1. Introduce Plenty Of Texture
When decorating with grey and white texture is key explains Camilla Clarke, creative director at Albion Nord. 'Bringing in a variety of different materials helps to create interest and diversity in a space without the need for bold colors. Try to use greys with a warmer tone so the space doesn’t feel too cold.'
2. Use Mid-Grey As A Base For Color And Pattern
Soft and warm mid-greys are perfect for a living room color scheme as they provide a calm yet cozy feel plus provide a neutral backdrop for showcasing colorful, patterned cushions, curtains and fabrics in bolder accent colors.
3. Choose The Right Grey For A Kitchen
Decorating with grey in a kitchen is a popular and timeless choice with grey kitchen ideas – and subtler, grey and white kitchen ideas – nearly as popular as safe as houses white kitchens. However, finding the right grey for a kitchen can be tricky.
4. Team Grey With White For A Fresh Look
Using light grey with crisp white is a go-to for a bright, timeless living room scheme. In this grey and white living room by DC-based architecture firm, Fowlkes Studio, the restrained palette helps place emphasis on the striking architecture of the space, but it's important to choose the right shade of grey when decorating with grey and white together, explains Catherine Fowlkes of Fowlkes Studio.
5. Embrace Dark Greys For A Cocooning Feel
Large rooms can take the drama of decorating with dark smoky grey – for a contemporary look consider using the shade over all surfaces including skirting and door frames. Taking this color drenching approach with dark tones is also a brilliant cozy living room idea as it helps create an intimate, cocooning feel.
6 . Bring Life To Grey Rooms With Patterned Wallpapers
Gray bathrooms and grey and white bathrooms can run the risk of feeling cold and clinical; to create texture and interest try adding a pretty, ditsy wallpaper. This paisley design from Dado Atelier perfectly complements a glamorous marble double console basin, while rattan accessories add warmth and softness.
7. Color Drench With Grey For A Contemporary Look
Dark grey can make a wonderful shade for a home office, helping to bring walls in and create a cocooning space that focuses the mind.
8. Give A Living Room A Neutral Focal Point With A Grey Sofa
A neutral grey sofa living room idea is a great investment piece, as it is easy to refresh with new cushions and accessories as seasons and tastes change. This comfy Radcliffe corner sofa in Dyed Flax stonewashed linen from the Tailored by Oka collection is perfect for a farmhouse living room.
9. Warm Up Grey With Wood
When paired with the warm tones of wood, dark grey walls make for a wonderfully rich interior scheme. This beautifully crafted stained oak Haberdashery kitchen from Devol makes a striking contrast with storm-colored walls painted in Farrow & Ball's Downpipe. Brass taps add to the warmth while a stylish veined marble sink brings additional texture.
10. Use Grey To Create A Relaxed, Rustic Bedroom Scheme
Dial down pattern and decorative noise in a bedroom to create the mood for a restful night’s sleep. Here stonewashed French flax bedlinen in Dove Grey, from Piglet in Bed sets an understated tone, while textured walls add depth and interest to the scheme – a perfect combination of textures for a rustic bedroom look.
11. Consider Your Room's Orientation
'Decorating with grey successfully really depends on you choosing a color that suits the natural light in the room,' says H&G's Editor in Chief Lucy Searle. 'A warm light, which you'll find in south- and west-facing rooms will soften a cool grey, making it a great choice for a restful feel, or you can choose a dark grey to great effect; an east- or -north-facing room will naturally receive colder light, so a warmer grey with yellow tones will work better.
12. Choose A Warm, Light Grey For A Welcoming Hallway
Decorating with grey is a popular hallway idea. Hallways are often small spaces, so painting them in a light, neutral grey can be a great way to make them feel bright and airy, plus, opting for a shade with warm undertones will also help them feel welcoming.
1 3. Discover What Colors Work Well With Grey
Due to its versatility, most colors go with grey – it is a neutral after all, which means it acts like a blank canvas on which you can put your mark. However, before you consider a color scheme with grey as a base, it's worth considering the effect you want to create.
14. Work Out What Color Goes Best In A Grey Living Room
As we said above, most colors go well in a grey living room. You can team it with other shades of grey, sage, deep magenta, inky blues, jet black, tumeric… the list is endless.
15. Work Out What Color Furniture Looks Best With Grey Walls
This is very much dependent on what shade of grey you have on your walls. For example, if your walls are slate or charcoal then opt for paler furniture in taupes, blush, coral and a paler grey. They will add a wonderful contrast to the dark walls and the result will be striking.
16. Find Out What Color Grey Paint Joanna Gaines Uses
We couldn’t resist asking TV interior star, Joanna Gaines what her favorite grey shade is, and interestingly, she used it in Fixer Upper: Welcome Home - Episode 2 of her fabulous new show that you can watch on Magnolia Network.
17. Add Warmth To A Grey Room With Layering
Renowned British designer Louise Bradley founded her interior architecture and product design studio over 28 years ago and creates stunning sophisticated interiors for those who love bespoke and beautifully designed homes.
18. Try Decorating With Grey In Different Tones To Create Depth
Using the same tone of grey throughout a room can leave the space feeling flat – to create depth and interest it's often best to combine different tones of grey as Joa Studholme, color curator at Farrow & Ball has done in her fabulous office.
19. Pair Grey With Warm Accent Colors
Warming shades like taupe or mushroom upholstered furniture with rusty-colored armchairs look great with light grey floors; they will create a welcoming and cozier feel against a cooler, pale floor (above).
20. Choose Grey For A Mid-Century Modern Scheme
Iconic, sculptural pieces of furniture and bold, primary colors are hallmarks of mid-century modern decor and if you're looking to embrace this striking, retro look then a neutral grey backdrop can make a great, pared-back foundation.
21. Combine A Grey Floor With Colorful Walls
Every color of the spectrum will go with a grey floor living room floor idea, and again, the one you choose will largely be down to the effect you want to create: elegant and cool or warm and cozy. Black, white, cream and shades from the cooler end of the color palette will work best on walls for sunny rooms with cool grey floors; spice shades and more welcoming tones of green and blue on walls will work with warmer grey floors.