I get the feeling that gray has a bad rap- it’s probably not anybody’s “favorite” color, when asked. Because of this, I see surprisingly few interiors painted gray and very little gray furniture. But I’m here to say that I think it’s high time gray got the attention it deserves.
Having a background in art, I spent a lot of time with color theory. Grays were an important part of painting, I learned. If you paint with only bright colors, straight from the tube, you rely only on chromatic contrast (warm vs cool colors). However, if you neutralize certain colors, you provide more contrast between colors through using grays. Gray can make a brighter color look intensely brighter. Give it a try for yourself: put an object that is blue next to an object of another color (not gray). Then set the same blue object next to the gray one. Which brings out the blue more? The gray will provide a neutral for the blue to really pop on.
So this theory applied to decorating works the same. And grays come in a multitude of hues, so it’s not all just gray. Grays can be warm or cool, dark, light, etc. which gives you a lot of options. I’m highly in favor of gray walls. I think they emit coziness and make your other decor come to life. Gray can be very light and airy as well, less moody than its darker counterparts. So when you’re thinking about paint colors or larger pieces of furniture, consider this less-loved favorite in the color palette.
For a little inspiration, check out these gray interiors here…