Decorating
11 Easy Ways to Work Grey into Your Living Room
Our obsession with grey shows no sign of abating. These inspiring schemes show just how versatile this colour can be
Decorating with shades of grey took the interior design world by storm a few years ago when designers and homeowners alike fell in love with this incredibly adaptable colour. From dramatic tones of gunmetal to soft pale hues of dove grey, every imaginable depth and shade of this versatile tone can be used to add interest to our homes. Here are 11 simple ways to introduce grey into your living space.
Play with colour
Painting built-in storage in the same dark grey shade as the walls allows for a seamless finish, but also makes your favourite accessories stand out against the dark background.
Prevent the scheme from feeling dingy by adding accents of vibrant colour – here, a lime green sofa and a bright blue rug work wonderfully, but hot shades of strong pink or zingy orange would work just as well.
Painting built-in storage in the same dark grey shade as the walls allows for a seamless finish, but also makes your favourite accessories stand out against the dark background.
Prevent the scheme from feeling dingy by adding accents of vibrant colour – here, a lime green sofa and a bright blue rug work wonderfully, but hot shades of strong pink or zingy orange would work just as well.
Introduce texture
Pale limed grey walls and painted floorboards are a quick and affordable way to update your living space. Lime paint creates a less uniform finish than regular emulsion, adding an informal, rustic feel.
Draped fabrics, neutral soft furnishings and a perfectly positioned feather pendant light make this room feel both feminine and elegant, while the Moroccan rug lends a cosy touch.
Pale limed grey walls and painted floorboards are a quick and affordable way to update your living space. Lime paint creates a less uniform finish than regular emulsion, adding an informal, rustic feel.
Draped fabrics, neutral soft furnishings and a perfectly positioned feather pendant light make this room feel both feminine and elegant, while the Moroccan rug lends a cosy touch.
Include a feature wall
Painting the rear wall in a strong shade of grey creates a useful focal point in a long, narrow living space.
Decorated solely in simple tones of white and oatmeal, this room could feel a little bland. However, painting the rear wall in dark grey helps to draw the eye down the room and also complements the metal window frames.
Painting the rear wall in a strong shade of grey creates a useful focal point in a long, narrow living space.
Decorated solely in simple tones of white and oatmeal, this room could feel a little bland. However, painting the rear wall in dark grey helps to draw the eye down the room and also complements the metal window frames.
Go to the dark side
Create a dramatic scheme by contrasting flinty grey walls with burnished metal accessories. Here, the copper lamp and metallic picture frame act as accent pieces, helping to lift the look, and are the perfect complement to the decadent dark grey walls.
Create a dramatic scheme by contrasting flinty grey walls with burnished metal accessories. Here, the copper lamp and metallic picture frame act as accent pieces, helping to lift the look, and are the perfect complement to the decadent dark grey walls.
Mix up materials
Get the look of concrete walls for a fraction of the price by using dark grey lime paint. For a seamless finish, paint the woodwork in a similar hue (using eggshell, gloss or your preferred wood paint finish), then add a mix of soft textures, earthy hues and natural materials to inject some warmth.
In this inviting space, the tan leather sofa, reclaimed wood furniture and neutral knits do the job beautifully.
Get the look of concrete walls for a fraction of the price by using dark grey lime paint. For a seamless finish, paint the woodwork in a similar hue (using eggshell, gloss or your preferred wood paint finish), then add a mix of soft textures, earthy hues and natural materials to inject some warmth.
In this inviting space, the tan leather sofa, reclaimed wood furniture and neutral knits do the job beautifully.
Add texture with brick cladding
As already seen, you don’t always have to go for smoothly rendered or painted walls. For a pleasingly imperfect finish, use natural materials, such as stone or brick cladding, in a deep shade of grey, which will bring a completely different dynamic to your living space. The colourful star print in this room offsets the dark wall and makes a fun feature.
Got a grey sofa? Show it off with these clever décor ideas
As already seen, you don’t always have to go for smoothly rendered or painted walls. For a pleasingly imperfect finish, use natural materials, such as stone or brick cladding, in a deep shade of grey, which will bring a completely different dynamic to your living space. The colourful star print in this room offsets the dark wall and makes a fun feature.
Got a grey sofa? Show it off with these clever décor ideas
Channel cosy panelling
If you’re lucky enough to have original features in your home or are thinking of adding some, consider having grey panelling, which brings texture and interest to walls. It’s also a useful way to break up blocks of paint if you find the idea of a solid wall of dark colour too intimidating.
To create more of a country- cottage effect, use tongue-and-groove panelling instead.
Want to cosy up your home? Check out these ways to be snug as a bug
If you’re lucky enough to have original features in your home or are thinking of adding some, consider having grey panelling, which brings texture and interest to walls. It’s also a useful way to break up blocks of paint if you find the idea of a solid wall of dark colour too intimidating.
To create more of a country- cottage effect, use tongue-and-groove panelling instead.
Want to cosy up your home? Check out these ways to be snug as a bug
Paint your woodwork
Wake up your woodwork and make a statement in your living space by painting the door frame, skirting board and window frames in dark, dramatic grey. Mix light and dark shades for an on-trend look and punctuate with flashes of colour, such as a shelf displaying bright ceramics or, as seen here, a wall lined with books, which creates an elegant, library feel.
Wake up your woodwork and make a statement in your living space by painting the door frame, skirting board and window frames in dark, dramatic grey. Mix light and dark shades for an on-trend look and punctuate with flashes of colour, such as a shelf displaying bright ceramics or, as seen here, a wall lined with books, which creates an elegant, library feel.
Contrast light and dark
Using a vibrant colour to offset dark walls in your living room is great way to brighten up the space. The addition of an accent piece of furniture or some bright yellow accessories makes a real design statement.
Using a vibrant colour to offset dark walls in your living room is great way to brighten up the space. The addition of an accent piece of furniture or some bright yellow accessories makes a real design statement.
Use deep grey as a backdrop
Give a Victorian living room a contemporary makeover by painting the walls in a dark shade of grey. Here, the colour looks modern but doesn’t impose on the room’s traditional features, and the relaxed shade works as a solid and neutral base on which to mount an illuminated artwork.
Do you already have a grey-painted living room, or are you inspired to use this shade? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Give a Victorian living room a contemporary makeover by painting the walls in a dark shade of grey. Here, the colour looks modern but doesn’t impose on the room’s traditional features, and the relaxed shade works as a solid and neutral base on which to mount an illuminated artwork.
Do you already have a grey-painted living room, or are you inspired to use this shade? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Coming up with a decorating scheme for an open-plan, double-height space can feel like a major challenge. In this bright, white room, the owners have added interest and complemented the slate flooring by painting one corner in grey. The subtle shade adds depth and breaks up the space, while the timber beams bring warmth and help to lower the ceiling for a cosier feel.
Need inspiration? Take a look at these stylish grey living rooms