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moxiemom

Wall color

12 years ago
Does anyone else find the recent trend of gray walls to be almost disturbing? It feels so cold and impersonal to me. I've seem a billion pictures of well decorated rooms from soft light gray to slate, but it still reminds me of our dreary Ohio winter skies. Our walls are a beautiful yellow with an accent wall of a paprika color. It's a mood brightener just to walk into. I want to go by the maxim of "if you love it, then go with it" but I also don't like the idea of visitors coming in and thinking my home looks hopelessly outdated. So my question is, how do you see this trend of gray? Will it last? Maybe there is a more modern bright color that I should switch to?

Comments (12)

  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Your home looks lovely - I love grey but love colour too. There have been two popular forums recently about grey - look them up! The only rule in design to me is does it work for the space and the client? Yours obviously does...
    Moxiemom thanked Rebecca Mitchell Interiors
  • 12 years ago
    I agree with you on the grey. The trick with the greys is to mix them with warm colours or use it sparingly and pick the right tone! The greys can be the backdrop colour and you layer it with warm colours. I have seen lovely red, yellow, orange and green used with these greys and the outcome was beautiful.
    Moxiemom thanked hnci
  • 12 years ago
    One thing I would like to add, the kitchen table is a loaner until I get the funds to buy my own. :)
  • 12 years ago
    Ultimately, I do think that if that is your taste, you can do whatever you feel comfortable with. Maybe if you think it might be perceived as dated, you could try a similar hues in a more updated tone. When we bought our house there was a paprika coloured feature wall and much as I tried, I couldn't live with it, so I painted it an earthy clay colour. It has been through a few changes since then. I am getting ready to paint it in big vertical stripes. Guess which colours?? Yep light and dark greys because I think it will go well with my turquoise chairs. See, I love colour too.
    Moxiemom thanked cloudpants
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I have some shade of gray on almost all the walls in my house but we have a lot of pretty wild art work but I did paint 1 wall in my LR purple and 1 small wall in my DR citron so I think splahes of color are good and when it gets down to it it's your home do what you love.
    Moxiemom thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • 12 years ago
    in the provincial French town where I live, it seems like most "real life" people are actually afraid to put gray on their walls, and keep going with white, beige and yellow. At least that's what I see in homes of people I know. I am not sure if this trend of grey will catch on, but this trend of yellow walls is long overdue to finally die. In 99% of cases, it's just makes a terrible wall color that makes everything look dingy
  • 12 years ago
    Any color you put on your wall from gray to grey to white to purple needs to be tested with the light that is in the room. If the color doesn't work with the light you will have some kind of ugliness. That is what makes a terrible wall color.
    Moxiemom: go to the paint store and bring home a bunch of colors. Tape them around the room and see which one "works" for you and the room. If you love it enough to deal with the hassle of painting, then do it. If nothing makes you want to upend your house for a week or two stick with what you have. And if someone says your colors are dated, don't invite them back.
  • 12 years ago
    Doublegutshot, I'm not afraid of gray, I just think it's a sad color and I don't wAnt to do it just because it's trendy if I don't like it. I like happy colors and I will stick with them. I followed the "country goose" trend when I got married 35 years ago and after that, I have refused to ever do anything just because it's the trend! I'm willing to change colors, I just want to know if our home comes across as lost in time, and I'd like suggestions of something besides gray. Thanks to all for your comments!
  • 12 years ago
    I loved those country geese. No, your colors are not outdated. Sorry if I sounded like they are.
    Moxiemom thanked mfwolfe
  • 12 years ago
    Butternut Residence · More Info


    What colours do you see in this photo? That's right - paprika & yellow (exactly what I wrote in the search box). It's the shade/tone of these that makes it look anything but dated and the surrounding furnishing colours. Also, I noticed in a lot of houzz photos, white (or indeed grey!) between the two colours (skirting boards etc) helps to harmonise for an updated look.
    Moxiemom thanked cloudpants
  • 12 years ago
    Omg. I think that room is beautiful! Thank you. That does NOT look like Ohio skies for sure!!