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Colours to go with dark grey


Grey Colour Schemes | Colours that Go with Grey

Emma shows you some of her favourite Grey colour combinations

One of the trendiest home interior colours, grey is extremely versatile and can be styled alongside other colours to suit any style of home. Like white, it is a neutral hue that offers balance. This means that a wide range of colours pair well with it, making it the ideal choice for walls, home accessories, furniture and curtains. Whether you're decorating your living room or bedroom, styling a colour with grey allows you to easily create a new and exciting look. And as it seems like grey is set to stay, we’ve put together our guide on what other colours look fabulous and stylish with it.

From darker greys that appear almost black to lighter tones that resemble white, its range of shades span the entire colour spectrum. But look underneath and you will find a set of colours that transforms its appearance completely.

Blue and green undertones generally make for a cooler, more contemporary greys whilst warmer beige or purples offer a more traditional tone. But even this breakdown is not so clear cut as the character of the room and how much natural light it gets can also be huge influencers on how your colours appear. Complimentary under-tones will ensure a harmonious relationship between the two and sampling your colours thoroughly will help you to find the perfect match. Take a look through our most popular colour partnerships to find the perfect combination for your space.

1. Red and Grey

If you are looking to create a dramatic scheme that evokes an energy and a hint of drama, then red and grey is a passionate colour combination. The mixture of patterns and plains causes your eyes to be drawn around the room as the appearance of the fabrics change from space to space. The impact of the red is intensified by the consistent use of a singular tone and the room is balanced by the introduction of both dark and light greys. Choosing a light grey wallpaper accentuates the rooms large proportions and the full-length curtains and light grey carpet extends the wallpapers reach. Dark grey upholstery and dark wood furnishings boldly define the functional spaces and introduces an extra shade that stops the room from feeling two tonal.

2. Mustard and Grey

Mustard yellow and grey is an influential colour scheme if you are looking to decorate a small room that doesn’t receive a lot of light. Moody and atmospheric, the marrying of these darker shades creates a space that feels expensive and opulent. The richness of the yellow adds a brightness and energy to the space that doesn’t feel too intense. When paired with a dark grey or taupe with brown undertones, the contrast between the two is striking. Layering patterns and plains will add depth to the room and choosing a busy wallpaper will also help the space feel bigger. Fabrics such as velvets and silks will also reflect much needed light around the room whilst also enhancing the feeling of luxury.

3. Green and Grey

Green and grey brings the colours of nature into the home and makes it feel fresh and funky. A powerful duo that enhance one another, the colour combination works best in a space with lots of natural light. The jewel tones of the dark green absorb the light so opting for fabrics with reflective qualities and choosing large scale patterns with plenty of white space will help to keep the room feeling bright and airy. The light grey textured wallpaper and glossy rug creates a calming foundation and is the perfect neutral tone for the bright green to pop against.

4. Teal Blue and Grey

A hansom shade of blue, teal is a sensual colour that feels calm and relaxing. Available as both punchy and strong or muted and sedate, it is important to style it alongside a grey that matches its illumination.

A bright teal and pale grey will create a room that feels modern and clean whereas a darker duo will evoke a richer and emotional reaction. Whichever you choose teal and grey is an attractive pairing when used in your home.

5. Blush Pink and Grey

Romantic and soothing, pink and grey is a lovable colour palette that is commonly featured in bedroom schemes. A match made in heaven, this pretty pairing of soft blush pink and dusky grey is especially popular.

Popular colours for home accessories, both pink and grey also look great on the walls. Mixing a patterned feature wallpaper with simple paintwork is a quick and easy way to instantly add designer style to your room.

6. Blue and Grey

Graceful and uplifting, combining blue and grey feels like a natural move as both exist together in the sky and across our coastlines. As blue is a colour that can sometimes feel overpowering, balancing it with light grey and white will create a comfortable scheme that feels light and airy. Choose a light grey for larger areas of the room such as the walls and bigger items of upholstery to create a neutral base on which you can build your scheme. By concentrating blue across smaller items such as cushions, home accessories and artwork, you will encourage admirers’ eyes to be drawn to these objects and the contrast between the two colours will be more powerful. Finish it off with glass furnishings and stylish lighting to broaden that weightless elegence.

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Colors that go with grey – the best shades to pair with this classic neutral

(Image credit: Future)

Looking for gorgeous ideas and expert tips on colors that go with grey? Although you may often dream of going bold with a bright color scheme and straying from your much-loved neutrals, grey still remains one of the most popular shades for decorating our home. And it's easy to see why – calming, easy to use and incredibly versatile it suits so many different styles. Plus, there is a grey tone that will work in any sized room and with any amount of natural light too. 

And because it's such a neutral, versatile shade it lends itself perfectly to being part of a pairing. Now, grey is a pretty safe color and while it pairs well with almost any other color, there are some shades that will work better than others and there are some vague rules to follow too. Most of those rules come from color theory, and come down to the undertones of the colors you are combining, but we will cover all that here.

What colors go with grey?

'A lovely way to bring out the undertone in a grey is to partner it with the same, or similar color, for example, a grey with a green undertone decorated with green will make the undertone more dominant and a grey with a pink undertone will partner beautifully with lilac or even red. This is because we never see colors in isolation, we take them in as a pair so you need them to harmonize and work together. ' explains Tash Bradley, color specialist at Lick Home. 

So if you love grey bedroom ideas but are looking for ways to soften up steely walls with or add some lighter hues to a charcoal grey kitchen, here are the best colors that go with grey to try out.

1. Grey and white

(Image credit: Soho Management London Ltd)

A total classic. White is one of the most popular colors to go with grey and can be adapted to suit any room and any style. You can pair a barely-there grey with a crisp white for a bright and airy space or contrast white with a deep, moody charcoal. In this grey and white living room to touch of grey in the checkerboard flooring helps to add depth to almost all white space.

'Depending on your styling, the look can either be relaxed and dreamy or quite tailored, but it does always tend to strike a modern Scandi note. The key is to vary the proportions of grey and white; a 50/50 split will feel quite cold. Texture is a vital additional ingredient - chunky weaves, rough timber, and marble all work well. ' recommends Sarah Spiteri, Editorial Director of Livingetc.

(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)

As simple as this paring is, not all white shades are going to work with any grey shade. The undertones need to work together, so warmer whites are likely to work best with warmer greys and vice versa, cool-toned greys with purer whites.

Just be sure to test out your pairings in your home to ensure they work together in the lighting of your space. 

2. Grey and pink

(Image credit: James Merrell)

Blush pink is the ideal shade for just slightly warming up grey tones without actually adding too much warmth to a space or being too saccharine. A muted, dusky pink 'will make a room more inviting. For this effect, blush is the right choice as it is more subtle than other pink tones and less daring than red.' explains Sarah. 

And this is why pink and grey living rooms are so soothing - the tones feel welcoming and restful.

(Image credit: Unique Homestays)

'Soft, naturalistic greys look beautiful with a neutral pink. ' says color expert Annie Sloan . 'I often use French Linen with Antoinette (my earthy-neutral pink), because French Linen is a complex grey that allows the pink to grow and breathe and warm up. It’ll bring out the earthiness and the warmth of the pink.'

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

You can totally adapt this combo to suit your tastes too. Pair with clean lines and a touch of black or deep grey for a more contemporary feel or bring in wooden textures and stick with pale greys for a soft, subtle feel that would work perfectly with a more traditional, country vibe.

Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead founders of 2LG studio say that, 'Grey is something we haven't used recently, which makes us think it may be due a resurgence. Farrow and Ball's Cornforth White is a lovely soft grey we have used many times as a neutral foil for warmer shades like brown and pale pink. Classically grey has been used with yellow and red. Reminds us of that 90s bedspread we had…'

3.

Grey and yellow

(Image credit: deVOL)

Want to be bolder in your kitchen color schemes but not quite ready to say goodbye to grey? Well, combine your need for brightness with your love of neutrals. A bright sunny yellow, a soft pastel lemon or even a more muted ochre will cut through those cool grey tones adding both warmth and freshness. 

We love this two-tone kitchen designed by deVOL . It's the perfect balance of bold and liveable – the yellow is the perfect mix of sunny but still soft and muted and the grey gives the space a more classic, timeless look. 

(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)

'Sometimes the most successful use of color relies on less, not more and adding a pinch of the unexpected.' explains Sarah. 'Cutting through a soft color with a bold hue works brilliantly. A statement piece of furniture is great for bringing in high-impact color.'

4. Grey and earthy reds

(Image credit: Jon Day)

Grey and red may sound a bit intense but it can work if you pick the right tones. For a bold look pair deep charcoal walls with a pop vivid red in the form of a statement sofa or armchair. And if you want a more subtle look tone down that red and choose an earthy, terracotta tone and pair with a lighter cloud-like grey. 

'If I’m using a cool-toned grey I like to use pops of a hot color. It’s a very effective way to make a room vastly more lively and rewarding to look at, and you only need small amounts of your accent color.' says Annie Sloan. 'I also love a blue-grey with terracotta as these colors contrast beautifully to give a delicious, juicy, contrast. In the past I’ve painted a wall in grey, then used terracotta tones to accentuate panels on the wall.'

(Image credit: Stephan Julliard)

'These spice-inspired colors are a big story at the moment and I love the way that they work with grey. Use the hotter, brighter colors in moderation as more of an accent. This combination is also worth remembering if you have an exposed red brick wall inside. ' explains Sarah.

When pairing grey with any red tones, be sure that the grey you choose has a reddish undertone too. And be inspired by this dining room idea and add in a heavy dose of white too to brighten up those earthy reds.

5. Grey and sage greens 

(Image credit: Billy Bolton)

Sage green has been growing in popularity for months, you see more sage green kitchens and feature walls than you do navy blue nowadays. And it works so well with grey because they have those same calming, grounding, soft tones and in fact when paired with grey this muted green almost becomes and neutral too. Perfect if you want to introduce second color to a grey room but not lose the overall serene, neutral scheme. 

(Image credit: Harvey Jones)

Pair the palest of greys with a cool, light green for a contemporary combination that works particularly well in kitchens. Then ground all those light, airy colors by adding just a hint of black or dark woods. 

'For a sophisticated and fresh color combination consider introducing a palette of soft pastels to a grey interior scheme. ' suggests Jane Nicholson, Co-Founder of House of Dome . 'This doesn’t have to be limited to just a   few colours, the delicate nature of muted shades allows you to be a little more experimental. Choose soft furnishing in mixed tones of grey with warm pinks and sage greens.'

6. Grey and navy blue

(Image credit: Paul Massey)

If you are looking for a color that effortlessly works with any grey shade, navy blue is it. Pair it with a soft, light grey to warm up the space or create some drama with a deep almost black grey.

In this blue living room a muted mustard yellow has been introduced, which perfect tones down all the cooler tones going on in here. Accessories like rugs and prints, and accent furniture such as coffee tables are perfect for introducing a pop of extra color.

(Image credit: Future)

The richness of navy blue lends itself so well to tactile fabrics, so add grey at the walls and bring in blue with your soft furnishings. A velvet blue sofa is a classic piece that isn't going to date any time soon or add layers of texture with navy blue throw cushions and blankets.  

7. Grey and orange

(Image credit: James Merrell)

A pop of vibrant orange is sure to bring freshness into an all-grey scheme. There are plenty of orange tones that the perfect colors to pair with grey, so you can go and bold or as subtle as you like. 

(Image credit: Suzanna Scott)

(Image credit: James Merrell)

Burnt oranges paired with a mid-grey for example could be the perfect rustic bedroom color scheme whereas a charcoal grey and bright tangerine hue will be more modern and striking. Whatever look you go for, introduce a clean white into an orange and grey color palette to up that contrast and make the orange stand out.

8. Grey and more grey  

(Image credit: Rei Moon)

If a monochromic color scheme is more your vibe, pair grey with grey. Perhaps that sounds a bit... dull but laying grey on grey can create just as interesting a space as pairing grey with any other color. The key is contrast, contrast and texture.  

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

You don't want your grey shades to be too close in color and you want to have some varying tones going on too as that will add the interest. So pick greys from across the color spectrum, even if you want a room to be light grey overall, add in some middle-ground greys and some dark tones too.

'Whether you are striking a dramatic note or going for a lighter scheme, combining different tones of grey can work very well. Pale shades will create a more relaxed look, while darker, richer hues will have impact and can enhance the cocooning feel of a compact room.' explains Sarah.

(Image credit: Paul Massey)

The risk with pairing grey with grey is that it can look a bit flat. Avoid this by adding plenty of textures and mix in some natural materials too like rattan and wood. Accessorize with different materials and finishes too.  

Sarah recommends to 'bring in brass or bronze alongside linen, velvet or chunky knit. Another trick is to add in warm metallics and subtle shimmers on fabrics, cushions, or rugs to introduce a flattering luminosity to a space. '

Hebe is the Digital Editor of Livingetc; she has a background in lifestyle and interior journalism and a passion for renovating small spaces. You'll usually find her attempting DIY, whether it's spray painting her whole kitchen, don't try that at home, or ever changing the wallpaper in her hallway. Livingetc has been such a huge inspiration and has influenced Hebe's style since she moved into her first rental and finally had a small amount of control over the decor and now loves being able to help others make decisions when decorating their own homes. Last year she moved from renting to owning her first teeny tiny Edwardian flat in London with her whippet Willow (who yes she chose to match her interiors...) and is already on the lookout for her next project.

Dark gray color: combination in clothes, interior

Charcoal gray is an intermediate shade between medium gray and black, so you can see echoes of the latter in its value.
Dark gray - the color of a stone, a deep shadow, an impending storm. It can be called a gloomy, transitional shade between the other world and this world. And if most shades of gray are characterized by calmness, regularity, then in the case of a dark undertone, we see a manifestation of black instability. Dark gray, like a silent scream or a lingering rain that has captured melancholy and apathy. This shade is more of a protest against the shackles, but at the same time it is full of elemental energy and bohemian charm.
Dark gray symbolizes search, creativity, temperament, self-confidence, desire for nature and its conquest.

Contents

Shades of dark gray

Dark gray, given that a very limited light range is available to it, has many shades due to various subtones. They can be divided into warm and cold: warm shades include shades with an admixture of yellow, red (green, brown), and cold ones with blue and black.
Pantone colors are shown below.

Sophisticated combination with dark gray

One of the variants of the complex combination of dark gray

- with bluish (2) - soft natural gamma. Due to the lightness of both tones, it seems that the colors pass into each other, thereby enhancing the organicity of the combination.
- with gray wood (3), which deepens the gray palette, adds a light cold-warm and light contrast to it. The grey-wood tone gives the composition stability and a positive direction.

Complete the combination with milk chocolate, cream, marengo.

Combination of dark gray in 9 palettes0025

Rocky beach in the morning
The soft hues of dawn and blue water are contrasted with the grey-black mass of rocks, which evokes a sensation of bright contrast of pastels, pure tones and monochrome. This combination is emotionally rich and aesthetic. The palette includes such shades as white-gray, white-peach, water color, old wood, dark gray, black.

Lantern for late autumn
This range is composed in warm, gray tones, in which you can see how multifaceted this shade is with rich undertones. The composition is built on light contrast, on the one hand dull, but on the other hand beautiful and refined in its silence. It presents colors such as white-gray, light gray khaki, old wood, light gray-green, dark gray, black.

Chipped Continent
Once again, dark gray returns to the theme of stone, in this case a rock – high, powerful, causing feelings of rebelliousness and spontaneity, next to it, yellow and green shades seem naive, further emphasizing the grandiosity of dark gray. From this picture, you can borrow a color scheme from white with a pink sheen, slate, dark yellow, protective, sepia, dark gray.

Ancestral home
Vintage decor with brown, black, gray tones emphasizes the bohemian nature of the described tone. He proudly talks about the wealth of the owner, his amazing taste and desire for a natural range. Consider a combination with medium gray, gray beige, sea black, chocolate glaze, dark gray, black.

Dark gray can be combined with other colors

The combination of pink and dark gray can be both bright and piercing, depending on the shade of the former. Gentle, soft tones, both pure and cloudy, will soften the combination, while bright shades of fuchsia, on the contrary, will add audacity, but do not forget about grace. Combine the main tone with white-pink, sakura, rose ash, magenta, raspberry.

The color combination: dark gray and red retains the priority of a bright spot, but at the same time acquires a classic rigor. In such a combination, red can be both bright and restrained, up to burgundy. In its application, one should not forget about the simultaneous contrast. For example, consider pairings with pomegranate, Chinese red, dark red, ruby, cherry.

Dark gray matches orange like red: orange, as a warm, bright hue, is contrasted with monochrome, standing out significantly against its background, however, its intensity is muted and ennobled. An interesting tandem will be with light peach, coral, carrot, fiery, red-orange.

Dark gray meets yellow – as a softer version of the black and yellow contrast, at the same time expressive, although closer to everyday colors. Muted, golden shades of yellow form a soft, natural pair. For example, take a look at the combination with sand, corn, mustard, yellow gold, bright gold.

Warm green and charcoal gray combine as a calm and stylish pair. Warm gray-green hues intertwine with the main tone creating a soft color, light and cold-warm contrast. This is a natural palette, full of harmony - pacifies. The combination involves the color of avocado, a frog in a swoon, swamp green, khaki, dark green.

Cool green is combined with dark gray to form a stable cold range. For a harmonious color, both gray-green cold shades and bright, expressive tones are suitable. They form a stable, cold, attractive tandem. Example: with light gray-green, wormwood, jade, patina, emerald.

Color combination: dark gray and blue, light blue. Depending on the lightness of the blue color, the nature of the combination changes: light blue tones draw an effective contrast, when darker shades flow into the main tone, deepening it and themselves. The palette is made up of white and blue, the color of water, aqua, Prussian blue, sapphire.

Violet pairs with Charcoal Gray as a delicate, lilac tone or a bright purple hue, giving the pair a feminine charm, introducing an element of mystery and exoticism. This is one of the most successful combinations with the described tone. Rate pairs with pale lilac, lilac, purple, grape, purple.

The combination of dark gray and brown is gloomy on the one hand, but natural, sophisticated and deep on the other. Colors flow into each other, enhancing the feeling of volume, light and shadow, and light browns give a glare effect. Tones of cocoa with milk, coffee with milk, golden brown, golden chestnut, chocolate participate in the tandem.

Neutral combinations with dark grey. Monochromatic hues create a light-shadow palette that can stand on its own or be used as a backdrop for other contrasts. Tones such as: milky, latte, beige, steel, dark black are relatives of dark gray and look good in his company.

Dark gray in clothes

Dark gray color refers to the basic shades: a thing bought in this tone, depending on the pair, can go into different styles. The tone increases the contrast of appearance, slims, gives an expensive charm. It can be strict, gothic, informal, sporty, elegant, urban, etc. This shade is a great match for bright colors: it does not enhance them, but they remain in the spotlight.
Let's look at how dark gray transforms in a wardrobe depending on the color combination.

The combination of dark gray in clothes

Black gives this tone a slight sheen.

To achieve moderate black and white contrast, dark gray is ideal.

Combining different shades of gray, we get a stylish solution. You can always add black or white to it.

Warm, beige for an elegant, feminine touch.

Bright brown tones are soft and natural.

Yellow can be bright or golden mustard, in any case with dark gray it takes on an autumnal look.

Orange, in addition to the main color, will require black as a balance enhancer.

Bright red and dark gray can be strict and eccentric, although the main color muffles the red fire, this is not enough to extinguish it.

Wine tones - for a noble combination.

Hot pink, fuchsia colors give the combination a feminine edge.

Pale pink enhance light contrast, inhale lightness and innocence into the set.

The purple pair looks like a logical continuation of the main color.

Blue, like a sky or water reflection at dusk, tandem requires black.

Sky blue brings lightness, softness.

Cool green transforms dark gray advantageously, especially if gold elements are added to them.

Warm, medium-dark tones of green organically fit into gray scales, black can also be added to them.

Dark gray interior

Dark gray color in the interior as a creative force of individual design.
First of all - this is the lack of a certain style - most often decorated with dark gray rooms are eclectic. The dark background of the walls is emphasized by the saturation of colors, the outlines of forms, thereby emphasizing the expressiveness of accents. White and black colors are constant companions of this direction. Moderate natural light illuminating a room is absorbed by dark surfaces but reflected by light surfaces, so all light elements will "glow" in such an environment. The uniform distribution of such objects will give the necessary balance and distribution of light.
Evening and night lighting is desirable with a warm spectrum, since fire and stone are components that have long been familiar, filled with emotions. For the same reason, wood, iron and all natural fabrics will look good. Decorate such rooms with green or living plants - this gives confidence and tranquility.

SEE COMBINATIONS WITH SIMILAR SHADES (click on color)

Combination of gray with other colors in the interior Home and Office

The combination of gray with other colors in the interior

Earlier we wrote about the most common myths associated with gray in the interior, today we want to talk about how best and what to combine it with. Gray is the leader in coloring in terms of the number of various shades and the beauty of their names: pearl, ash pink, smoky blue ... Surprisingly, the tone can change before our eyes if you change the objects located next to the interior items. Dom i Office.ru found out everything about the combination of gray with other colors in the interior.

Natalya Simagina,
interior designer

“Gray in an interior is like a wardrobe staple: it goes with everyone. It can be the only one - independent and self-sufficient, you just need to add shades to it. And it can be used in an ensemble, and the effect of the resulting space will depend on the colors that complement it.

General tips

  1. Gray color goes well with almost with all colors and their shades. However, the most difficult thing is to choose the “correct” green and white colors. Especially when it comes to a light gray background: there is a great danger of getting blurry contours.
  2. Shades should be selected depending on the saturation of the gray color: the richer it is, the brighter the companion is required, and vice versa. Exception is brown .
  3. The "temperature regime" of the paints plays an important role. Warm grays, in which you can feel the presence of yellow, red, brown and other colors associated with summer, are ideally suited to similar "summer" colors. To the cold, reminiscent of winter ice or metal, the closest colors, which include blue: purple, blue, lilac.
  4. The number of bright spots on a gray background must be strictly limited and vice versa , otherwise the overall picture will turn into a sample of bad taste.
  5. Lighting is of great importance. Considering that gray is the color of the shadow, there should be many light sources, and it is better to place them at different levels.

Ideal companions

As you can see, combining gray with other colors in the interior is not an easy task. But quite solvable, given that the designers know them all "in the face" .

WHITE. Milky, creamy, cream and other warm shades of white will be appropriate on a gray background if the room is small and its windows face the north side of the house.

BLACK. This is one of the most natural combinations of gray, giving the interior a graphic look. Even more interesting is the use in the same interior in addition to different shades of gray. Thanks to the halftones, the situation becomes multidimensional, and in it, despite the external rigor and conciseness, some kind of understatement appears.

RED. Red-orange, Indian red, ruby, terracotta, burgundy, scarlet - these strong active shades are in perfect harmony with the same rich gray. Beige and white can be used as a smooth transition.

ORANGE. Tangerine, pumpkin, carrot, brick - these and other shades in combination with gray give a very unusual effect. You can soften such a strong effect with interspersed with more familiar and soft colors - beige and brown.

YELLOW. Golden, mustard, lemon, ocher, amber - all these shades are very appropriate next to gray. But only in limited quantities: as if a sunbeam fell on a shaded surface, bringing energy and inner glow.

GREEN. Olive, mint, emerald, turquoise, herbal - all shades of green can accompany gray. But on condition that they perfectly correspond to each other in terms of saturation level. It is quite easy to make a mistake, despite the huge number of analogues in nature.

BLUE. Royal blue, sapphire, cobalt, violet, Prussian blue and sea green - juicy dense shades are excellent partners for dark gray, giving the interior sophistication and style. But the use of light shades, such as blue and indigo, is more appropriate next to light gray.

BROWN. Brown, sepia, bronze, beige-brown and brown-black - from the variety of shades, it is important to choose the right one that contrasts with gray. The darker the gray walls, the lighter the brown floor; the paler the gray sofa, the brighter the brown pillow on it.

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