Gray is one of the most popular paint colors out there when it comes to painting the interior of your home. Gray is such a versatile paint color that can complement your space and make your decor and furnishings really pop. At the same time, gray paint colors can be a little tricky, as different shades pick up different undertones in certain lights. If you’re looking to pick the best gray paint colors for your home that work WITH your natural and artificial lighting, read on to learn what to consider when choosing your color, plus our top recommended gray paint colors.
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What to Consider When Choosing Gray Paint Colors
Gray paint colors are some of the most popular because they are versatile and provide a great neutral background in interior rooms. However, gray paint colors are extra susceptible to picking up different undertones in different lights. For example, in certain lights, a gray paint may pick up warm or cool undertones or green or blue undertones.
It’s really difficult to find a gray paint color that will look the exact same in every single room in your home, as the lighting changes throughout the day. The position of your natural light, whether through a north, south, east, or west-facing window(s) plays a huge role in the undertones that your gray paint will take on.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing gray paint colors for your home’s interior.
Lighting, Windows, and Undertones
When choosing a gray paint, you need to consider the type of artificial lighting you have, the position of your windows, and what warm or cool undertones your gray paint picks up in each space of your home. While it would be easiest to choose one color to paint your entire home, you may need a second color that will look better in a certain space.
Every gray paint color has an undertone, which is why it’s so important to test your gray paint on a wall in every room of your home and in every light before making your decision and committing to an entire gallon or more of paint. When testing your gray paint colors, focus more on the undertones that are pulled out than the actual paint sample itself. For more information on how to test paint colors without painting the entire wall, check out this blog post.
The color will look different depending on how much natural light you have and what type of light bulbs you use. For example, north-facing windows will pull more gray-blue icy undertones and south-facing windows will soften this icy feel without turning super warm. East-facing windows can leave cool toned paint looking dull in the afternoons but natural in the morning light. West-facing windows make cool gray paints look flat in the morning but more natural and warm in the afternoon. Gray paint can often look greenish in rooms with a lot of artificial light.
Keep in mind, homes with a lot of natural light wash out many gray paint colors, but remember, the sun doesn’t stay in one place all day, so as it shifts, so will the look of your gray paint. To see your gray paint color in its truest form, test it on a wall in a room with an average amount of natural light.
Coordinate with Your Decor, Flooring, and Furnishings
Another important thing to consider when choosing gray paint colors is coordinating the undertones with those of your decor, flooring, and furnishings. Again, while it may be the most convenient option to choose one gray paint color for your entire interior, it might not be possible for that one color to look amazing in every room and with all of your decor, flooring, and furnishings.
In that case, test out some of the other gray paint options in your color palette to find what looks best in each space, especially spaces like your kitchen which will have a lot to coordinate with, such as flooring, countertops, cabinets, etc.
Our Top 12 Recommended Gray Paint Colors For Your Interior
Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in a gray paint color, let’s get to the fun stuff and take a look at our top 12 recommended gray paint colors for your interior. Here at Oak City Coatings, we use nearly all of these colors on a regular basis with our clients, and we can attest that they are stunning!
- Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Gray SW 7029 – Greige that leans more into gray the beige and favors vague green undertones.
- Benjamin Moore Classic Gray OC-23 – Very light warm gray on the border of off-white and favors a subtle purple undertone.
- Benjamin Moore Gray Owl OC-52 – Light gray that favors green and blue undertones.
- Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray SW-7015 – Light warm gray that favors purple undertones and at times, green undertones.
- Sherwin-Williams Anew Gray SW-7030 – Light-medium gray that favors gray overall.
- Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray HC-170 – Light stormy gray.
- Sherwin-Williams Mindful Gray SW-7016 – Light-medium gray that favors vague purple undertones.
- Sherwin-Williams Colonnade Gray SW-7641 – Light-medium gray.
- Sherwin-Williams Big Chill SW-7648 – Light gray that favors a subtle blue undertone.
- Benjamin Moore Collingwood OC-28 – Greige that leans heavily into gray. Favors a subtle violet undertone.
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray HC-173 – Taupe that is very warm and is right between gray and beige. Very warm undertones.
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172 – Light warm gray that favors a green, earthy undertone.
While these are our top 12 recommended gray paint colors, as always, remember to test your paint colors in person in your space (at all angles and in every type of light) before going all in and purchasing your paint.
If you’re looking for more help choosing the perfect gray paint color to transform your space and bring it to life, we walk each of our clients through a color consultation to choose the perfect paint color before we come in and get to work on your paint project. To book your free estimate and get started, visit our contact page!
