Is Gray Paint Totally Out?
I really think this post should be, “is gray home decor totally out”, but when people talk about gray, they most often are talking about gray paint! So is gray paint color and other gray decor totally out? Oooooh, what a great question! Nothing in the interior design world creates lively discussion like the color gray!
I am very much a peacemaker. A kumbaya kind of girl. But when it comes to gray I must admit I am a bit of a grayter (people who dislike gray). Not all gray, however. I even have some gray in my home. But as a rule, lots of gray, like gray walls are not for me!
Let me tell you about one of my first encounters with gray.
I was at an acquaintances home for the first time, about a decade ago, and when I walked in I could not believe my eyes! Everything was gray… and red! Not a light gray or a dulled down warm gray but a medium gray with very strong violet undertone. It was just so… striking!!!! And not in a good way! And from that moment on I have had an issue with gray.
I know not all grays are like the violet/gray I first encountered but for me, gray is often cold and hard to live with. I know all you gray lovers will tell me that there are gorgeous grays on the market and you are so right. But gray, like the color white, is hard to get right!
I liken my dislike for gray to my distaste for lamb.
When I was young I went to an all girl’s Scottish boarding and had my first encounter with lamb.
However, it was not lamb but mutton. Although there is a huge difference between lamb and mutton there is a very faint flavor that I just can’t get past. No matter how delicious lollipop lamb chops are I am forever scared! The same goes for the color gray!
Now you know my bent. But for this post, I am going to put it away and be as objective as I can. I’ve done my homework and research and I keep seeing the same thing over and over. So let’s talk about what I’ve learned.
First of all, gray is on-trend right now. But not for long! Not for long at all!
WHAT IS A TREND
All trends are just great guesses. The design industry (including blogs) looks ahead to see what they feel will be showing up strong in the near future.
And trends are just that. Trends!
That does not mean you can’t love what you have or are in any way compelled to change and get trendy if you are not. When I do trend posts I get tons of emails from upset readers telling me why they love what they have and won’t embrace change!
And let me say, that is totally okay! Actually loving our home is our decorating goal!
So if you don’t jump on the trend bandwagon it’s totally okay.
However, if you love trends like I do, that’s perfectly okay too! It’s like browsing our favorite website. We can look but we don’t have to buy!
GRAY’S LONG TREND HISTORY
Every color, at one time, is the trend belle of the color ball. They take turns! The sixties were all about avocado and oranges. Does harvest gold ring a bell? Get the door, the seventies are calling!
The eighties had a love affair with mauves and blues and peaches (remember those colors?). The nineties loved the warmth of Tuscan colors, golds, terracotta, and sun-drenched French provincial hues. Then came the brown craze and the stainless steel craze and then finally the last decade has been all about gray and white!
Gray has had a long, long run being the most on-trend home decor color. And no wonder. It is a wonderful backdrop for home furnishings (see no bias). And an even better color for the exterior of a home.
WILL GRAY STILL BE POPULAR IN 2021
Gray is not going anywhere because gray is a classic. So all you gray lovers can stand up and cheer!
However, it probably is not going to stay the star forever and probably not much longer.
If you love gray, take solace in the fact that gray is classic, and if you are a “grater” just know there are more trendy colors coming along for you.
That was easy, right?
WHY HAS GRAY HAD SUCH A LONG RUN
Gray is a gorgeous color and has more drama than white, another wildly popular and timeless color.
And gray, like all other colors, can have warm or cool undertones. It’s all about the undertones, friend!
There is really a gray for everyone!
Once a color starts catching on in popularity it is like a snowball that starts at the top of a steep snowy hill. As it rolls downhill it just gains steam and gets bigger and bigger.
I think one of the biggest reasons gray has been so hugely popular is because of bloggers who post on Pinterest and Instagram. They certainly have a big influence on the decor world now. And many bloggers LOVE LOVE LOVE gray!
WILL GRAY SOMEDAY LOOK… “OH, SO 2015”
I think so. And let me tell you why.
Gray, just like the most popular and trendy colors of the decades before it, will be connected in time to the decade of the 2010s.
Gray has been the “it” color in decor for well over a decade. And like all things, it has had its day. Gray will always be a classic and fit into decor seamlessly.
But here’s why gray will look, “oh, so 2010, 2012, 2015. 2019,2020…
Gray has been way too overdone!
Remember the all-gray, all the time look? That is what is dated. A trend is a trend usually because it is used and seen way too much. Fickle us, at some point we get bored with the color of the decade and want to move on to something new that we will probably overdo.
WHY THE CHANGE NOW?
The gray trend slipping out of trendy first place was inevitable. But what made its trendy long run come to a fast downside?
This is so interesting! Here’s the short answer… The Pandemic!
Wow! The pandemic really changed so much of the way we live and work. It even changed the way we look at color!
Once most of us were hunkering down at home we started to really look around our living spaces and we began to crave more warmth and a more of a homey warm home feel.
Gray often translates a bit cold so many people started gravitating to warmer neutrals. Beige had been huge in the early 2000s and because it is a warm neutral we are seeing a big resurgence of beige and other warm neutrals.
You can see a very informative post about Beige And Why It Is A Great Decor Choice Here.
WHAT IS THE NEW COLOR DARLINGS OF THE MOMENT
This is such an interesting question! Warm neutrals will probably be the biggest color trend for the decade of the 2020s.
However, right now blue is the trendy darling! Especially dark, moody blue. But it is only having a mini-run!
I’ve seen navy blues come on strong for a couple years now and last year blue was b-i-g! It is still popular but the blue frenzy craze is really starting to head out!
Here’s the thing about blue! Could there be a more beloved color? Blue will always be a classic but it won’t be trending very long.
I was just asked a question in my decorating Facebook group about a member’s new kitchen construction. She asked if she should have a blue island. Did you know that there is a very very big blue kitchen island craze? Yes, there is!
They are beautiful, no doubt.
Here’s my personal opinion.
If you don’t mind having a pretty island that will look amazingly trendy for the next 6 years (or less) then go for the blue! You are in good company! Lots of kitchen renovations are including blue islands.
However, if you want your kitchen island to stay in style for a long time maybe blue is not the best choice. Sorry, but true! Choose a classic color. It will still look very pretty and thankfully not look time-stamped.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I LOVE GRAY
Back to gray!
If you love gray you are in great company, just keep loving it. Like I have said a couple times, gray is really a classic.
HOW-ever, try to incorporate other colors with gray. Lots of white, a taddy bit of black, moody blues, warm greens, browns, and greige (love), soft beiges, or bright complimentary colors. No wonder gold tones are back. Gray and gold are just so gorgeous together!
I think gray is waning in popularity because when almost everything in a room is gray its boring! Mix gray up with other great colors in a room.
Just look at the image above. The gray in this room looks alive and anything but boring. Gray when mixed with other colors looks rich!
HOW ABOUT GRIEGE
Let’s chat about greige. It is another very popular paint color right now.
The simplest way to explain greige is to say it is a mix of gray and beige. Paints like SW Agreeable Gray, Behr Toasty Gray, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, and SW Dorian Gray are all examples of gorgeous grays. They are toasty and so full of warm brown undertones.
At a glance, you would think all these colors were beiges or browns but they are grays that have been warmed up and lightened up. Remember undertones change colors dramatically!
These are by definition gray but they act like warm beige’s.
There are scores of beautiful grays.
Look at BM Rodeo. It is a gray with green undertones. Just beautiful! The ever-popular Gray Owl is a soft gray with soft yellow undertones. Another BM favorite, Classic Gray is a gray that reads off white with soft pink undertones. And so does BM Cloud Cover.
If you love gray stay away from painting your walls medium grays that have undertones of violet, red or pink. Save those grays for smaller accent decor if you must!
One gray I adore is charcoal! Although I would not put it on a wall in my home, it can look so gorgeous in a bedroom or small bathroom. And it is my dream to have a charcoal linen sofa one day!
Use dark charcoal where you would use black. It is a bit softer looking.
Downpipe by Ball and Farrow is medium charcoal with blue undertones and Curbside is warmed-up charcoal by Magnolia Home. I love BM Kendell Charcoal because of its green undertones. I tend to love what green does to gray. And this rich warm charcoal from Behr called Carbon is a winner in my book!
I feel like I have danced around all gray colors I think of when I think of “grays that look cold” and have found lots of beautiful grays that are anything but ordinary!
A WORD ABOUT PANTONE’S COLOR OF THE YEAR!
2021s Pantone colors of the year are ultimate gray and illuminating. So you see gray is not totally out!
And remember I just said gray and goldtones go fabulously together? Well, the nice people who catalog and categorize color so it is consistent across all mediums love these two colors together too!
But just because they have chosen this gray does not mean that it is going to be or is hot! Dear Pantone people I think gray is on its way out.
A COLOR ODE TO GRAY
Today’s post is more of an ode than a durge to gray! There is a lot to love about this classic chameleon of a color! Gray is praiseworthy and should be celebrated as a classic!
Never mind that it is fading from trend superstar! It will never end up in the color pile puce occupies! However, gray will be like Beige and Navy, and Off White. A go-to decorating color!
When I think of color trends in decorating I think of the adage, “what goes around comes around”. And when it comes to gray… it has and it does and it will.
I was almost paralyzed trying to pick a wall color for my interior townhouse- didn’t want to go darker because as an interior unit I only get light from windows front and back. And all the experts were saying grey is going out – I didn’t want to date my home before the paint dried. My kitchen colors are white cabinets, grey backsplash and a rather boldly grained granite counter with creamy white, grey and browns in it. I went with Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist which is actually in the white family I believe. I still have a bit of contrast with my white trim, but it is very subtle. I am very happy because it seems to lend itself to bringing color in with rugs and accent pieces. Goes well with warm or cool tones.
I do love Balboa Mist! You are right it does “read” white-ish. I’m so glad you made such a great choice for your home.
Great breakdown of the gray trend. I personally never embraced gray, and wonder about anyone who puts in permanent fixtures in a trend color. I see lots of gray tile in the flipped homes in my area.
I have gray painted walls in my living room & bathroom actually and I love them! Also MANY colors go with gray, I can’t even think of a color that doesn’t go with gray, so interchanging pillows, curtains, etc. works well and on a budget if your a budget person which I’m sure many of us are.
You are certainly in the fan category when it comes to gray. So glad you love your home!
What color is the wall painted in the is grey still on trend or is it out picture..
Hi Judy, I don’t know. Sorry!
Yvonne, Thank you for sharing. I see gold and its toned up and down color yellow making a comeback. Mixed metals of brushed silver, brushed gold and champagne gold. Gold and gray are the non metallic versions. They also span the seasons.
Rebecca gold tones have been popular for a couple of years. And now gold tones are HUGE! Thanks for your observations.
Totally with you on the gray trend. I have seen it done well, but I am more of a greige/taupe person.
You mentioned at one point you might be visiting The Finger Lakes in Central New York. If you find yourself in or around Auburn, NY, our door is always open and we would love to have you stop by for a visit. I feel as if we are spiritual and decorating soul mates!
Thank you Diane. Yes, we hope to enjoy your area over Labor Day.
Please send this memo to the furniture manufacturers! Shopping for a sofa a year ago was difficult because every style I liked was in gray. I’m a white girl and have been for years. Love your blog!!
Everything is still gray because gray is still technically in. I’m sure you should be able to find your furniture selections in neutrals too. Gray has been a furniture standard so it will always be around. Hope this helps, Jina!
I am still a fan of light gray walls, and gray sofas….I use citron green pillows at this time of year and navy ones for fall and winter. A soothing combo to my eyes!!
Sound so pretty Mary Anne!
Not a grey lover at all – but to each his own. I recently viewed a home for sale that was a 4 bedroom, 3 bath – all painted grey throughout. I said they must have gotten a big sale on that paint. Too much!! I guess we all survived the avocado look of the ’70’s, so this too will pass.
Home owners how are selling their homes are smart to repaint it a color that will sell. Yes, many of us think all gray is a bit too much but if you are under the age of 40 you probably love it. Great observation, Lyn.
We built our home five years ago. After living with beige walls for years, I was ready for a change. Picking out paint colors was the absolute hardest thing for me of the entire build. I finally decided on SW Agreeable Gray and I’m still really happy with it. Our house has lots of windows and white trim, so it comes off pretty light. I am coming around to white walls/trim, (never thought I would) so maybe when it’s time to repaint I’ll be ready for a change.
You picked out a beautiful color. I know that Agreeable Gray is really a gray but in my mind it is the most gorgeous light greige. And AG looks so beautiful against white.
In my opinion, you picked out a gorgeous greige. When I think of AG I think of it in the beige family although I know it is technically gray.
I love reading about trends! We have grey cabinetry in our house but no grey walls. And even though it’s not trendy any more, I’m still toying with the idea of painting our den grey with white trim. But I’m firmly in the beige/griege camp. I painted our kitchen & living room these colours when everyone was doing grey, but I really didn’t care. I’m just most comfortable with them. Thanks for the great read.
You are so right,Holly! It is all about what YOU love and what YOU are comfortable with. Gray looks beautiful with light beige. It helps to make it not looks so stark.
You are smart to camp there Holly! I love beige and greige together with white too.
I found this article so informative and interesting! I do find some grays very depressing. I worked in a rather large clinical laboratory and when they painted all the walls gray, I felt I was in prison! That being said, all the walls in my home are either Edgecomb Grey or White Dove with green or blue of rose accents and I am still happy with them after a few years. The Edgecomb Grey comes out as more of a beige in my home. I agree, though, that whatever color one likes and makes one happy is the right color.
Edgecomb and Dove White are great choices. So you too have experienced what the wrong gray does for our moods.
I wasn’t a big fan of gray, but I finally found the way to mix it with beige and fell in love. I inherited a golden beige sectional and found your bird pillows from Stone Gable. It all finally came together for me and I’m never going back!❤️
Sounds so pretty, Kim
I picked a greige for my kitchen which combined with the white cabinets is a nice contrast.I started to bring the color into the main living area. My home to mostly grays, cream with a touch of black.Love the neutral color pallet.
Don’t you love a neutral color palette? There are soooo many wonderful possibilities!
I despise gray… probably because of all the gray I saw when I was shopping for a house. All that gray destroies historic homes and made needed homes blah… I am ready for it go away. Now… I can do a very pale gray as a neutral especially on a velvet ottoman to not overpower the color scheme in a living room, but beyond that is a NO for me 🙂
See,Corina! You know how to use gray that is pleasing to you!
Thanks for your article! I’m pretty much over gray! Started painting each room during the pandemic – loving SW Snowbound! It seems to change color with the lighting – sometimes almost white, sometimes ivory – love it!
I love soft white too. All paint is affected by the light, but white is so easy to see.
Gray is still going strong where I live! I used SW Perfect Greige in my house. I do prefer adding in color rather than the gray on gray look.
I love your entry hall fixture! Where did you get it please?
I hope this is the one you are asking for…https://rstyle.me/+K4SBVuPlkUb7UZ7xeQzxYA
Question for an island. I’m painting, well I’m not but cabinet people are, kitchen cabinets an off white and thinking of doing island in stained storta pecan with a glaze. Is this outdated?
No Trish, that will look very pretty!
That is pretty much the color palette of my kitchen and I love it!!
I am so glad you are pleased with your color choices.
Greige, yes I finally discovered a ‘gray’ that’s acceptable. I have given up being overly
vocal. Dark grays no thanks. I’ve heard people say sad, depressing, morgue like but we can simply say no thank you. Be patient and soon it will go the way of Mauve, which labeled everything from pink to purple for many years. My favorite colors are magenta tangerine and yellow but I know better than to paint a room in stripes of these. They might show up in a painting or a flower arrangement. So hang in there, dear ones. Use wisdom or ask ‘how long can I live with this?’
Here’s the thing, trends do not have to affect YOU. YOU get to choose what goes in YOUR home. Enjoy what you love and don’t worry about the rest.
I’m usually 2 or 3 trends behind everyone! I was still decorating with Tuscan reds and golds (including walls) in 2015! We bought our house in 1989. All the walls and trim were Navajo white (a yellowy taupy almond cream) and my decor/furniture was country blue and mauve! I’m back to the almond colored walls, but all the trim is pure white. My husband chose the bed and bath colors, they are more in the greige spectrum. Generally how long is a big trend like this…10 years?
Many big trends are about a decade long. Some shorter some longer. Best is to choose classic colors and styles and save the trends for accent decor.
Yes, I think I’ve learned that lesson with wall color! I don’t think my husband is willing enough to paint the 2 story entry/living room every again!
I have always loved white walls and trim. You just can not go wrong. I love to change the color of my accessories periodically and find having white walls is a great canvas.
I also love an all.white kitchen and I do.the same thing with my accessories in the kitchen. White kitchen cabinets are timeless and do not date a home like wood or painted cabinets tends to do.
HELP! What exterior color goes with a red brick house? Was thinking of a gray. Now not so sure. Lots of area to paint above the brick, as well as the trim.
Hi Jane, send me pics of your home so I can better tell you. stonegable333@gmail.com
Love reading your blog, so many great ideas! Still loving the gray colors. What gray color is used in this article’s picture. I am also interested in knowing the floor color in this picture as well. I am having my floors redone and this lighter floor color is just beautiful. Thanks so much.
I’m not sure about the colors. Sorry!
This is how I feel about all those brass fixtures I am seeing everyone on Instagram! I’m having to change out all that dated dark bronze in all the baths and the kitchen on the house I just purchased. Just not a fan of it. Going classic! At least walls are easier to change cost wise. I have baby blue walls in every room and one pink room ?!? And an aqua kitchen cabinets!!
Kristen, you don’t have to change out one thing. Do what you love and you will be a lot happier.
OMGOSH- You and I are of a like mind–from the gray overload to the mutton/lamb issue. Don’t do either! lol. Great post. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Diana
Thanks, Nana!
I love my gray and white house and wouldn’t have it any other way. I really dislike browns and all the gold/brass tones that are so big. Maybe it’s living through the 70’s and early 80’s. So everyone just needs to do what makes you happy and don’t worry about trends. I love that I can use other colors in decor to add that contrast!
Sick of cold unappealing gray! Shiplap, farm anything signs, white on white( or cream on cream) decor,furniture.once it hits Hobby Lobby it’s saturating the mass market, I love color.
This was hard to read 😉 I was tired of the Agreeable Gray I had on our open-concept kitchen and living room (with tons of natural light), so I decided to go the one color of white that came with the home. The doors and trim certainly look white, with maybe a small drop of yellow or something. Long story short – the ceiling, crown moulding and walls were painted the same color, different sheens, and because of lighting it ended up being 3 different shades of dinge. I’ve gone the rounds and now back to thinking I might have to go back to gray, but at 75%. This was only the beginning of my nightmare. Ugh.
Paint is a finicky thing! I hope you find colors you love.
Hi! Was wondering if you could tell me what gray is in the top picture of the windows. Love it! Thanks!
Hi Kara, I’m not sure. Sorry I don’t have a source for you.