Grey paint seems like a pretty straightforward product and choosing a shade should be easy considering that there’s only really light grey and dark grey, right? Unfortunately, the colour grey isn’t that simple.
This article looks at finding the right shade of pale grey for your home: why it can be a tricky process and why it looks so good when we match the right grey with the interior that needs it.
Why Is Pale Grey Paint So Popular For Home Interiors?
The colour grey is neutral. This means it is a muted shade that appears to lack colour but actually has rich underlying hues which change under different light. This makes grey an ideal wall colour because you can make it work for you.
Other neutral colours are beige, taupe, cream, brown, black, and white. All of these, including grey, provide a kind of calming and fresh canvas or background to offset the rest of your décor.
However, light grey is noted for adding sophistication, coolness, and elegance (without being clinical) to any room, while also infusing warmth and depth to spaces. All you need to do is get the tone right.
The lighter the grey the more neutral your background. Pale grey (and darker greys) actually come in a subtle range of shades. While these may look the same, you’ll find they behave quite differently under different lighting.
What you choose will depend on how you are decorating, or how you want the room to feel. For example, while a pale grey will set off skirtings, trims, and furniture more dramatically, a slightly darker shade will add a little drama to the entire room.
What’s So Hard About Choosing Grey Paint?
It’s hard to choose the right pale grey for your home because you can’t just go by the colour chip in the paint store. This is because, as mentioned before, grey behaves differently in different places.
Experts recommend that you consider your paint’s undertones and test the shade before committing. The undertones are the warm or cool colours added to paint to provide complexity and subtlety.
These undertones are not visible on paint chips. This is why you should always test a shade before committing. Remember to test the colour in natural and artificial light. The undertones in your grey paint must complement the lighting in the space you are going to paint.
Generally, your greys will range from cool to warm. A cool grey has more blue or green undertones. A warm grey has more of a yellow, red or brown undertone.
What Does Grey Paint Do?
Paint experts say cool grey walls in a house with a lot of warm décors will appear cooler, even icy at times. Likewise, warmer hued grey walls in a cooler house (or a house with cool, neutral furnishings) will appear warmer.
Therefore, if you want to lighten a room and accentuate your furnishings, go for cool undertones. If your aim is to accentuate the atmosphere and add warmth, go for warmer greys.
Pale grey with a blue base works really well with other colours like navy, teal and turquoise, and silver greys can add light and freshness to darker areas.
How Do I Choose The Best Shade Of Grey Paint?
The most accurate way to choose the right shade of grey paint for your home is to identify the ambience of your home, pick a shade of grey that appeals to you, and then try it out.
Do this by painting your own swatch on a large testing board, letting it dry, and trying it out in different areas of the room. Give each swatch two coats and examine the effect of the colour at different times of the day.
Remember, if your home has a clean crisp look, pick a cool light grey paint (with bluish tones). If you want a more relaxed vibe choose a softer warm grey (with yellowish or pinkish hues).
What Are The Most Popular Shades Of Grey Paint?
There are many brands and shades of grey interior house paint on the market. This only makes it harder to make that final choice. However, here are some of the most versatile and popular choices.
- Dulux Grey Pale – because it is super neutral but still adds warmth. Soft and natural in tone.
- Dulux Unforgettable – because it is relaxing but sophisticated and has an almost coastal feel.
- Sherwin Williams Mantra – because it is soft and almost ethereal with a calming influence.
- Dulux Flooded Gum – a warm greige (grey beige) that accentuates main walls beautifully
- Dulux Polished Pebble – a classic easy to use shade and probably the most popular
- Dulux Goose Down – because it’s perfect for rooms with lots of natural light
- Farrow&Ball Cornforth White – because it’s actually an understated and versatile grey
- Farrow&Ball Ammonite – because it’s so hushed, calming, and soft
- Farrow&Ball Elephant’s Breath – because it’s so contemporary, funky and warm
- French Grey Pale by Little Greene – because it teams effortlessly with reds and greens
Final Thoughts
Choosing grey interior wall paint isn’t easy. We pick background wall colours because they are neutral, unobtrusive, and help to “set off” the rest of our furnishings. However, while a shade of paint can look just right online or at the paint store, it may not look the same once applied to our walls.
Pale grey paint is especially difficult. It comes in a range of beautiful shades, all of which respond strongly to the light and space in which they are used. It’s always best to purchase a tester pot first and apply the paint using large swatches.
Remember to consider the colour in various light settings and at different times of the day. Also, try various furnishings and décor pieces against the colour swatches. The thing is you aren’t simply examining a static shade of paint. Rather, you are re-creating an environment in which colour, shape, design, and light will meet and harmonise in a way you love and appreciate.