Thinking shades of grey are like totally soooooo five minutes ago? Not in my world. Timeless neutrals work magically and economically to effectively calm a mood. To create atmosphere and chic. Grey paint colors play a starring role here at the Georgian we renovated. These Shades of Mid-Tone & Pale Grey may give you a place to start trying samples.
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Inspiration photos of tranquil greys may lead you to a just right paint color for your project. Each project is unique, and choosing is a mindful process which shouldn’t be rushed.
Shades of Mid-Tone & Pale Grey Paint Colors to Sample
Light greys can provide an atmospheric backdrop for the balance of your decor layers. Think of wintry skies, feathers, old stone, sterling, and the moon. Greys suggest quietude and peacefulness more than an energizing or dynamic mood.
In other story, we looked at blue-greys in particular.
Sample a Variety of Mid-Tones & Pale Grey
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 shopping for samples.
I am including a range of grey paint colors from light to medium in part because lighting conditions really do come into play. In a room with northern exposure, a lighter grey may give you the desired mid-tone effect when something darker could read too dark.
Farrow & Ball PAVILIION GRAY 242
Pavilion Gray is a gorgeous mid-tone grey very similar to Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray which seems to fetch more attention and is also included below.
I painted our kitchen cabinets Pavilion Gray mixed at 66% saturation:
When the kitchen is awash with sunlight, the gray color is warmed by the sun and appears more blue. In the evening, the color appears a cooler true 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:
Do bear in mind how undertones and lighting will interact and affect your perception of the color in your unique space.
Try This Pale Grey: Benjamin Moore PASHMINA
Lisa Furey chose a couple of Benjamin Moore grays I love in the modern farmhouse coastal cottage property we have toured on this blog. The first is BM Pashmina.
BM Pashmina reminds me of a very Parisian grey, and Furey used it on the kitchen island.
(BM Pashmina is similar to SW Agreeable Gray which is the color of our family room and bedrooms at the Georgian.)
PASHMINA, 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 cool and gentle grey the designer used for bathroom vanities. The color reminds me of Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray.
Additional possibilities of greys with green undertones include Gray Owl, Mindful Gray, and SW Dorian Gray.
Curious about the white paint color in these baths? Benjamin Moore White OC-151.
Sherwin Williams DORIAN GRAY
Have you noticed how a certain paint color surges in popularity as folks use it left and right because of the buzz? Dorian Gray seems to enjoy Swifty-level glory!
It’s always interesting to note how a particular paint color reads in a photo, yes? Cabinets above seem very light. Not sure if the photo was edited, increasing the exposure 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 what you want is low contrast between exterior trim, siding, and door color, and these two grey colors may be the combo you’re seeking.
Pale Grey Possibility: 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 or appetite. 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. Our bedroom closet is SW Repose Gray. I know closet interiors are almost always painted white, but we wanted 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
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