Beautiful Gray Options for Home Interiors

For the record, it is gray not grey.  I first wrote about gray for interiors in 2007 and in 2010 it’s still the hot new thing.  Gray is a hip yet timeless color for many interior applications.  At first people said, “Gray, is too drab.”  “Gray in a northern climate can’t be done, it’s gray enough outside.”  “It’s dull.”   Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Gray can be fantastic on walls, floors, counters, or furniture.  Just look at this entrance hall… simple, stylish, clean, beautiful and gotta have it.

Via Down and Dirty Organics

Gray has magic in the home interior which makes other colors look even better.  It has a crispness and a softness which rings cozy and comfortable.  Gray is a deceptively intoxicating non-color color especially when paired with a contrasting color color.  (Yes, us color people have our own weird lingo or just bad grammar.)  Gray is a neutral like tan or beige in their many forms.  It makes a wonderful background as seen in many historical interiors as a wall color, on moldings or furniture.  The French have been enjoying the transforming effects of gray for years.

Photo: Jean-Marc Manaï    Christian Milet

The Billiard Room in Marie-Antoinette’s apartments in the Palace of Versailles are a great of example of how gray works.  White wouldn’t have worked neither would gold.

Used on furniture as a wash in the Swedish gustavian interiors is both pleasurable and popular.

Photo: Swedish Interior Design

Notice how the gray makes the whites look event better.  Gray is back, bolder than ever.  It is the color to use to update your home decor.  On one end are the soft dove grays and on the other is what one might term a soft black.  Light to dark makes for a lot of grays.  Fabric manufactures have flooded their showrooms with endless options.

Texture rules!

Fabrics in order left to right:  Sumptuous Velvets from  Bergamo– Ondina and Satino

You just have to rub your fingers through this fuzzy one by Calvin Fabrics – Chia

The workhorses:  Bergamo – Single Sea View, Pollack – Bergamo (2), Pollack – Dapper, Ralph Lauren – Windsor Chalk Stripe

Quilted, woven and embroidered.

Fabrics left to right:  Pollack– Quilted Paisley, Boussac – Vera Cruz Nuit Blanche and Pollack – Ringtoss.

The entire room – done.

Fabrics left to right: Calvin Fabrics – Whorl, Designer’s Guild (DG) – Piet, Pollack – Sneak Peek, DG – Claydon

Azzuro with his gray variations.

Two club chairs in the cut velvet, tight-back sofa in the gray flannel, drapery panels in the white cutout and back cushions for sofa in magenta.  Whole room done.  Oh yeah and for upholstery, its all super durable — nothing will show on the sofa. 🙂

As I am typing, Azzuro jumped up on my desk to take a cuddly nap.  However, he is also doing his job reminding me to load the picture of wallcovering.  Thanks Z.

Gray is a stellar wall color, so of course there are some stunning gray wallcovering options too.  It works as a sharp background behind colorful patterns or with tone on tone subtleties.   These two have a nice applied texture almost giving them a foam-like feel.  On the wall they are like a good flat paint only more forgiving.

Wallcovering

Gray is quite an easy color to use.  When paired with khakis or browns it’s superior qualities are hidden.  It is best with white black or any other true color brilliant or pastel.  Gray is here.  Use gray as interior magic:

• Works in traditional or contemporary home interiors
• Looks classic and chic
• Makes other colors look better
• Somehow always looks fresh and clean

Hmmmm, where am I going to use it?