The great news is that you can successfully pair almost any colour with grey since it is a neutral colour. We have found that some colour combinations are more popular than others, including grey carpet with blue, white, black, and red curtains.
Some green work well with gray flooring, especially the gray greens. Think sage or pale greens with gray mixed in. Avoid olive greens (as these are too yellow), minty greens, bright greens, forest greens, and make sure there isn't too much blue or turquoise as these tend to look too bright and childish.
Grey Dining Room Walls
They go exceptionally well with grey walls, adding life and energy to the space. Try curtains in deep gold or bronze for a bold statement. Consider curtains in lighter colours or neutrals if you want a more subdued look.
You don't need to stress over matching your curtains exactly to your walls, sofa, or carpet. In fact, using a different color can actually add visual interest to the room, breaking up the walls so that the curtains don't “disappear.”
Dark-colored curtains work best against light walls (eg. warm white, cream, gray, light tan and even smoky blue walls). Dark walls plus dark curtains is too oppressive. 'Dark' doesn't have mean black, brown or grey; dark curtains can also come in hip, modern colours such as blue or even certain shades of red or purple.
The answer isn't necessarily intuitive, especially since most windows in a home don't extend all the way to the ground, but more often than not, curtains and drapes look best when they reach the floor.
'The rule of thumb being match cool greys with other "chill" colours such as blue, pale greens and cool white. And match darker grey tones with warm tones such as burnt orange, mustard, and teal.' We asked interior stylists and design experts to share their tips on the best colours that go with grey.
If you have a grey floor, you can choose a rug with warm colours like yellow, orange, and red to add some visual interest. If you prefer cooler tones, try pairing grey floors with blue, green, or purple rugs.
'Decorating with gray is a versatile color to scheme with as it can carry cooler and warmer tones such green, blue and pinks which can successfully offset and balance other colors,' says Katie Lion, senior interior designer at Kitesgrove.
Grey living room ideas: monochrome
Stick to a grey, black and white palette, and introduce metallics – you can mix gold and silver as long as they are complementary tones like a gunmetal and brushed brass. The organic motif on the rug is a nice touch here to soften the severity of a modern monochrome design scheme.
'Warm colors, red, orange, and yellow, are great choices for rooms where you entertain guests because they make your guests feel warm and energized,' explains Kelly Simpson, senior director of design and innovation at Budget Blinds, experts in blinds, shades, shutters, and drapes.
Introduce natural fiber rugs to warm up the floors: Natural jute rugs are the easiest way to bring loads of warmth into your room – especially if you are decorating around a lot of grey finishes.
First, decide if you want a completely neutral palette, or a contrasting colour. Other neutral or pastel tones such as pale pink, white or light blues and greens pair well with grey, and have a calm, soothing effect when used together. Your other option is to go bolder with a contrasting colour.
Does this mean that your gray floors are “out of style” now? Not to worry. Gray flooring will always have its place in modern homes and buildings, and shouldn't be thrown out just yet. That being said, if you are in the market for new flooring, you may want to consider a few things before making your color selection.
Beige room ideas are the new gray in interior design, and it isn't too difficult to see why. The beauty of a neutral scheme is that it provides a wonderful scaffold upon which to hang accents of color, adds Deborah Bass, founder of Base Interior.
If you want to pair gray with beige, you must choose a warm gray. If you learn nothing else from this post, please remember this key point! Cool grays tend to have hints of blue and purple, which does not work well with beige, while warm grays tend to have brown and yellow undertones, which can pair well with beige.
Do: Use different shades of grey. You may be inclined to use the same shade of grey in a kitchen, living room or whichever room you are decorating. Combining lighter and darker shades of grey is an effective way to bring added depth to a room and ensure it doesn't look too monotonous.
The key to a great match lies in coordinating the tones. Warm gray shades go well with other warm-toned colors, like taupe, blush pink, butter yellow, and burnt orange. On the other hand, you can pair cool gray with other chill tones like navy blue, sage green, and cool whites.
White walls will help to lift a room, whilst the grey carpet grounds it. It's best to stick with just white walls, and not incorporate too much white through furnishings or decor accessories to avoid the room feeling bland. The only issue with a bright white paint is that it will show every scuff, mark and dirt.
Create warmth with beige carpets and grey walls
Deep grey shades look stunning on wood-panelled walls – a perfect juncture between heritage and modern – but require a lighter carpet to balance them out. A subtle beige, adds warmth both visually and in terms of temperature to prevent the grey from feeling cold.
There are rational and practical arguments for choosing either side. One group feels that curtains should be hung facing out the window so people can see your lovely flower pattern while another group feels that pattern should face into the room so you see it and the people outside see the reverse side.
Whether or not you should puddle the curtains at the bottom is really a matter of personal preference, but for the most aesthetically pleasing and appropriate look, curtains should run to the floor. If you choose to puddle, you'll want at least 3-4 inches of fabric or so to make the puddling appear deliberate.
The curtain colors you choose can have a dramatic effect on your environment and your mood. Warm colors like reds, oranges and golds tend to feel inviting. Cool colors like blues and greens incite relaxation. Stark colors like black, white and gray are refreshing to some, but unsightly to others.