mindful grey by SW A good example of the warm-cool balance Clark mentions appears in this boho-meets-nautical bedroom. Mindful Gray pulls together warm tans and cool blues. Interior designer Jane Haley is also a big fan of Mindful Gray. “My favorite neutral gray that still has warmth is Mindful Gray, which I have used in 25%, 50% and 100% for walls and ceilings. It also paints up beautifully in an oil-based enamel for cabinets,” she says.
Mindful Gray by Sherwin-Williams One color came up a lot when I was asking designers for their go-to light grays. “This is a warm gray that reads cooler when painted,” Clark says. “It easily balances out other warm colors in a space. For example, if you have true brown or red-yellow-brown-tone flooring, Mindful Gray is a smart tool to counter those tones.” The designer recommends balancing it with both sides of the warm-cool spectrum for the best look.
Gray Wisp by Benjamin Moore “An easy color to live with,” interior designer Jane Haley says of this hue. “It is a great color because it is neutral gray, it’s cool and it will take on greens or blues if put with those colors.” Those properties infused this South Padre Island, Texas, home with subtle coastal color.
Knitting Needles by Sherwin-Williams Mattison also finds Knitting Needles works with all sorts of colors, materials, styles and light. “This is very similar to Repose Gray but a little cooler in tone,” he says. “It’s a great neutral gray that pretty much goes with everything. It’s the little black dress of the paint world.”
Interior designer Carl Mattison specializes in taking dilapidated historic Atlanta homes and breathing new life into them. A range of warm and cool grays play a big role in his aesthetic, which appeals to many buyers. “Warm grays tend to fall on the scale of less blue and a bit more taupe at times. It also could be said they are less ‘silvery,’” the designer says. “Repose Gray is very light in person. It pairs well with brighter white trims and a buttery Chardonnay.”
Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore “Because of the fog in San Francisco, gray paint can sometimes look blue, so we need a warmer gray,” interior designer Tineke Triggs says. “This one is my go-to color.” Here it provides a great backdrop for bold colors in the painting on the wall and textiles in the room.
Accessible Beige by Sherwin-Williams Paint names can be deceiving, interior designer Greg Clark says. “This is a warmer gray, or greige,” he says. “It gives warmth to a room without being too warm, and has a great contrast with white trim. And depending on the lighting it can appear cooler.” The hue provides just the right foreground for the view of Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka outside these windows.
Graytint by Benjamin Moore Los Angeles interior designer Shannon Ggem used this almost imperceptible gray on the walls in this bathroom. “I love Graytint because it’s like that backlit gray light on an overcast day,” she says.
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