Beige grey walls

The Best Neutral Color Ever?

The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

You might think that neutrals would be very easy colors to choose and coordinate when painting and decorating rooms, but it's quite the opposite. For most people, "beige" is a catch-all color that is the answer to not knowing what color to choose. At its best, beige is relaxing and uncomplicated, which is why it is universally popular. But the idea that any room will be fine when painted or decorated in beige often turns out to be the start of a long and complicated process of finding the right beige color. What seems to be a simple choice of a "neutral color" becomes a fight with undertones and color temperature.

The Truth About Gray

Gray is another neutral with a reputation for being difficult to work with. Gray paint and decor can be gorgeous and stylish, but it can also be cold or tepid. Once again, the undertones that are used to create some gray colors can make it surprisingly difficult to match in a color scheme. Gray is more than just black and white added together—it can have a strong blue or even green cast to it. When you do get the gray right, the results can be quite sophisticated. And the lighter shades of gray can be luminous. But it is not easy to find the gray that is perfect.

Greige: The Best of Both Worlds

What if you could take the best of beige and gray and create a neutral that avoids the worst qualities of each? Greige has been wildly popular for several years because it does exactly that—brings the best of both beige and gray to life as a truly useful and versatile neutral color.

What Is Greige?

Greige is simply beige plus gray. The addition of gray to beige creates a richer color, one that can work in both cool and warm color schemes.

The ratio of beige to gray in your greige determines whether it is a cool or warm neutral. Though it sounds confusing, it's very simple. A greige with a stronger gray influence can be considered a cool neutral. When you have a greige with more emphasis on beige, it can be used as a warm neutral.

When Greige Is Better Than Beige or Gray

Greige can run circles around beige when it comes to versatility. A traditional beige shows a strong yellow undertone, which makes it hard to coordinate with cooler colors. The addition of gray to beige creates a neutral that has the ability to work with cooler colors, thereby solving the dreaded undertone issues. This can make it much easier to create a neutral color scheme.

If you love the idea of gray but worry about the coldness of most gray colors, greige could be the answer. Greige is gray that has been warmed with beige's warm undertones. You get the elegance of gray, without the cold blue undertones.

How to Use Greige

Greige can be used in lieu of beige or gray in most spaces. The level of warmth or coolness in a particular greige will determine which shade is right for the room. Greige that leans toward gray is gorgeous with blue, white, and cool colors. A warmer greige (leaning toward beige) can be used anywhere you would use beige. Naturally, you'll want to sample any greige you're considering to get the right balance.

Some great greige paint colors to consider:

Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Beige
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
Behr Granite Boulder

The Best Gray Paint Colors to Add to Your Beige House – Welsh Design Studio

The gray craze has been around for a couple of years now, but perhaps you’ve resisted it all this time? You love your beige walls, and aren’t ready to repaint your entire house. But, now that you see the gray trend isn’t going away anytime soon, you’ve recently been flirting with the idea of adding a little bit of gray paint into your house. A gray accent wall, perhaps? What’s the best gray paint to pair with your beige walls? I’m so glad you asked!

With so many grays, where do I even start?

There are two kinds of gray – warm and cool. 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.

Here’s a great picture to help show the difference between warm grays and cool grays.

Source: Uptownstudios.net

So, where do you start? There are some beautiful tried and true grays that pair well with beige that I will share in this post. However, you must see these colors in your own house and next to your beige walls before you make your final selection. There is just no getting around this important step.

One method is to buy 3 to 5 samples of gray paint colors from the paint or hardware store, paint the samples in big rectangles on some foam core poster board (so it doesn’t warp when it dries), and prop them up against your walls for a day or two.

BUT, a much more convenient method is to buy peel-and-stick sample sheets from Samplize. Not only are they super easy to use, but when you add up the cost of paint sample cans (and the wasted paint you’ll have leftover), paint brushes, foam board, and your time…Samplize is a way better option!

Whichever method you choose, stare at your samples in the daylight, and at night, and eliminate the ones that just don’t work for you. Maybe one of them is looking too green at night, or another looks too blue in the daytime…you may even need to order another round of samples before you find the perfect shade of gray (see my seemingly endless search for the perfect gray paint).

Also, keep in mind that if you find a color you love but wish it was just a little darker, the paint store can make the paint lighter or darker for you. Just ask them to lighten the color by 25% or 50%, and give that a try.

What’s the best gray paint color to use as an accent wall with my beige walls?

Can you combine gray and beige in the same room? The answer is YES! There are several gray paint colors that work beautifully with beige. Here are some of my favorite shades of gray to use as an accent with your beige walls.

#1 Sherwin William’s Dovetail (SW 7018)

This is my personal favorite. I used this in my previous house, and more recently at a friend’s house for an accent wall. Both of the houses had beige walls, and Dovetail is just beautiful paired with beige. Definitely put this on your list of samples to try. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Dovetail HERE.

#2 Sherwin William’s Gauntlet Gray (SW 7019)

This is a beautiful dark, warm gray option from Sherwin Williams. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Gauntlet Gray HERE.

#3 Benjamin Moore’s Chelsea Gray (HC-168)

This is a tried-and-true shade of gray, that has been popular for many years. Great if you want a medium-dark gray shade with a touch of warmth to it. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Chelsea Gray HERE.

#4 Benjamin Moore’s Briarwood (HC-175)

Briarwood is quite a bit warmer than some of the others on this list, but still looks gray. Because of its warmth, it is sure to pair nicely with beiges. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Briarwood HERE.

#5 Sherwin William’s Urbane Bronze (SW 7048)

Dark, yes, but absolutely gorgeous! This is a fabulous choice for a dramatic look, and it has a nice bit of warmth to it to help it pair with other warm paint colors. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Urbane Bronze HERE.

#6 Benjamin Moore’s Cape May Cobblestone (BM 1474)

Cape May Cobblestone is actually quite neutral for a gray, but it does lean slightly warm. This one will work really nicely with more neutral beiges and greiges. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Cape May Cobblestone HERE.

What if you’re ready to paint all of your walls gray, but you’re not sure if you’ll like it?

Maybe you’re thinking about taking the plunge and painting all of your walls gray, but, after having beige walls for so long, you’re not sure if you’ll love the gray look. Well, the good news is that there are many, many beautiful shades of gray out there, so you’re sure to find one you love.

I searched and searched for the perfect gray paint in my previous home for quite some time until I finally found the right one for me. If you have been a beige person for years, I would highly recommend you take a look at the following colors. They are often referred to as “greige” paints…the perfect blend of gray and beige.

#1 Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter (HC-172)

This color is very well known in the design industry, and has been hugely popular for many years. It’s a beautiful neutral greige that is subtle, warm, and goes with everything! Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Revere Pewter HERE.

#2 Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray (SW 70)

Often referred to as the Sherwin William’s version of Revere Pewter, this is what I have in my current home, and I love it. It looks quite gray, but has a warmth to it that keeps rooms from looking cold. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Colonnade Gray HERE.

#3 Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray (SW 7029)

Another very popular light greige…a little more on the gray side. This is a fantastic choice for a whole-house paint color, as well, and has a cult following. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Agreeable Gray HERE.

#4 Benjamin Moore’s Edgecomb Gray (HC-173)

This is the most beige of the greiges I’m sharing here today, but it is a beautiful color, nonetheless. It might not be enough gray for you if you are making a change to all of your walls, but then again, it might just be the subtle change you are looking for! Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Edgecomb Gray HERE.

I want to go completely gray, what’s the best gray paint?

If you want to go more gray (with no hint of beige), consider Benjamin Moore’s Gray Owl (BM 2137-60). It’s a beautiful gray that won’t look cold on your walls, due to its green and yellow undertones. It’s simply lovely! Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Gray Owl HERE.

Another favorite is Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore (OC-23). It’s very neutral, very light, with just a hint of warmth (almost enough warmth to be considered a greige). Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Classic Gray HERE.

Trends come and go, but gray walls are going to be around for some time. If you’re ready to add some gray paint to your home, this list will provides you with a great starting point.

I want you to remember two key things from this post. Number one, the best gray paint to pair with beige walls/furnishings is a warm gray. Number two, be sure to sample the paint colors in your home before committing to one. Happy painting!

ABOUT MELISSA

Hey there! I'm an interior designer and DIY enthusiast with a passion for sharing what I've learned and helping others create a home they love! Read More -->

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Beige and gray in the interior

Everyone knows that neutral colors can be combined with anything. But their combination often raises questions. Is it acceptable to mix gray and beige? And if so, in what tone? In fact, all neutral colors, which are commonly referred to as black, white, gray, brown and beige, are close friends and relatives. If black is diluted with white, you get gray. If you add brown to light gray, you get gray-beige. If you introduce a little black into beige, gray will appear. Thanks to this proximity, the "neutrals" blend perfectly with each other. nine0003

How beautiful to combine beige and gray in the interior?

1. Use halftones

Grey-beige halftones are intermediate. These shades are often referred to as Warm or French Gray . In the English-speaking environment, the name "gray" (grey + beige) was assigned to this color. Greyzh is calm and quiet. It has a relaxing and calming effect.

Grey-beige (greige, French grey)

To combine with beige, you need to take a grayer grey. In the company of gray, the shade in which there is more beige pigment is suitable. nine0003

There will be no sharp contrasts in such a pair. The interior will turn out to be quite soft, warm, “powdered”. Comfort and tranquility will reign in it.

Greige can be used as a third color as a color bridge that combines gray and beige in the interior. This will create the effect of a smooth flow from one color to another.

2. Combine as light as possible

Another win-win option is a combination of very light beige ( ivory, cream, champagne ) with pale gray. Such tones are called vanishing - they are so close to white.

The result of a combination of pale tones is always successful, even if the colors are completely different. True, there is one thing but: an interior decorated in such a range can turn out to be dull, flat, or, as they say, “nothing”. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to introduce a variety of textures, textures, patterns. nine0003

3. Mix with other neutrals

If you doubt that a particular gray shade will look good on a beige background, dilute this pair with one or more “neutrals”: black, white, brown.

Design: Berphin Interior (Moscow)

In this color cocktail, all ingredients are related. And if any two colors slightly conflict, the third reconciles them, smoothing out the contradiction. nine0003

Grey-beige interior design tips

As a rule, one of the colors in the interior is the main one, and the other is the secondary one. The main one is the color of the walls and, possibly, other elements that occupy a large area (for example, the ceiling, carpet, headboard, sofa, etc.). Secondary is the color of furniture, textiles, accessories. If we talk about a pair of "gray + beige", then it does not matter which of them will be given the prerogative. Mixing, the shades seem to dissolve into each other, so none of them has a clear dominance.