What goes with it, and 3 palettes
Gray color palettes
Gray is easy to get wrong: a cool gray in a dim room turns flat and dreary. Choose a warm gray with a hint of beige or green for walls, and give gray rooms warmth from wood, a soft accent color and plenty of texture.
#9A9994
What colors go with gray
Mustard
#D4A23A
Mustard is the liveliest partner for gray, in cushions or a chair.
Blush
#E3C3B6
Pink and gray are soft and modern together, good for bedrooms.
Navy
#25344D
Navy adds depth to a gray room without adding warmth.
Natural oak
#B8935F
Wood is what keeps a gray room from feeling cold.
Crisp white
#F6F6F3
White trim and ceilings make gray walls look deliberate.
Sage green
#9CAA8C
A gray-green beside gray keeps the room calm but less flat.
Gray palettes, on real rooms
Hex codes to match against paint and fabric samples. Colors on screens and in daylight never quite agree, so hold a sample up in the room before you commit.
Gray and Mustard
A gray sofa with mustard and oak, the brightest way to use gray. Pictured: a Modern living room.
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Soft white
Walls
#F2F0EA -
Mid gray
Sofa
#9A9994 -
Mustard
Cushions and throw
#D4A23A -
Light oak
Wood furniture
#CDAF86 -
Charcoal
Rug and lamp
#3B3B3D
Gray and Blush
Warm gray walls with blush bedding, soft and grown-up. Pictured: a Transitional bedroom.
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Warm gray
Walls, painted all over
#A7A198 -
White
Bedding
#F4F3EF -
Blush
Cushions and throw
#E3C3B6 -
Walnut
Bedside tables
#5E4433 -
Pale gray
Headboard and curtains
#D3D1CC
Gray Kitchen
Gray cabinets with white and oak, quiet and timeless. Pictured: a Scandinavian kitchen.
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White
Walls
#F5F4F0 -
Slate gray
Cabinets
#7D7F80 -
Light oak
Countertop and shelves
#CDAE82 -
White tile
Backsplash
#EFEEEA -
Brushed brass
Hardware and faucet
#B39463
How to use a palette
Every palette here is listed from the most of the room to the least. Keep roughly to that order and the colors hold together.
-
1
Most of the room: the first color
The walls, and often the ceiling. A light, quiet color that everything else sits against.
-
2
A third: the next two
The big pieces: the sofa, the rug, the wood. They set the mood of the room.
-
3
A tenth: the last two
Cushions, a lamp, frames, a vase. Small, so a bold accent stays an accent.
More palettes
See these colors on your own room.
Upload a photo, pick a palette, and change any color you're not sure about. Free to try, no card needed.
