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From pale silver to dark charcoal, there's a right shade for any room.
As we're thinking about our spring cleaning this time of year, it’s also a great opportunity to plan a home refresh. Whether you’re painting all your walls or simply changing out some decor, a popular shade to bring into your interior that designers love to use to make homes look expensive is gray. Often considered a boring color, gray is one of the most versatile shades you can use in your home, and it all has to do with the undertones and lighting. It can lean warm with more red in its base or cool with more blue, so choosing the right gray can help a room strike the perfect balance between the two. However, we're here to showcase gray in its most gorgeous light by highlighting 32 designer-approved colors that go with gray.
When figuring out what goes with gray, think about the shade the same way you would any other hue: What’s the aesthetic you’re wanting to bring to the space? If you want your room to feel cooler and more open, then pair a light gray with a crisp white or light blue. Want it to feel warmer and richer, then pair a textured charcoal with burgundy touches. This hue suits nearly every design style, from farmhouse to traditional and even cottagecore. Ahead, find 32 beautiful examples of colors that go with gray.
Additional copy by Meghan Shouse.
One way to keep gray from feeling too cool is by pairing it with a range of earth tones. In this little desk nook by Kelly Hurliman, the designer used touches of browns and greens to help ground this gray alcove. Hurliman used a light touch with these accent colors, adding just enough to bring in the warmth.
Light gray can sometimes read as silver, so naturally, gold is a great color to pair with it. In this bedroom by Kelly Hurliman, the designer brought in these matching gold sconces to layer on top of the gray, cloud-like wallpaper. They add just the perfect touch of shine and help bring more depth to the space with the difference in texture.
The trim in this breakfast room by Kobel + Co was painted a rich charcoal gray to add depth to this scenic mural. Olive green leather benches play off of gray's cool undertones, bringing depth to the family-friendly space.
At House Beautiful, we love a tonal color palette. Incorporating multiple shades of gray (such as the near-black walls and silvery sheets seen here) ensures the space feels fully fleshed out and intentional.
Liz Bonesio brightened up the all-gray palette of his utility pantry by painting the cabinetry a cheery pink shade. The color not only pops in the space but also adds a feminine touch to this Nashville home.
The issue many people have with gray is that it can be a little one-note. However, when paired with various warm-toned browns, the neutral suddenly reads as cozy. This sitting room perfectly uses the hue to soften the different browns in this living room.
Because the homeowners requested brick walls in their storage-filled kitchen, designer Sarah Robertson, principal of Studio Dearborn, opted for a moody hue on the cabinets to ground the space. The hue, technically a blue-toned black, gives off a slate-blue appearance when the sun hits it. Because both the gray brick and blue cabinetry are cool-toned, it gives the kitchen a cohesive and calming feel.
For a pop of color, pair a cooler-toned gray with a bold cobalt blue like this example from Delish's new test kitchen. Using it in small doses can help the hue not feel as overwhelming or too visually busy.
In this Jeremiah Brent–designed home, a cool, sage-like gray is warmed up thanks to terra-cotta velvet and natural wood accents. It adds just enough color to this office space without distracting from the tasks at hand.
Monochrome can be a great way to streamline a space and make it feel luxurious and restful. Vary the gray tones to add dimension and visual interest to the room.
In House Beautiful's 2023 Whole Home, this kitchen is grounded with a deep green-gray hue on the cabinetry. To lighten the space, the molding and surrounding walls were painted a bright, warm white.
Channel your inner English countryside by pairing your light gray walls with hunter green cabinetry and upholstery. Warmer woods and patterned tile tie the entire room together. “We didn’t want anything that felt modern here,” designer Amanda Jacobs says.
Gray can feel quite modern and futuristic, so in order to ground it in the present, pair the hue with deep mahogany wood antiques. This pantry, designed by Whittney Parkinson in House Beautiful's 2022 Whole Home, uses a textured gray wallpaper to further add depth.
Philip Smith was in search of a table when “a friend of mine’s mother passed," he says, adding, "I adored her, and when my friend went through her things she said, ‘there’s a table here with your name on it! I was nearly in tears.” The gray-blue patina looks beautiful next to the chrome chairs and green-gray wall paint.
Light griege, black accents, and brass fixtures create a beautiful, polished mood in this living room designed by Ray Attanasio.
We love the pops of jewel tones in this living room designed by Courtney McLeod. Bold shades of marigold and magenta are softened by the warm gray walls.
The gray, swirling clouds in Anne Hepfer's dining room—papered in a Cole & Son Fornasetti print—feel anything but bleak with the addition of punchy blues.
Gold and coral tones warm up the charcoal sofa and light gray painted walls in this living room designed by Alison Victoria.
With its vibrant purple rug and charcoal gray cabinets, this Nicole Fuller-designed office makes work feel like play.
Verdant, leafy green trelliswork makes this pale gray office designed by Joe Lucas feel like an enchanted garden.
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