HELP! 50 shades of gray paint dilemma!

12 years ago

We are refinishing our basement family room. I used the attached photo for inspiration. Stone is Cronin desert gold, same as the inspiration room. White base cabinets and white countertops will fill both sides. Still debating whether or not to do shelves. The walls are Kwall Howell Baby's Breath, kind of an antique white. I don't want to go quite as dark as the inspiration room because it's a dark basement with one deep, ugly window. We are also replacing the fluorescent lights!

I know the mantel is large. Please do not suggest changing it. My hubby built it and I already got him to cut it down by about 1/4th! At great risk to my 35 year marriage.

The dilemma is this,: what would be a good shade of gray for the walls next to the fireplace? The inspiration room has BM Cinder, which looks much darker in my basement. (See samples). The blue background was a failed color mixing experiment. I don't want wedgewood blue! I want gray-gray. There are a million shades of gray!

I also need to get flooring installed. Need to go inexpensive... Thinking a goldish tan Berber or a lighter laminate. Upstairs has espresso stained wide plank hardwood.

Featured Answer

decoenthusiaste

12 years ago

Without white surrounding the samples you're getting distortion of the colors. Plus you need to be able to move them around the room to see how different light makes them look.

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Comments (40)

mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Here's the inspiration room....
Fireplace · More Info
lefty47
12 years ago
HI -- Love where your going with this room . Try "Ashmead grey " DC-08 by BM . For the flooring look into - vinyl planks in a weathered grey . Looks like wood but is perfect for basements . Then you could have an area rug or Flor carpet tiles --- they are wonderful.
mick50 thanked lefty47
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mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Is ashmead gray similar to revere pewter? (On labeled pic, it's the second swatch from top, left of stone.) On my screen it appears to be a fairly light tannish gray. That would probably blend well with the other walls and the stone, but not offer much contrast. I was thinking a bit darker gray to add some contrast.
Nancy Travisinteriors
12 years ago
Take a gray from firepl. Benjamin Moore has nice ones. Only way to tell in yr light put it on your wall first. Go a gray laminate on Floors wide plank.
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mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, Nancy. Good advice. As you can see from the third picture, I've been trying samples next to the fireplace, but everything seems too blue or tan. There are so many different grays in the stone...finding the "right" one is the trick. I haven't found it yet! I could follow my husband's advice--"just get plain gray." Lol.
Melissa Freeman
12 years ago
I like the one on the very far right underneath the light switch.
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MarleneM
12 years ago
It might be the existing blue wall is throwing off some of the colour choices, making some of the greys look more blue/grey. I agree on grey laminate for floor.
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mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Yes, it would probably help to prime it all white again and paint poster boards to hold up next to the stone.
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JudyG Designs
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Try BM Sweet innocence and have you considered a lighter, grayed tone in a laminate?

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Linya, Inc.
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Maybe the blue cast in your paint is also caused by the lighting you have right now. With a dark basement like this, the light source is going to affect the color a lot.
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libradesigneye
12 years ago
True grays always read blue. The inspiration room had a blue sofa so they were trying to repeat that and help tie it in. For you, I LOVE JudyG's idea about a laminate or vinyl in a driftwood tone - you would add / retain a lot of light that way. If you consider it, wait until you get the floor picked out to decide - make sure it references that . .tone / works well with what you select.
I'm seeing some warm grays in that stone, so if it were my wall, I would test bm gray horse . . http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/grayhorse
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mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
The gray walls in the inspiration room are Benjamin Moore Cinder, which is the darkest charcoal paint splotch on my sample wall. Their sectional is Macy's Elliot in a dark gray, not blue. But you are so correct... it all definitely reads blue! Here's my concern with gray flooring... If I get a gray sofa and have gray accent walls, won't gray floors be too much gray? I could do a goldish taupe microfiber or brown leather sectional. But you are also correct in that it will be easier to match paint to flooring than the other way around!
Melissa E
12 years ago
In the first picture, I like the third one from the top....it doesn't seem to have a name but I think it is a lovely warm grey.
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tialoco
12 years ago
We used BM Stonington Gray in the hallway/stairway in both our homes since it is a grey gray. Coventry Gray is the next darker. We used that in the living room for a grey neutral backdrop for our bright decorative elements.
mick50 thanked tialoco
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
howellmsue - Do you mean the one that is just left of the mantel? It is in a shadow, so it's hard to see, but it is Sculpting Clay, same as the one labeled in the pic with post-its. Left side of fireplace, 4 labeled colors in a row, last one on the right. You're the second one to vote for it and I believe it is very similar to the one on the stairway posted by tialoco.
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Tialoco-- (crazy aunt? - haha!) I'm liking that Stonington Gray. I'm going to look that one up!
PRO
Linya, Inc.
12 years ago
Actually if I were to vote, I like the dark color of the cinder:)) I always love deep colors in darker spaces. Since it's already small, deep colors just make it warmer. That's just me though.
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mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
I think the reason Cinder works so well in the inspiration room is because it just acts as a backdrop for the beautiful stone and white woodwork. Makes everything else just pop out. So maybe I should try it.
Rambling Rach
12 years ago
I also like the cinder. Pick in a gray is so difficult! We recently used BM Pashmina which no one ever talks about. It is a nice gray that is slightly greige. Might look nice with your fireplace since there is some warmth to your stone. Good luck!
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samsamyd
12 years ago
If a basement, the 'whale gray' from BM is probably too dark, but it worked well for me. But I have a lot of natural light in this room. It does sort of change depending upon how the light is, and I like that. subtle blue undertone in darker areas. would certainly set off the fireplace brick -- it's a bout a 50-50 between white and black - so good for other colors
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Nancy Kempf Fine Art
12 years ago
If you are going with a goldish Berber rug then you should make sure your gray has yellow in it. I'm an artist and I'm familiar with colors. If you choose a gray that is made from purple and yellow, then your walls will compliment your rug. You're right! There are so many grays! Good luck!
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JudyG Designs
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
No, I don't think it would be too much gray. Let's say the floors and the walls are the same tone and the sofa is darker. Add great throw pillows which incorporate all the colors from the Cronin gold...I think it would look beautiful.

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inkwitch
12 years ago
Gray that has a blue tone is not going to mesh with the stone, which is lovely (sympathies on the mantel, but it is well-done and makes a statement). In your 3rd photo, I like the last 2 of the four colors in the middle of the photo, or the 3rd down beside the stone -- a more taupey, less gray tone will flow with the stone. It's unclear if you're painting the entire basement room (I haven't read all the posts) this color, or just this wall. Good luck!
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mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
No, the rest of the basement is Kwall Howell Baby's Breath, which you can barely see on the far right. Looks like a very pale version of Revere Pewter.
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
You can see the off-white wall color and one little window in this picture. Colors vary from pic to pic because of the harsh fluorescent lights, which will get replaced eventually. Project #432 on hubby's to-do list!
Gail Lester
12 years ago
My painter wanted to use Dunn Edwards paint. Went there, picking a gray paint was difficult. With their professional help...went with Gray Pearl. It was perfect and we love it in our living room
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Wait. That picture doesn't help. Here's another couple...
User
12 years ago
Grays are depressing and dull. Go off white slightly natural beige to bring out the browns. But keep it light and cheerful, yet warm and welcoming.. furniture and accessories can add splashes of color and can be changed seasonally to match your mood or going trend?
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inkwitch
12 years ago
If you're sticking with the "tan" for all the other walls, a blue-gray will not flow, especially seeing the FP stone. You may like gray and really want to use it somewhere, but a less blue-gray tone will work better.
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PRO
The Feathered Nest Ltd.
12 years ago
Right now, my favorite grays: Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore), and Pavillion Gray (Farrow and Ball)
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Gail Lester
12 years ago
Beige is boring. Stick with a TRUE gray. Go to the color samples, blues will be one end, greens on the other. From there go to the middle colors and you will end up in the gray.
mick50 thanked Gail Lester
decoenthusiaste
12 years ago
Consider going greige - not beige/not gray but might work really well with the FP.
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/going-greige-tips-for-choosing-this-all-around-neutral-stsetivw-vs~577375
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flyr4fun
12 years ago
I was going to suggest the same thing about painting over your samples with the white and painting sample boards, one separate for each color and tacking them up one at a time. It does make a difference. Good luck & patience! You'll find it.
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Gail Lester
12 years ago
Greige is beautiful. I wonder if they are afraid of color because it is a basement
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
decoenthusiaste -- thanks for the Going Greige Ideabook. That was very helpful. I read the one on picking grays, too. I do believe my Baby's Breath (rest of the walls) is a very pale greige. When I put Revere Pewter, which is a classic greige, next to it, the baby's breath looks like a lighter version of that color. However, I am reluctant to put Revere Pewter as the accent around the stone. Seems like it would be blah. I want contrast.
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
The basement is already very dark. It only has a few small windows and a low ceiling. Yes, I am reluctant to use a darker color overall. Plus, I just painted the entire basement in Baby's Breath! I would consider changing it if I weren't outside painting the new Hardie plank siding! ugh. I WILL paint the sides of the fireplace downstairs back to white because the bad blue is throwing everything off. When I get a chance, I'll pick up some foam core and paint big sample boards.
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for everyone's help. I really appreciate it.
mick50
Original Author
12 years ago
Samsamyd -- I really like your Whale Gray with the color of your wood dining set and floors, which is similar to the stone on my fireplace. Absolutely beautiful. I'll pick up a sample.
User
10 years ago
I haven't read the above comments, but your fireplace mantle is too strong a white. Also, I would recommend that you take in a brick from your fireplace to the paint store. Choose the brick color you think you'd like to duplicate in paint, a color you'd like to see more of.