Before I jump right in and share my top nine gray paint picks for your home, I first want to thank Gina for having me today! It is such a treat to be here! I also want to introduce myself–my name is Annie Thompson and blog over at All Things Big and Small, where I share budget friendly DIYs and decorating tips for busy families. My family moved into our 1980s builder grade home just about two years ago and ever since have been DIYing it to make it our dream, home all while raising our kids under three years. For new homeowners who want big style on a small budget, the first thing I always recommend is PAINT IT! Paint packs a huge punch for a nominal amount of money! And, as much as some people like bold colors–myself included, I always recommend neutral wall colors! We use light grays throughout our house to give it a spacious airy feeling.
THE BEST GRAY PAINT COLORS FOR YOUR HOME:
Benjamin Moore November Rain is a really nice gray paint color that is warm and plays well with wood tones. We had a lot of original wood trim in our old 1920s craftsman bungalow in our first home, and November Rain went really nicely with the warm cherry wood. Fun fact–our first apartment was only 750 sq. ft. and we lived there for 4.5 years with our two Great Danes and a baby!
Benjamin Moore Classic Gray is another winner in my book. We have it in our current house’s entry and will paint it throughout the entire second floor hallway as well! It is a gray that you can’t go wrong with. It isn’t too bluish or too beige!
In the adjoining living room and dining room, we used Benjamin Moore’s Balboa Mist because it is so sunny in those rooms, we needed something with a little bit more gray so it wasn’t too washed out. This is another one of my favorites, and we will likely be painting our master bedroom the same color this winter! It goes very nicely with Benjamin Moore’s Simply White which is found on all of our white trim (that I painted–read more here: The Ultimate Guide to Painting Wood Trim Without Sanding.)
And next we have one of the best and warmest deep grays. If you want a warm deep gray color for your room, and add some drama and depth–paint it Chelsea Gray! We used in our old apartment’s kitchen and in our current house’s kitchen island. It is warm, plays well with both brown, gray, and wood tones and is a classic!
If you are still stumped on picking on paint colors, read How to Pick Paint Colors For Your Home in 5 Easy Steps and download my free Designer’s Guide to Paint: Everything You Need to Know to Paint Your Home.
Thank you again Gina for having me!
I am renting a basement apartment painted an ugly gray color. I have one full can of paint left.
After seeing the grays you displayed, I’m going back to the paint shop to ask if they can lighten or make darker the “ugly paint color” I now have Dulux Fossil Grey. Thank
Good luck Denise, I’m sure they can help you make it prettier 🙂
Hi Gina,
I have been voting for you every day in the La-Z-Boy contest, I hope you win!
I have been looking at paint colors for a couple of years for our home and I need your expertise. 🙂
I have a fireplace with brick to the ceiling, on the left is a large window and on the right just a wall where a rustic armoire will be. On the wall directly opposite of the fireplace I want to paint it super dark where I will hang artwork and a light wooden antique piece will go in front of that wall. The ceiling is beamed and I plan on painting the spaces in between the beams Designer White. One wall of this room has three almost floor to ceiling windows, so there is plenty of light. The flooring we’re having put in is wide-planked and medium brown. I would like to stay in the greige range, do you have any paint color suggestions?
Thank you,
Lisa