Decorating with blues and greys
11 blue and grey living room ideas to bring this dreamy combo into your home
Real Homes is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s why you can trust us.
(Image credit: Neptune)
Join our newsletter
Get the best home decor ideas, DIY advice and project inspiration straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Realhomes. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Looking for some cute blue and grey living room ideas? We all love grey living rooms and we all love blue living rooms, so it just made sense to bring these two ever-popular hues together and show you how you can decorate with both in your space.
Grey and blue is such a versatile combo. You can go for a really contrasting scheme with light blue and a deep charcoal grey or create a really cohesive look where your colors blend so seamlessly you barely notice the difference between the two. There are so many ways you can work this classic combination into your living room, and we've pulled together plenty of looks to get you inspired.
- Check out more living room paint color ideas in our gallery.
Does blue and grey go together?
Before we get started, let's get the big question out the way, do blue and grey work together? Of course! They are a really popular color combination for living rooms because they layer together so nicely. The key to getting it right is to always pick shades have the same undertones, so generally a cool grey works best with a cool blue, and a warm grey with a warm blue. You might also want to pick shades that create a contrast – light with dark. So if you are going for everyone's favorite dark blue walls, add in a light grey to lift that deeper color.
What accent color goes with grey and blue?
The best accent colors to pair with grey and blue in a living room as those on the opposite sides of the color wheel.
We are talking oranges and yellows, but what tones you pick totally depends on your style. If you are after a more subtle contrast a warm terracotta orange can look lovely or for something bolder try a pop of vibrant yellow.
1. Go dark on the walls and light on the floors
(Image credit: Rachel Manns)
It's pretty obvious from just a quick scroll on Pinterest that dark blue walls are having a bit of a moment. Who hasn't got a Hague Blue wall right now? But there's a reason everyone loves this deep hue so much – it's dramatic, it's bold and yet it's actually a super versatile shade that works perfectly with all neutrals, including grey. Dark blue is like the colorphobes way of bringing in something brave, without it interrupting the previous color scheme.
The key to making these dark blue hues liveable is to pair them with plenty of crisp light colors. So always contrast your walls with a lighter woodwork and add in a pale grey on the floor – whether that be in the form of LVT like you see here or a large area rug.
- Find more blue living room ideas in our gallery.
2. Create a cozy cohesive look
(Image credit: Neptune)
It's often said to avoid cooler colors when decorating a north-facing living room, but check out this space. It clearly proves light-starved rooms can handle blues and greys and can in fact become really cozy spaces.
What makes this room so inviting, despite the lack of light and the cooler tones, is all that layering going on with really similar shades. The blue-grey walls, the grey sofas, even the flooring is grey – this really cohesive look creates a cocooning feeling to the room. Plus, all the cushions and throws help soften up the space.
- Check out all our grey living room ideas in our feature.
3. Pair sky blue with charcoal grey
(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies)
If you are looking to add a splash of color to a monochrome scheme, a lovely light blue can really lift a space. See how this couch makes the deep blue/black and white seem less stark? It brightens up the space and softens it at the same time.
If you don't want to commit to a colored couch, bring in those blues with artwork, lampshades, cushions or a rug would work too.
4. Create an elegant look with light grey and jewel tones
(Image credit: Gabrielle Blackman)
If you are looking for a color that just going to work in all sized spaces, all levels of natural light, a pale warm-toned grey is the way to go. It just makes any room feel so lofty and elegant, and it looks lovely paired with bolder, jewel-toned blues. For this look, stick to greys for the walls and floors and bring in those pops of color with furniture and accessories.
5. Go for a laid back beachy vibe
(Image credit: Neptune)
Don't you just feel more relaxed looking at this living room? All the soft linen furniture, the denim blues and the touches of grey at the windows. It's giving us definite beach house vibes, which you could totally recreate no matter how far from the ocean you actually are. Just copy this soothing scheme and add in some slubby fabrics and some whitewashed wood and you are pretty much there.
Oh, and nice big fern wouldn't go amiss either.
- Love this space? Find plenty more beach house interiors in our gallery.
6. Warm up grey and blue with wooden accents
(Image credit: Colin Poole)
Grey and blue is a cool combo, literally speaking, but it's really easy to warm up those tones with some wooden touches. If you've been blessed with wooden floorboards, easy, that's all the warmth you need. And if not, wooden shelving, a cute wooden side table or even just some wooden picture frames will have a similar effect.
7. Pick grey and blue furniture
(Image credit: Katie Lee)
A really easy way to create a two-tone blue and grey living room is with furniture. Combine a blue sofa with a grey armchair and you already have your new color scheme sorted, then it's up to you have much further you take it. You could keep the rest of the space neutral with pale grey walls and wooden decor. Or bring out more
of those blues and greys by hanging prints in similar hues or throwing down a rug to intensify the colors.
8. Paint a mural
(Image credit: Interior Fox)
Why not tie together your grey and blue furniture with a stylish wall mural? You could so easily DIY something like this ombre wall for a really contemporary feel to your living room. All you need a paintbrush and a dreamy bluey-grey paint – then just add white to it to create a faded look.
We have a whole guide to how to create an ombre wall if you want the full step by step.
9. Go Mid-century with cool blues and grey
(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies)
See, blue and grey can be so versatile, you can find a combination that will suit any style. If you are a fan of Mid-century modern and love those orange and yellow tones that come with that vibe, blue and grey work really well in that mix. A pale blue wall is really going to make those brighter, warmer colors pop.
10. Pair a blue sofa with grey cushions
(Image credit: Snug Sofa)
A teal blue velvet sofa has just shot straight to the top of our wish list.
This gorgeous hue works perfectly with grey, and we think it gives it a more grown-up, sophisticated feel. So are too, now very much considering a blue sofa but concerned about it being a bit too brave, you can totally tone it down with grey soft furnishings and bring out those more steely tones.
11. Don't be afraid to bring in black accents
(Image credit: Katie Lee)
Blue and black traditionally have not been a color combination we see all that often, it's just one of those things ingrained in your head not to mix them. But, you know what, we think there's a strong case for mixing navy and black and in fact these two colors can create very elegant spaces. Especially true if you add in some greys and white as a contrast to freshen up the look.
Make sure you check out our black living room ideas feature too if you like a more dramatic style.
Hebe joined the Real Homes team in early 2018 as Staff Writer before moving to the Livingetc team in 2021 where she took on a role as Digital Editor.
She loves boho and 70's style and is a big fan of Instagram as a source of interiors inspiration. When she isn't writing about interiors, she is renovating her own spaces – be it wallpapering a hallway, painting kitchen cupboards or converting a van.
5 ways with blues and greys
Ideal Home Newsletter
The Home Of Great Ideas For More Than 100 Years
Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Why: Be transported to Mediterranean climes with this powerful, evocative tone - but avoid using in already cold rooms, as it won't endow it with seaside sunshine warmth, however hard you wish.
How:
(Image credit: TBC)
- For a clean, crisp finish, work with lashings of white and the odd touch of smart navy blue.
To instil a summer feel, try to keep whites and blues balanced. - Pare back your scheme to add warmth - yes, less clutter and more stripped wooden flooring and teak furniture will work with blue to create a seaside vibe.
- Celebrate your decorating bravery by teaming sky brights with white, orange and mid-green for a light and lively atmosphere.
Top tip: Intensify your colour choice by matching it to the exact hue of your sofa. Make the most of those companies that offer a specialist paint mixing service.
Muted blues
(Image credit: TBC)
Why: Ideal in cold, northern light, Scandinavian blue-grey shades are a smooth and sophisticated option, particularly when contrasted with lovely warm woods.
How:
- Use with other colours from the mid-century modern set - olive green, mustard yellow and tomato red - or aim for a more 'heritage' look by contrasting with striking black.
- Follow the classic Gustavian or Scandinavian palettes and blend with oodles of white and simply patterned fabrics.
Muted greens and silvers provide an instant booster, too. - Bring muted tones into the 21st century using streamlined furniture in darker shades, such as charcoal, chocolate and ebony. Lift with textures rather than pattern.
Top tip: Add detail and contrast by painting smaller areas and woodwork in a toning shade of grey, rather than the usual white.
Crown originals paint: Aqua 1997, Blue 1980, and Grey 1952, all £15.98 for 2.5l
Pastel greys
(Image credit: TBC)
Why: Cool, calming and surprisingly warm when used right, greys suit the modern decorating mood incredibly well.
How:
- Alongside pale woods such as ash, beech and maple, these soft tones look best teamed with soothing off-whites and warm neutrals.
- Glam up a pastel-grey scheme with black and white additions - think Art Deco-inspired furniture, gloss surfaces and soft-sheen fabrics.
- Play on the subtlety of cool colours and use them to emphasise fine detailing, like embossed surfaces, intricate weaves and hand-drawn designs.
Top tip: Mix and match two patterned wallpapers using similar designs but different base colours for a room with an interesting personality.
Wallpapers: Norcombe in Welkin, £44.50 per roll; Cones in Lint, £38 per roll; both The Little Green Paint Company
Moody greys
(Image credit: TBC)
Why: Want to recreate that all-enveloping feeling of the night sky? These inky blues and dusky charcoal tones are the way to do it.
How:
- These dark colours work well to create intimate small spaces, but they can be intimidating in larger rooms - break up with blue-and-white patterned fabrics and rows of framed pictures.
- Want a bold lift in a rich grey living room or kitchen? Just add bright red, punchy orange or vibrant green accents.
- Give deep blue an opulent twist by teaming it with cream and old gold. Avoid pattern to make it slick and contemporary.
Top tip: Create layers and depth by using varying shades of grey on walls.
Define with flashes of white and green.
Accent blues
(Image credit: TBC)
Why: A dash of blue can turn a plain space into anything from seaside chic to Oriental opulence.
How:
- All it takes to opt for classic coastal is a dash of mid-blue in an all-white scheme. Ticking stripes - of varying widths - do this best.
- Think Twenties charm and combine powder- or sky-blue with muted tangerines and chalk white in a pattern-rich palette.
- Get edgy with an urban-inspired selection of shades: think inky blue, charcoal, oyster and aubergine, and make the scheme more full-bodied with a deep-blue painting or glassware display.
Top tip: Dark denim fabrics really enrich a fresh blue-and-white bedroom. All-white furniture looks extra fresh.
Polperro bed linen, from £12; Helston throw, £60; Pebbles bedspread, £67.50; Zennor denim cushion covers, £17.50 each, all Nimbus
Gray-blue color in the interior | Blog L.
DesignStudio The interior, decorated in gray-blue tones, is the embodiment of strict sophistication, nobility, restraint. This is a classic combination that can look different depending on the chosen style and concept.
Application in different styles
If you like modern styles and want to see the design of your apartment as relevant as possible - choose high-tech, loft, minimalism. For these areas, the use of gray and blue tones will be an excellent choice. This color scheme supports and enhances the main features of modern styles - functionality, practicality, lack of visual noise, ease of perception.
The grey-blue range also looks good in classic interiors. There is a stereotype that the classics are wood, gilding and small prints. But this is a very narrow framework, because classic design projects are much more diverse. In particular, they can be designed in blue and gray tones, and it looks very stylish and harmonious.
Recommendations for the combination of shades
First you need to decide which color will be the main one - blue or gray.
A color is considered the main one if it accounts for 60–70% of the surface area of all furnishings, including furniture, decoration, decor, etc. An additional color is a color that accounts for 20–30%.
The gray-blue combination is remarkable in that it is not so important here which color will be the main one, and which one will be the additional one. Gray and blue are close in character and mood. They complement each other so well that the interior still looks holistic, regardless of the proportions.
The key point when choosing shades is their saturation and complexity. Now the trend is multi-component colors that give interesting reflexes and transform under different lighting conditions.
For example, the trendiest shade of blue right now is Atlantic blue, a very bright and pure color with hints of lilac. It adds depth and freshness to the setting. And among the shades of gray, “wet stone” is now in trend, and not only the color itself is important here, but also the texture.
Particularly expressive are the gray elements, reminiscent of a rock mass, with corresponding irregularities, veins and color transitions.
If you plan to use a blue-gray color scheme, and at the same time want to make the interior bright, this is also quite feasible. The situation in such colors does not have to be neutral and strict. For example, gray can be almost white, quite bright - such elements help to visually expand the space, filling it with air. And blue can be bright and juicy, closer to piercing blue. In this design, the gray-blue space becomes not restrained and strict, but very dynamic, energizing.
Helpful Hints:
- Don't try to match all furnishings in exactly the same shade - this applies to both gray and blue. Yes, things should be combined with each other in tone, but there is no need to achieve a complete match. In addition to the fact that this is very difficult to achieve, such monochrome in most interiors looks unnatural, the viewer has an involuntary feeling that you have “overdone it”.
Simplicity and even slight negligence are in trend now - therefore, one should not strive for monochrome if it is not the basis of the design concept. - Be careful with matte and glossy materials. In most cases, gray-blue interiors look advantageous in a matte finish. The role of glossy surfaces that give glare is performed by mirrors, windows, screens and other elements of technology. Due to this, the interior looks alive and filled with light. In this case, a special glossy decor or other elements are not required.
- Don't be afraid to add bright accents to your interior. It can be textiles, designer lamps, paintings or other decor that pleases the eye and is easily replaceable. With the help of such catchy elements, you can keep the interior up to date without making repairs or changing the layout.
Selection of materials
When choosing finishing materials and furniture of a certain color, it is useful to focus on natural counterparts. This helps to choose suitable textures that will be in perfect harmony with the chosen color schemes.
Example: gray is associated with stone, rocks and other hard rocks. This means that objects made in this color, and even more so having a similar texture, must also be solid, smooth, and stable. Of course, this is not a strict rule, but this principle helps to adhere to a given concept and create perfectly harmonious interiors.
This recommendation works even in those cases. when it comes to upholstered furniture. If you need to make the interior strict and brutal, you should give preference to gray furniture, which seems to be carved from the rock. And vice versa - for friendly. hospitable interiors fit sofas and armchairs of rounded shapes and warm colors.
The blue color is associated with water and the sky, which means that materials of a complex shade with a changing texture will be a win-win option. In decoration, it can be decorative plaster, which changes depending on the lighting and reflections of objects that fill the space. In textiles, the blue color can be presented both in the form of a flowing fabric resembling a stream, and in the form of soft velor, reminiscent of a “thick” calm autumn sea.
Article author: Anna Lebedeva, founder and chief architect-designer L.Designstudio
Blog Blog
Anna Lebedeva
Founder and chief architect-designer L.DesignstudioRead about us
Escape
with a designer
Leave your phone number
and we will call you back
Gray-blue color in the interior, how and where to apply
The right color in the interior plays a very significant role. Returning home every day, a person is faced with the interior solutions of his home, and this factor has a strong effect on him. So, for example, the gray-blue color in the interior allows the residents of an apartment or house to feel a state of peace and security, to be in constant harmony and feel good spirits.
Content
- gray-blue in the interior
- Experiments with a gray-blue gamma in the interior
- Room decoration
- Gray-blue color and style
- Decorating the premises and Mibilovo
- Serin blue and other colors in the interior
Grey-blue in the interior
Today, the variety of interior solutions is extremely high.
It is safe to say that even if 10 colleagues or friends decide to decorate their home in gray-blue tones, then using their imagination, each of them will be able to create something unique, unparalleled.
Leading designers unanimously confirm that the gray-blue color in the interior is now in trend. At the same time, this color scheme is most recommended for the following individuals:
- people who avoid conflicts and stressful situations. The gray-blue gamma is the color of the sea, and the sea, as you know, having been worried, always calms down;
- businessmen and leaders, because gray and blue contribute to the purification of the mind and the adoption of important, deeply considered decisions;
- people who love travel and the sea;
- mystics, philosophers, creative people and more.
This is interesting! Psychologists say that if a person does not accept gray-blue colors in the interior, then this indicates that he longs for serious changes in his life and is literally ready to embark on the path of struggle for new horizons.
Experts in the field of interior design give the following recommendations for the use of gray-blue colors:
- blue visually expands the boundaries of the room, so it can be used in small rooms;
- so that the room in gray-blue colors does not look cold, the interior should be diluted with warm shades;
- gray-blue range is most preferable for the living room, bedroom, hallway, bathroom. Based on the individual preferences of the owners, the kitchen can also be blue. Often, children's rooms are also decorated using gray and blue colors, for example, to create a marine interior;
- gray color with a little blue addition is perfect for decorating men's offices.
Experiments with gray-blue colors in the interior
Do not forget that each color has shades that can be used to advantage when decorating a room.
Shading colors of blue are:
• Electrician;
• Vivid blue;
• Ultramarine;
• Indigo;
• Sapphire;
• Cobalt;
• Dark blue-green;
• Thunderstorm;
• Black-blue;
• Denim;
• Cornflower blue, etc.
Shades of gray are:
• Pure grey;
• Steel;
• Pearlescent;
• Silver;
• Lead;
• Coal;
• Quartz;
• Slate;
• Anthracite;
• Wet asphalt, etc.
Designers call gray their "workhorse" because it suits almost all occasions. If the gray color is skillfully diluted with a blue color scheme, then you can achieve depth, charm, sophistication. The grey-blue color scheme is the perfect backdrop and also a great solution when you need to cover up any design flaws.
Designers have long noticed that upholstered furniture in gray shades looks more expensive and more elegant than furniture of the same quality, but in other colors. So that gray armchairs and sofas do not look boring, they can be diluted with a pile of blue and blue pillows.
Gray-blue room decoration
Specialists who study the effect of color on the state and fate of a person say that the gray-blue color brings stability, calmness and self-confidence to life.
Gray-blue color in the interior of the kitchen is chosen by people who are not afraid of experiments and are ready to follow their dreams. A good solution would be to decorate the walls in gray tones, and order the kitchen set in blue.
The color solution described here will look harmonious in a classic or modern design. Today it is not a problem to buy a blue refrigerator or a gray stove. Therefore, gray-blue household appliances can also become part of the design idea.
A gray-blue living room will look especially good if its windows face south. Sunlight will fill the room, offsetting some of the coldness of the tones. In addition to the timeless classics and modern style, a maritime interior is also perfect for the living room. In the living room, you can experiment with shades, for example, choosing an indigo sofa, azure curtains, and a charcoal carpet. The help of a competent designer will, by the way, so that all combinations look harmonious and form a single whole.
A gray-blue bedroom will lull its owners to sleep better than any lullaby. It is desirable to choose curtains, pillows and bedspreads in light shades.
Gray-blue tone in the design of the nursery is most often chosen when the owner is a boy. Given that this is a room where the child will study, play and relax, it naturally should not be gloomy. The right decision would be to choose light blue and light gray shades. If a child wants to get a themed nursery, then the gray-blue palette is literally made for nautical, pirate or space design. The choice of photo wallpaper and decorative elements is so great that it is possible to satisfy the taste of even the most picky child or teenager.
The decoration of a children's room for a girl in a gray-blue palette is also not a rare thing. In this case, designers dilute the specified gamut with pink, cream or beige. The blue canopy above the bed looks charming and is in perfect harmony with the starry sky on the ceiling.
An entrance hall done in gray-blue is also far from uncommon. Owners of extensive and well-lit hallways can afford variations with dark shades. If the hallway is very small, then it is better to stay in light colors so as not to exaggerate.
Grey-blue color and style
When designing an interior, it is important not only to decide on a color palette, but also to choose the most suitable style. Leading experts in the field of interior design advise the following style directions for the gray-blue color scheme:
Hi-Tech loves accents on texture, shape, details, so a talented designer will have enough space for imagination and experimentation with the palette of the above colors; 
Furnishing and decoration
When decorating the walls of the room, it is better to choose the option when one of the walls is pasted over or painted in a dark color, and the other three walls are made in combination with the first shade, but whiter than the light ones. In addition to plain wallpapers, you can also find gray-blue versions in stores with a variety of patterns and ornaments: from banal stripes and brickwork to star travel and cloud castles.
When designing a living room in a gray-blue color, you should use wallpaper with monograms or choose plaster. Such eternal patterns as peas, stripes are also suitable.
For a teenager's room, designers offer photo wallpapers in the form of a map of the world, made in gray-blue tones.
Whatever the renovation budget, and whatever style you choose, flooring for a gray and blue room is simple. In modern hardware stores, all types of gray and blue flooring are abundant.
It can be carpet, linoleum, laminate, tile, etc. Also available are gray and blue skirting boards in all sizes.
To get a gray-blue ceiling, you need to paste over it with appropriate wallpaper, paint it with paint, or choose a stretch option. Colored stretch ceilings look great, last a long time and even save you from flooding from neighbors from above. Gray-blue ceilings can be matte, glossy or fabric, in any case they are pleasing to the eye and give the room chic and elegance.
Doors and windows painted in blue look bold and really original. We can say with confidence that this option is chosen by people who are not afraid of experiments and are young at heart, regardless of their real age. If the owner of the apartment has a desire for the doors to merge with the color of the walls and be less noticeable, then their color should be as close as possible to the color of the main interior. Those who believe that doors deserve to stand out can choose the most opposite tones to the main interior.
The blue sofa will be immediately noticeable in any room, clearly marking the seating area. A gray sofa with blue armrests or pillows is suitable for discreet interiors.
As for cabinets, the gray version is more suitable for student cabinets where school supplies are stored, as well as for arranging the hallway. But in blue color, a vintage wardrobe will look chic.
Many people think that the color of the bed depends on the bedspread and pillows decorating it. This, of course, is true, but lovers of gray-blue tones can go even further by ordering a bed with a blue headboard and decorative gray-blue elements.
Chest of drawers very much like the color a la cornflower blue. Having acquired a similar chest of drawers with carved doors and graceful handles, you can decorate a bedroom or a children's room great.
Chairs for a gray-blue kitchen or living room can be painted blue or decorated with covers, pillows, upholstery.
In addition to all of the above, a blue-gray room will be decorated with a carpet, curtains, pillows, blankets, bedspreads of appropriate shades. As well as accessories, photographs, paintings, etc. A significant role in the design of a room in a certain color is played by the right lighting.
Grey-blue and other colors in the interior
Decorating a room in gray-blue, you should not stop at just two shades. In order to make the interior richer, it is necessary to place accents from other colors, of course, combined with the main ones.
The most successful combinations include:
- gray-blue gamma perfectly perceives the green color and even comes to life due to its freshness;
- white color is combined with any shades and solutions and naturally does not spoil the room in gray-blue tones;
- red color will make the interior richer and mysterious. Blue, gray and red are friends in the design of the premises, so experts approve of this combination;
- blue color will be a good solution when decorating a room using the gradient method;
- yellow and orange colors will fill the gray-blue room with warmth and comfort.
Learn more
