wall. i ended up with Worldly Gray. I’m very happy with it since I don’t see the purple undertone much. Thanks !!!
Great! Worldly Gray is a beautiful color. Glad you are happy with it!
We painted all the living areas of our house with Anew Gray. It is open concept with a white kitchen. We have a high vaulted ceiling in the great room also with white trim and crown mold. What color would you recommend for the vaulted ceiling?
Hi Margaret,
I’m so very sorry for my delayed reply! Several of my comments got buried and I am combing through now to answer them all. I like to do white on ceilings, but for vaulted ceilings you can do a lighter version of the wall color if you want something more than white. I like to go several shades lighter than your overall color for the ceilings if you plan to do a color vs. white.
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Laura,
That is exactly what we did. We used Incredible White (two shades lighter) on the ceiling and it turned out beautifully!
Thanks,
Margaret
We are building our first home and I have never been more stressed about picking out an exterior color in my life! We are using hardie board siding and crazy enough, we have our trim already on the way – Cobble Stone JH40-10. Now, the hold up on the rest is me. It’s a huge deal to me though! I keep going back and forth between SW Highland Grey and Dovetail. I want a warm inviting look that will flow with all neutral colors. I’m trying to go for the grey, white, and creams all throughout. Please help!! Oh, it’s a two story craftsman style if that helps.
Hi Jeri,
I’m so very sorry for my delayed reply! Several of my comments got buried and I am combing through now to answer them all. I would love to help you through an Exterior Color Consultation if you still need it:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/exterior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Laura, I am having alot trouble deciding on a neutral gray for my home. I have an open layout ranch. and we like a lighter feeling space, but a finished look.. my problem is in the living room I have olive colored reclining sofa, loveseat and chair, med oak tables. In the connecting dining area and to the left playroom i have tan/beige slipcovered sofa and love seat, white chair rail and white wainscoting panel on the lower 1/3 of wall. Cream colored dining set .. I just dont know which gray to pick.. that will blend all of it.. I love the paler blues like sage and lighter teals.. for accents.. so i am trying to pick a color thruout the rooms that will all work together.. what would you suggest?? help! Thanks.. so much in advance..Kim
Hi Kim,
I’m so very sorry for my delayed reply! Several of my comments got buried and I am combing through now to answer them all. I would love to help you through an Interior Color Consultation if you still need it:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
in addition to the above comment, I also have medium oak cabinets in kitchen.. Kim
Hi! I am currently going through colors for a home we just purchased. We narrowed our paint colors. The paint color for our dining room is proper gray wainscot is going to be a glossy white , family room is essential gray, hallway/foyer/kitchen is snowfall. Office room is stolen kiss and the wainscot is going to be a glossy white, mudroom and guest bathroom is magnetic gray. I am indecisive on what color to choose for my living room? My living is adjacent to my dining room? Living room, dining room, and family room have dark hardwood floors with a tiny of red like merlot. I have no furniture in any of the rooms as of now. Please help. Thanks in advance.
Hi there,
I’m so very sorry for my delayed reply! Several of my comments got buried and I am combing through now to answer them all. I would love to help you through an Interior Color Consultation if you still need it:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi! Buying house with open concept and have to paint all of interior. 2 story foyer and family room. My current house has amazing gray on walls but I’m wanting to go just a little less beige/taupe. I am considering mindful gray or colonnade gray. For laundry room, master, and half bath either tinsmith or silverstrand. Would love a darker dining room. Would love any of your suggestions. Thanks and I loved your article.
Hi Sheri,
I’m so very sorry for my delayed reply! Several of my comments got buried and I am combing through now to answer them all. I would love to help you through an Interior Color Consultation if you still need it:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi. I am painting a room similar to the first photo on this page. The living room area is painted silver strand by sw and am trying to find a color to paint the connecting kitchen area. Also trying to decide to paint both rooms the same color and paint the columns between the rooms a contrasting color? Any ideas would be most appreciated!
Hi Kathy,
I’m so very sorry for my delayed reply! Several of my comments got buried and I am combing through now to answer them all. I would love to help you through an Interior Color Consultation if you still need it:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Laura, I have literally spent hours reading through your blog in hopes of some clarity in picking out a paint color! I wish I had your talent. You are truly gifted. Recently we had a plumbing mishap and needed to replace the hardwood floors in the lower level of our home. Since we were tearing up the floor, we decided to replace the old and ugly orange oak 1990’s kitchen cabinets and the formica counters, as well. I am so stressed out because I think I have made costly design mistakes.
I chose Dynasty by Omega cabinets in Oyster color (kind of a creamy grayish white – but can look yellowy) and Cambria Windermere counters (http://www.cambriausa.com/designs/design-palette/Windermere/). We have stainless steel appliances and satin nickel cabinet hardware. Floor is red oak and stained a medium dark (but to me still seems kind of orange). Kitchen is open to Family room and shares one long wall. Kitchen gets lots of natural light because of two sliders, which face east and South. Kitchen dining set is light cherry and black wood.Family room is darker and does not get as much natural light. Currently, we have a reddish brown leather couch and an olive chair/ottoman with a black entertainment console and dark wood end tables. We will be replacing the FR area rug. All baseboards, doors and the fireplace mantle in FR are Benjamin Moore white dove. Windows have off white blinds. I am thinking about a subway tile back splash in ivory or off white because I’m afraid a busier or more colorful back splash will fight with the already busy counter top. I can not decide on a paint color. I think I need a neutral gray or beige paint but, I am afraid my kitchen will look like a bowl of oatmeal!!
Currently looking at BM pashmina (seems dark at night, especially in FR), revere pewter (gets kind of washed out and silvery in the morning and afternoon in kitchen area), stone hearth, stone harbour, SW accessible beige (balanced beige is too dark and too brown), SW agreeable gray, anew gray, amazing gray, requisite gray, worldly gray and sandbar and shiitake. I tried some darker tan colors but don’t like the strong yellow and brown tones. I am so confused and frankly paralyzed with indecision! Do you think any of these colors would work? Any suggestions or input you would be willing to offer would be so greatly appreciated.
Hi Cindy,
Thank you so much for reaching out! Are you open to a Color Consultation? I would love to be able to view your space and be able to help you further. Let me know where you currently are in your design process. All of the paint colors that you mentioned are options that I would have recommended. If I can see the samples in your space and in your lighting, I can help you narrow down your choices or perhaps even suggest a different shade of a color. I hope to hear from you soon!
Hi, I am currently painting my whole house in grays. The house has great natural light. I have natural hickory flooring and natural cabinets in the kitchen. I have already used mindful gray in the office and dovetail in the kitchen. Thinking of using repose in the foyer, stairways and halls. But somewhat stumped in the family room, morning room and living room (which has sagish green furniture). Would like some color, thinking about ancient marble for family room has a greenish look to it. Morning room is all windows and off the kitchen not sure if I should do dovetail or one of the other mindful or repose. As you can see I am not sure of next step. Thoughts? And thank you!
Hi Michele,
Thanks so much for your comment! Ancient Marble sounds like it would be a good one to try in your other areas with sage-green accents. I would just make sure that the furniture isn’t going to blend right into the wall color. Try a sample to see how it looks in your space, especially since you have good natural lighting. Lighting plays a big part in picking the right paint color!
I love Mindful Gray and Dovetail! Sounds like you like them too and they work for your space. My advice would be to try samples in your other ares to see which gray looks best. It would help me so much if I could see your space or view a floorplan/pictures to be able to help you more accurately. If you are open to it, I do offer Color Consultation!
Hello, I Have svelte sage in the main part of my house and an accent wall of sierra redwood. I would like to change the sierra redwood to a grey color. what grey would you recommend to coordinate with svelte sage. using s.w. paint. thanks
Hi there,
I would try Repose Gray or Mindful Gray to go with Svelte Sage, depending on your lighting. Worldly Gray might be another one to try! All of these coordinate well with SS. Let me know how these work out or if you have any further questions. Thanks for reaching out!
Thanks for your time and response. I will test these out.
Hi, I just came across your site and love it. And love that you’re a fellow Texan!! I’ve recently painted all of our downstairs in Repose Gray and love it! The only two rooms remaining downstairs left to paint are the master bedroom & bath. Both of which are fairly large and have high ceilings. I’d like to go a tad darker for the master bedroom and was considering Mindful Gray. If I do that, should I also paint the master bath Mindful Gray? Or would it look odd painting it in the Repose Gray with the bedroom in the darker Mindful Gray? It’s these little details that can drive a person bonkers lol!
Hi Liz,
Thank you! Repose Gray is a gorgeous color and I’m so glad that you are happy with it in your home. I love your idea of doing something different in your master bedroom and bath. Mindful Gray could definitely work! Another suggestion would be to try Dorian Gray on your focal wall (usually the wall your headboard/bed is on) and then use Repose Gray on the remaining walls. It will give a pop to your focal wall without making the room feel too dark.
As far as the master bath goes, I like your idea of using Repose Gray again to keep it bright and fresh. It is totally okay to use it in the bathroom even if you end up going with Mindful Gray in your bedroom. Sea Salt is another color I might try in your bathroom. It’s a soft blue-gray color that would go well next to Mindful Gray. I love the spa-like feel in a master bath and this color helps create this look!
I always recommend testing out your colors with samples to see how they work in your lighting before making a final decision. Let me know if any more questions come up for you! If you would like further assistance, I offer color consultations and would be happy to talk with you more about setting one up if you like. All of the information is HERE! Thanks again, Liz for reaching out!
Thank you for your suggestions!! I really appreciate them as well as your thought out response.
Hi! Love your blog! I am trying to pick grays/greige story my open house plan and am lost in color! I picked Balanced Beige for the family room and foyer, which includes the open floor plan with stairs and upstairs hallway. I picked Perfect Greige for the living room and dining room which are on the other side of the foyer. The kitchen is in the middle of all this and I am having a hard time picking a color that will complement the two beiges. Could you suggest some colors that work with a brown granite and maple cabinets? Thank you.
Hi Priti,
Thank you so much! I like the grays/greige colors that you have so far and was thinking about a good color to help coordinate the two. Are you open to using a soft gray-blue color? Lattice, Front Porch or Silverpointe would all work in your kitchen to coordinate with Balanced Beige and Perfect Greige. The gray-blue colors (any of the 3 mentioned) would help to balance out all of the beige and browns. I always recommend getting some samples to test out in your lighting first, so start with Lattice, Front Porch or Silverpointe and let me know how they work out. I also just did a review on Balanced Beige with some wonderful coordinating color scheme choices, you can view it all HERE! If you would like further help, please contact me regarding setting up a color consultation! I would love to help you find the perfect paint color to coordinate in your space. Thank you again for reaching out!
Hi Laura,
We recently bought a house and I am going through the process of repainting. The house faces east/west and I get a lot of natural light in my living room and kitchen. I painted my master bedroom comfort gray and master bath sea salt. I love both colors and decided to try out comfort gray in my kitchen. I have lighter oak wood floors and medium stain on the kitchen cupboards. My backsplash is brown and counters are brown with speckles of green and white. I’ve only painted a few walls with the comfort gray so far but it definitely takes on a more blue/gray than green with the natural light. Do you think a different color would look better in the kitchen? I was also wondering if you thought repose gray would look good in my living room if I stuck with the comfort gray? I have a open floor plan so I want a color scheme that flows really nicely.. I am not opposed to other suggestions for the kitchen and living room if anything sounds like it would work better!
Hi there,
I love Comfort Gray and Sea Salt! Good choices. If Comfort Gray is not coming out how you would like it to in your kitchen, you could try a few other options with some color. Filmy Green, Lattice or Silverpointe could all work, depending on how they turn out in your lighting with your selections.
I love Repose Gray, so that might be a good option to try for both your living room and kitchen! If you wanted to do different colors, test it out to see how Comfort Gray looks next to Repose Gray in your lighting first. Grab some samples to see what works or if you need more visual help, I would love to connect with you for a Color Consultation. Let me know what you think! Thanks so much for reaching out. 🙂
Hello! My husband and I are buying a new build…lots of beautiful natural light with a number of west-facing windows in the living/dining area and our master. The builder has already painted all of the main areas (kitchen, dining and living areas – open concept with many west-facing windows) SW pussywillow but our master bedroom and bathroom are right off of the main area and haven’t been painted yet. You’ll be able to see a bit in to both the bed and bath if you are sitting in the living area so we want the colors to flow…we’re thinking either French Light Gray or Repose Gray for our bedroom and sea salt for our bathroom. Do you think this color scheme would work? Thanks in advance for your guidance!
Hi Ashley,
Sounds like a beautiful house! Light French Gray or Repose Gray would both work and coordinate nicely with Pussywillow. I love Sea Salt, especially for bathrooms, and it will compliment with either color. 🙂 I recommend getting samples to see if you are more drawn towards Light French Gray or Repose Gray. Lattice is another option to try for the Master Bedroom. I have it in my own home and love it!
Let me know what you end up deciding on. If you need further help, please feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation. Thank you for reaching out!
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much for this blog. I did much research when painting my newly built house and kept coming back to your blog. I ended up painting the main areas of my main floor and basement in Collonade Gray (LOVE it!!!) and used Requisite Gray, Mindful Gray, Functional Gray, Tinsmith, Silver Strand, Ponder and Mineral Deposit in other rooms. I painted the house myself and had fun picking different colours for the various rooms.
My question has to do with Ponder and Silverstrand. I used Ponder in one of the spare bedrooms and the colour shows up rather purplish. I used Silverstrand in my Master bathroom and it tends to look more green than gray. I would like to minimize both of these colours – the purple and green. How can I decorate these rooms in a way to minimize these colours rather than accentuate them? I’ve got a blank slate so I am open to your suggestions. If you can give me a few suggestions for cabinetry, curtain colours, flooring etc I would appreciate it.
Hi Kristina,
Thank you for your kind words! I’m so happy that my blog has been helpful to you. Sounds like a beautiful paint scheme! I offer design services for more detailed work like you mentioned for your rooms. You can check it out HERE. I hope I get the opportunity to work with you! Thanks again for reaching out!
Hello, I’m planning on using Requisite Gray as my all over color, but I want to use an accent color on the wall where my fireplace will be. The fireplace will have a white mantle with white/light gray marble tiles & white/silver glass tiles. What color would you recommend for this wall? Thanks
Hi there,
I would try Elephant Ear or Backdrop for your accent wall. They are darker shades on the same swatch as Requisite Gray and will pop out nicely against the white mantle and the lighter tiles. If you are still having trouble feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation. Thank you and have a great rest of the week!
I wish I had found you sooner! Please tell me what color ceiling you recommend to use with ANEW Gray. I was wanting a soft white color – white enough to show a contrast. Thanks in advance
Hi June,
Thank you! Happy to help. 🙂 I really like Extra White as a soft white ceiling color (and trim color). I have it on my ceilings and it gives a nice pop against my wall color (Lattice). It will definitely show a contrast against Anew Gray as well! Let me know if I can help with anything else! https://www.rughdesign.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php#comments-form
Hello, I am trying to find a gray/beige color that won’t clash with Macadamia. Most of my house is Macadamia. My kitchen is large and open so you can see the Macadamia. I have maple cabinets (that are starting to get a yellow tone to them) and black speckled granite and light floors. I love all the new gray colors and just painted my bedroom in Requisite gray. I also have Perfect Greige in another room. I want to lighten up the kitchen but can’t find a gray color that looks good. What do you think about Perfect Greige with Macadamia? Or what would you recommend?
Hi Kasey,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend trying Lattice or Agreeable Gray in your kitchen to help lighten things up and tone down the yellow in the maple cabinets. Also, both colors go well with Macadamia and still coordinate with Perfect Greige and Requisite Gray. Try some sample and keep me posted on what you decide! If you need more detailed help, please feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation and I would love to advise you further. Thanks you and have a great rest of the week!
Thank you so much for the recommendation! I’ll go get samples of both and let you know what I decide.
Sounds good, Kasey!
Good morning, you have wonderful taste and I love your website. I’m beginning a project with my home of 8 years. I’m doing Brazilian walnut flooring and adding white trimmed crown molding. My kitchen cabinets are a cherry wood color. I’m looking for a warm but light grey that will make my family room, living room and kitchen pop. This will be my main color for the majority of the open spaces. Can you advise me on a beautiful grey. Silver is my favorite color of course. After reading so many fun replies, it looks like Anew Grey, Mindful Grey and Lattice are the overwhelming favorites. I think that Extra White and Pure White are the matching trim colors. Can you advise me if I’m on the right track?
Hi Garrett,
Thank you so much! I do think that you are on the right track. Lattice is the most “silvery” of all of the colors you mentioned. You also might try Silverpointe. All of these would be great overall colors with your selections and trim. If Mindful Gray is too dark in your space, Repose Gray is one shade lighter and is one of my favorite go-to overall grays. I always recommend getting samples and testing them out in your lighting to see what looks best. Best of luck on your project! If you need further help, please feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation. Thanks again!
Hi Laura, I have Sea Salt in the living, kitchen and dining area and need your help with a kitchen cabinet color please? The backsplash is white, considering either white cabinets or light gray. Currently the kitchen cabinets are really dark, so wanting to lightning them up considerably. Our home has a beach theme and tones. Will you suggest some options for white and light gray paint choices please, for the cabinets that will look good next to Sea Salt? The kitchen does not get much natural light.
Hi Dani,
I love Sea Salt! My favorite white for cabinets and trim is Extra White. I have it in my own home next to a color on the walls similar to Sea Salt (Lattice). You might also try Drift of Mist or Gossamer Veil for some very light grays. The Extra White will give you more contrast next to the Sea Salt, but the soft grays will also work if you don’t want to go with a brigher white.
Let me know what you end up deciding! If you need further help, please feel free to reach out for a Color Consultation. Thank you for reaching out!
Laura
Hello. This is the best informative post I have found! I’m hoping you can give me some suggestions. I have cherry cabinets and flooring with white trim. It is also an open floor plan and I am having the hardest time deciding on the color of gray to paint. I didn’t want to go with blue grays because I don’t think it would go well with the cherry wood. What would you suggest?
Hi Kristina,
Thank you! I know it sounds contradictory, but the blue-grays actually help to off-set the warm of the cherry floors and cabinets. One of my favorite blue-grays is Repose Gray. If you would like to go with a warmer neutral, try Accessible Beige or Balanced Beige. They are warmer “griege” neutrals and would work with cherry wood. I always suggest getting some samples and testing the colors out in your lighting to see what looks best.
Please feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation if you are still having trouble or need more detailed help. Thanks again for reaching out and have a great rest of the week!
Laura
Hi there…..I’m so happy to have come across your expertise and informative website. I have a living room and kitchen combo which sits at the back of my home with not much sunlight. I decided to go with passive grey for both rooms hoping to make my living room kitchen one big space. My kitchen has sliding glass doors and about 10 ft away there is one big window. As for curtains in living and what to use on the sliding glass doors….I’m lost with what colors to use and accent the space with. I would love to possibly have colors that pop like yellow or green and/or blue to make my home happier and brighter……help please with accent colors.
Hi April,
Thank you so much for your sweet compliments! 🙂 Passive is such a neutral gray color, that you have lots of options for accent colors. I tend to lean more towards cooler colors and thought of a few colors that would work well with Passive for accents: Uncertain Gray or Cadet (for blue) and Clay Sage or Softened Green (for green). Whatever you end up using accent color-wise, look for curtains that have some similar colors and mix it up by using a pattern.
If you are still having trouble finding colors, please feel free to contact me for Color Consultation for more detailed help. Thank you for reaching out and Happy New Year!
Laura
Hi. Thank you for the informative article. I just painted colonnade gray in my kitchen (cherry caninets/black granite) and it looks very blue and cooler than I had hope. I sampled several paints and also seriously comsidered anew gray, but thought it looked too muddy. Im himdsight, maybe that brown tone would have been better. I’m changing the lightbulb to try to warm up the room. Do you have any other suggesstions? The rest of my home is beigey so now this cool gray kitchen doesn’t coordinate with the rest of my home and I was hoping to update, but less drastically. Thanks!!!!
Hi Angie,
I’m sorry that Collonade Gray didn’t work out the way you were hoping. Anew Gray actually might be a good option since it’s a good in between beige and gray color (“greige”) that will still give an updated look without being too blue or cool-toned. Analytical Gray is another one to try! The warmer lighting will help some, but if you are overall unhappy with the look, it is worth it to find the right color and re-paint if need be. If you are still struggling to find the perfect paint color, please feel free to reach out for a Color Consultation! Thanks so much for reaching out and have a great rest of the week.
Laura
Hello, This page is very helpful. Thank you! I am painting my 80’s stained wood kitchen cabinets and I am thinking about Mega Greige. Would you recommend? My kitchen walls are painted- Oyster Bay and the counter tops are a solid creme/white corian. Would love your thoughts!
Hi Lauren,
I’m so happy to help! That would be a great combo and I say, go for it!! If you need any more help, please feel free to contact me for a Color Consultation. Thanks for reaching out and best wishes for you and your painting project!
Laura
Hi, I too was going grazy trying to find the right grey. Like many others I tried multiple samples and finally determined, after months of going back and forth, from blue greys or green greys or griege, and warm greys. (ugh). after examining my décor, I realized that the majority of my furnishings were warmer tones so I knew I would choose a grey that has warmth. I narrowed it down to agreeable grey and anew grey. the agreeable grey looked to light for my taste. soooo. I chose anew grey for my paint choice. I used this color throughout my house and I just love it. it is clean and fresh and a perfect neutral grey hands down. I even used it in my kitchen, which was painted red, paired with all white cabinets and countertops it was very spicey and colorful. The anew grey totally transformed my kitchen. now the all white cabinets and countertops look amazing with anew grey. Give it a try. I laugh sometimes and think I could work for Sherwin Williams as a color expert, because I have studied there colors for months, trying to make a decision with my color choice. lol…. we start remembering all the names of the colors.lol… happy painting.
HI George,
I’m so glad that Anew Gray worked for you and that you love it in your space! I am a big fan of Anew Gray, as well. 🙂 Thank you for your comment!
Laura
Hello,
I just purchased a new home and my main color of the house is anew grey. I choose dark walnut cabinets with white granite and white sub tile backsplash. I choose vinyl planks by American Como and the color is Mila throughout the house house except bedrooms and bathrooms in which the carpet is carved stone by Westmorland and the tile is cream. Can you tell me if these colors go together, because I am doubting myself. Thank you.
Hi Bridget,
Thanks for reaching out! The only thing that stuck out to me was the cream tile in the bathroom. It would be nice to keep it white like the kitchen backsplash and granite. If it is a slight off-white that doesn’t have yellowish undertones, it will be okay! Anew Gray is a great color, but just be sure that it doesn’t get too dark in areas like hallways, etc. It sounds like a beautiful house! Let me know if I can help you with an Interior Color Consultation or an eDesign.
Thanks so much,
Laura
Hey! I’m looking for a gray- or Greige that will look good against dark walnut trim. I dont have any white in the house. My husband will not let me paint the wood YET (haha) but hese walls need a makeover, and I’m having a very hard time picking a color that doesnt show up blue or purple undertones. I would love to find a warm color. ANY advice will be tremendously appreciated – thanks!
Hi Nina,
I’m sorry you are having trouble finding the right color. There are definitely some warm greiges that could work! I would love to help you find the right color through an Interior Color Consultation. Check your inbox for a coupon code!
I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for reaching out,
Laura
Hello Laura — I just moved into a new place and I am having a lot of difficulty with the color of the master. First I should say that we downsized so I went from a very large 17×21 vaulted ceiling master to a 12×14 flat ceiling. My previous was big and bright so I had gray and black. In the new place the room is not as bright due to overhead trees outside the windows so the gray/black bedding is too dark. My main issue — the walls were painted SW Modern Gray which the previous owner keeps telling me (we’re friends) is light gray but dang if it doesn’t look brown, brown, and well, brown to me. I see no gray at all. LOL. After reading your article it certainly helps explain it — it’s greige. I want to brighten the space. Don’t want to repaint. I do things different than most as our dressers are actually closet maid (didn’t need at the old place as we had a huge closet which I converted with closet maid drawer system) and I brought that same idea over to this room with the white closet maid drawer systems. Hardwood floor is a light maple…..end tables are red oak. I need to purchase another headboard as we sold our old one — too massive for this smaller room. I’m puzzling over whether I replace the end tables with white, do a white headboard, then what color drapes/bedding. Or do I get an oak, walnut, or what??? kind of headboard that still looks good with the white, red oak, and maple….and then what drapes/bedding….. Or do I just throw a whole bunch of mismatched, but hey I like it, crap in the room and not worry about it. Had thought to paint the white dressers gray but decided too much to do while also move. Anyway, hopefully you can see my dilemma. I would like a grown-up room but feel like I have a fresh start, not a lot of money be glad you got something and you are really young bedroom (no offense to anyone) rather than a you are a grown woman at 51 yrs old, married with kids so you should have your sh*t together bedroom. Anyway,….hope you have some thoughts. Thanks for your time.
Hi Robin,
I totally understand! It can be hard to pull everything together for a cohesive look, especially in a master. I feel like my own master bedroom is the one space in my house that gets very neglected (I have 3 young kiddos)! If the goal is to brighten up the space, I would consider white furniture (like your nightstands) and then considering a fabric headboard to break up all of the wood. I would love to help you pull the look together through my bedroom eDesign package. Here is the link to get an overview of what it entails:
Bedroom eDesign
I am offering a discount code right now, so check your emails for it soon! I hope you have a great weekend.
Best,
Laura
Hello Laura, I would like to change the wall color in my kitchen and dining rooms from a yellow to perhaps amazing gray or mindful gray, what do you think will work best.. tan with specks of Brown en granite, oak wood beams, floors, cabinets, light peach tile floors ..
Hi Marce,
I would look for an neutral that still has some warmer undertones to it if you plan to keep your current selections. I have several that could work and would love to help through an Interior Color Consultation if you are interested!
Thanks so much! I hope to hear from you soon.
Laura
Hi Laura,
I have some ideas with color but wondering if you can help me out. I am not sure what your rates are for my floor plan.
Thanks
Hi Debbie,
I would love to help you! Here is the link to my Shop for an Interior Color Consultation:
https://www.rughdesign.com/product/interior-color-consultation/
The rates vary depending on the number of rooms. Let me know if I can help answer any other questions!
Thanks so much,
Laura
any suggestions on wall color for laundry? My cabinets are drizzle and my flooring will be new york soho. I have been torn between pavestone, pashmina, colors along that color family. I don’t want anything too dark since the room is small.
Hi Cindy!
Thank you for your comment. However, it sounds like you are in need of more than I can offer by responding to your comment. Please check out my Interior Color Consultation packages in my shop.
I would love to be your color consultant!
Laura