Decorating With Gray

Filed under: Color, Your Home, Design, etc

From its often gloomy implications to its sophisticated (and apparently escapist) appeal in decorating, we consult color expert Kate Smith of Sensational Color on the psychology behind this neutral tone and how to make it work in our homes.

When it comes to the color gray, everything from rainy days to industrial lofts come to mind. But the neutral tone has long been a decorating staple and it's very much the color of the moment according to color expert Kate Smith at Sensational Color. "We're very attracted to gray right now," says Smith. "Black and white are absolutes and gray is the middle ground. It feels balanced and there's something very clean and simple about it."

There's no denying the subtle beauty and elegance of gray, but we were curious about the deeper meaning behind bringing this color into our homes and what it conveys. We talk to Smith who offers us some insight on the psychology behind gray and ways to use it indoors.

1. We see gray everyday, everywhere outdoors, but is there a greater meaning when it's used in your home?
"It seems a lot of us are feeling the need to relax and escape from our often complex and overloaded lives, so gray is a great color for helping us turn off and get away. It's a more peaceful color that's clean and simple and yet beautiful and sophisticated."

2. Gray is a neutral color that sometimes seems dull, do you think that is still the case?
"There are so many sophisticated grays that are more complex and it's no longer just the blending of just black and white. Complex grays are colors that tend to say 'ish' when you're looking at them, and those grayish tone are ones that can hold our attention for a long time. Attraction to gray isn't just about versatility, it's a desire for sophistication and simplification from a more complex world.

Smith suggests a couple approaches to applying gray inside your home. Scroll down to see five different ways.


Accent wall: "Gray is a great color that provides an ethereal backdrop," says Smith. "It's atmospheric and there's an openness to it. If you're using a mid-tone gray, paint all the walls. If you're using a strong gray, like gray flannel color, paint one wall for an accent wall, such as the wall behind the bed."


Floor: "The floor is a great place to bring in gray, polished concrete for example. In general, the gray floor tends to be liked by people who want to communicate sophistication as opposed to the warmer wood tones. It also evokes a certain stability and there's a groundedness and sturdiness to it."

Ceiling: "This can work, but be careful that it might remind you of a gray day. From a more psychological stance, a home with a gray ceiling could mean that the person might have a lot on their mind and a lot coming at them and they want to have a neutral surface. And gray is a resting place here that the eye and mind needs."


Sofa: "For a sofa, darker gray makes more of a statement and seems to be more about communicating a strong, trusted appeal. Light gray would be more about a cool, clean appeal and less of a statement but more of a blending."


Bedding: "Gray makes beautiful bedding. It's a great place to mix subtle texture. Gray bedding conveys softness, subtlety and low contrast, and it can be meditative, relaxing, calming and introspective.


Also check out our story on how to decorate with green!

 

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