Thinking gray colors are so five minutes ago? Not in my world. They remain timeless neutrals that work beautifully to calm a mood. Grey paint colors have played a starring role here at the Georgian where we have been busy renovating for a year. 6 Amazing Grey Paint Colors: Light & Medium Shades to Sample may help if you need a place to start for inspiration photos when you’re considering a tranquil grey color. Finding the just right color for your unique project and location is a mindful process that really shouldn’t be rushed. Sampling is an intelligent part of the process and necessary for arriving at the perfect hue, so don’t rush into a quick decision.
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
7 Grey Paint Colors: Light & Medium Shades to Sample
Light greys can provide such an atmospheric backdrop for the rest of your decorating. Think of wintry skies, feathers, old stone, sterling, and the moon.
It is suggestive of quietude and peacefulness so if you’re after something energizing and dynamic, it may not be the right neutral for your space.
In other story, we looked at blue-greys in particular.
Buy Samples to Compare Different Greys
Pssst. Buy samples HERE before making your final decision for walls, ceilings, trim, cabinets and windows.
If you don’t already have a Pinterest board devoted to paint, create a board and tap here to PIN THIS POST so you’ll have paint names at the ready when you head to the store to buy samples to try on your walls.
I am including a range of grey paint colors from light to medium because your lighting conditions really do come into play. In a room with northern exposure, a lighter grey may give you the desired feel whereas a medium tone may read too dark.
Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray 242
Pavilion Gray is a gorgeous medium gray and very similar to Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray which seems to fetch more attention and is also included below.
I recently painted our kitchen cabinets Pavilion Gray mixed at 66% saturation:
When the kitchen is nice and bright with sunlight, the gray color is warmed by the sun and appears more blue. In the evening, the color appears more grey.
So don’t forget you can tweak a color’s saturation if it’s almost right but a bit too dark.
In the next inspiration photo, this gray appears more taupe or greige:
So keep in mind the fact that the undertones and lighting will interact and affect your perception of the color in your unique space.
Benjamin Moore Pashmina
Lisa Furey used a couple of Benjamin Moore grays I love in her modern farmhouse coastal cottage property we have spotlighted on the blog. The first is BM Pashmina.
BM Pashmina reminds me of a very Parisian style grey, and Furey used it for the kitchen island. (BM Pashmina is similar to SW Agreeable Gray which is the color of the bedrooms here at my house at the moment.)
This gray, like Agreeable Gray, is warm. You’ll get a better idea of warm and cool greys when you compare them side by side.
For example, another gray the interior designer used in this project was this cool grey:
SHERWIN WILLIAMS Tinsmith 7657
SW Tinsmith 7657 is a cooler and gentler grey the designer used on bathroom vanities. The color reminds me of Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray.
Additional possibilities of greys with green undertones include Gray Owl, Mindful Gray, SW Dorian Gray.
If you’re curious about the white paint color in these baths, it is Benjamin Moore White OC-151.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS Dorian Gray
Have you noticed how a certain paint color will surge in popularity as folks use it left and right because of the buzz? Dorian Gray seems to enjoy Taylor Swift-level glory!
It’s always interesting to note how a particular paint color reads in a photo, yes? the cabinets above seem very light. Not sure if the photo was edited and the exposure increased or if natural light is washing out the color.
Here’s Dorian Gray on shutters and a front door:
You definitely get a feel for its warmth when you compare it to Repose Gray which is on the siding of this home.
Sometimes you want just a slight contrast with a house exterior and trim or door color, and these two grey colors may be the combo you’re seeking.
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
I love how atmospheric, neutral, and balanced this cooler gray, BM Stonington Gray is – almost like a tranquil overcast day where you simply want to cozy on down with a book.
In this farmhouse with industrial farmhouse style, Stonington Gray feels modern and chic.
That’s something to consider when you are choosing colors for an older home. Certain tones are going to freshen the mood or even feel more youthful.
Grey colors are always a safe choice for bedrooms since most folks are after a restful, sanctuary, retreat-like feel.
Grey in a kitchen or dining room? It has been a few years since I had a grey kitchen, and I would recommend sampling it on the wall to make sure it doesn’t bring down your mood. Certain colors will do that!
SHERWIN WILLIAMS Repose Gray
Repose Gray 7015 is a gorgeous, calming grey color that I love living with at home. It is the wall color in most rooms on our main level as well as the color in our primary bath.
It’s cool and not too light but not too dark. In rooms with abundant natural light, the blue undertones seem to come forward which is lovely.
As mentioned earlier, it is quite similar to Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray. Here is Repose Gray on kitchen cabinets:
It has a soft quality about it, and unlike SW Agreeable Gray, it never seems beige to me.
But what if your room doesn’t get great light? Repose Gray may still be your grey.
As I watch how the color changes over the course of the day, I like it even at night.
I find that rather surprising given that where I live in Northern Illinois can be quite gloomy and grey outside. In our powder bath where there aren’t any windows at all, the color is still not too cool.
While Repose Gray is a cool grey, it is a great color for cabinets since it won’t feel cold or sterile.
Design Tips for Choosing the Right Gray
1. Consider all the various nuances of light grey paint colors (is it cool, warm, bluish, mushroom-ish?).
2. Decide whether objects in the room are cool (choose a cool grey) or warm (choose a warm grey).
3. Assess the lighting in your space…does it receive a ton of natural light (go with a less pigmented hue) or very little sunlight (go with a more pigmented option).
4. Choose a few greys to test and compare.
But how many samples of grey?
Sample At Least 3 Colors
It is helpful to begin your search for the perfect light gray paint with at least three possibilities since the differences between them supplies you with valuable information.
It may be possible to consider one gray color at a time and then decide it’s all wrong or (yay!) perfect. But typically you need to view multiple tones in order to tease out what’s working and not working for you.
When you view three or more shades of grey in your space, it’s easier to identify undertones coming forward or how a color may feel too dirty, too green, too cool, or too brown.
Psst. We recently painted our closet SW Repose Gray. I know closet interiors are almost always painted white, but we wanted some contrast with the white closet modules:
Craving a Moody Darker Grey?
OMG. I spied this shade of grey on a door in Leanne Ford’s IG (are you following me there?), and it’s gorgeous!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
Thanks for shopping RIGHT HERE to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!
Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
