The gray color in the interior can cause different emotions: some consider it calm and neutral, others consider it practical and comfortable, and others consider it gloomy and dull. Well-chosen finishing materials and furniture will make the atmosphere in a gray scale comfortable and peaceful, and the right decor and good lighting will emphasize the individual character of the room.
The advantage of gray
The main advantage of gray in the interior is its perfect neutrality. Against such a background, muted tones and bright accents look beautiful. Dark gray color perfectly harmonizes with large, heavy objects, and light - with thin, translucent fabrics, metal decor and accessories, openwork patterns. Regardless of the style chosen, the gray range will always be appropriate and organically fit into the decor of any room. This color has a fairly strong psychological effect: it relaxes, helps to concentrate and does not distract from important matters.
Grayscale
The gray palette is surprisingly diverse. Before you go to the store of finishing materials, you should carefully study the options for tones, as the right option will improve the perception of the interior, and a bad choice will make the room cold, boring and uncomfortable. There are such shades of gray:
- steel;
- silver;
- pearl;
- gray-blue color;
- gray green;
- taupe;
- graphite;
- smoky;
- carbonic;
- French;
- gainsborough;
- zircon.
A wide range of shades of gray allows you to create classic and trendy interiors. This color is able to adopt and reflect other tones, forming an optical illusion: a clear gray seems gray or dusty pink when the corresponding pair is in the vicinity.
To create volume and depth, you need to use several shades at the same time. The combination of dark and light halftones gives a sense of integrity, as if the interior details interact with each other, gently flowing one into another. Thanks to contrasting combinations, such as steel and pearl, small architectural defects can be corrected. A narrow room will appear visually more spacious if the short walls are covered with dark paint, and the long ones are lighter. In addition to the main goal, a graphite wall will be an excellent backdrop for light furniture sets.
Gray background for bright accents
Vivid color combinations and rich tones can bring disharmony and make the interior overly colorful. However, juicy strawberry red, raspberry, lime, burgundy, orange, royal blue and other bold shades will look beautiful against the correct background. The combination of gray allows you to select the desired item, for example the one that you like best. A neutral palette for walls, flooring, carpets and textile details will soften the energetic range of bright colors. Shades of gray neutralize the screaming saturation of rich tones, balance them, do not allow them to stand out aggressively.
"Male" interior
If you believe the stereotypes, the classic design of the men's home is based on dark and restrained shades. Modern fashion is not so categorical, and many bachelors choose a more cheerful and varied setting. However, the gray color is still relevant, emphasizes rigor, durability and independence. Men choose a gray scale for the design of home offices, bedrooms and living rooms, dilute it with elements of blue, brown, burgundy.
The combination with pastel colors
Light shades are more adaptive than dark, they can harmoniously combine with pastel colors. As a result, the situation takes on depth. In the bedroom, combinations with blue, lilac, peach, cream are appropriate, in the living room with pale yellow, gray or mint. The combination of gray and pastel looks elegant and calm, contributing to a relaxed conversation. In the kitchen, light gray is best combined with white, creamy, light green, apricot.
Gray in combination with wood
Gray color refers to the cold spectrum, so in the interior you need to combine it with natural warm shades. The natural colors of the tree, both light and dark, perfectly complement and enliven the monochrome setting. Even if the room from the floor to the ceiling is decorated in ash tones, it will not look boring and gloomy in the company of beautiful wooden furniture. At least one element of natural wood should be added to each functional area of the room: place a cabinet made of beech, aspen, walnut or oak along the gray wall, put a wooden table in the kitchen, and set a coffee table between the armchairs. You can complement the interior with indoor plants to emphasize and enhance the natural motive. An interior designed in this way will instantly change, and the atmosphere will become warmer.
Interior decoration in different styles
Choosing the style of the interior, one should take into account not only the color scheme, but also the architecture of the room. In a spacious room, you can use darker colors and bright accents, and a room with a modest size will look better if you dress it in bright halftones. Massive or catchy pieces of furniture are recommended to be combined with a calm finish of the rest of the interior. If the room has large windows and the amount of daylight is above average, you can use a larger number of dark colors, however, it is important to ensure sufficient lighting in the twilight hours.
In an eclectic interior, both vintage furniture and high-tech devices will be appropriate, and bright colors are in perfect harmony with pastel ones. For example, a sofa upholstered in patterned fabric will look beautiful against the background of gray walls with classic moldings. For fans of the classics in their pure form, a more calm, neutral range, without protruding motives. In this case, the walls and furniture can be gray-blue, and the floor should be faced with natural wood. For the upholstery of sofas, light halftones should be chosen, and cabinets, chests of drawers, tables, consoles can be as dark as possible.
A creative atmosphere with elements of pathos and pretentiousness will help to embody the chic art deco style. In this case, gray shades can be used on any surfaces and materials, but must certainly be complemented by bright accents and shiny metallic decor. A more practical, democratic and restrained style is contemporary. The palette is dominated by neutral colors, against which bright details stand out. It is recommended to use a slate-gray shade for the floor, window and doorways, and make the furniture lighter: pearl, smoky, gray-brown.
Minimalism style and gray color are as if created by each other. Here the main role is played by simplicity, functionality and practicality, so the gray scale of all shades will be completely appropriate. Any surfaces and furniture can be gray.
Gray color in the living room interior
Solid gray in the living room looks dull and can only be used in spacious rooms with plenty of light. In small rooms it is necessary to use several shades of this gamut and be sure to dilute the decor with light, dark and bright contrasts. To choose the right tone for decorating walls, floors and ceilings, you need to honestly evaluate the room: in a bright living room you can confine yourself to only gray, in a room with small windows and poor lighting, use some additional pastel colors.
The basic rules are simple: walls should be lighter than the floor and darker than the ceiling, gray furniture must choose a darker shade than the walls, but lighter than the floor. Deviations from the rules are allowed, but this should be done carefully, in which case it is advisable to consult a professional designer.
It is advisable to immediately abandon the light gray floor, since this coating causes a feeling of emptiness underfoot, and in a room the color of fog, this feeling will become especially strong. A dark gray ceiling makes the room cramped. An important role is played by bright, colored accessories, but they should definitely be properly illuminated. A noble and calm gray background favorably shades art objects and creative furniture.
Gray bedroom
In the interior of the bedroom, gray is rarely used, and this is an unfortunate omission. Ash gamut of shades is the most calm and neutral base, against which absolutely any colors harmoniously look. The monochrome room looks static, it seems flat and solidified, so gray should be complemented with other colors. Accents of blue and green will give the interior freshness and lightness. To get a warmer and more cheerful atmosphere, gray must be combined with blue and coral. The mix of gray and black looks elegant and noble, but in this case several colors should be used, for example, ash, pearl, silver and steel. Light gray curtains will harmoniously look in such an interior. Also go well gray with brown, blue, burgundy, violet. Such ensembles are perfect for the bedroom.
Gray kitchen interior
The kitchen in gray is the choice of practical owners. Such furniture does not bother, it easily adapts to the mood of the owners and can be transformed in just a minute: colored curtains, a tablecloth and dishes make the interior almost unrecognizable and each time new. If you chose gray facades, wood or its imitation is suitable for finishing the floor: this will make the situation warmer. Combinations with white are characteristic of classic stylistic trends, such an interior looks very elegant, noble and solid.
In its pure form, gray belongs to the cold gamut, and only gray-beige shade can be considered warm. The kitchen in gray is perceived as cold, so the interior needs additional tones from a warm palette or high-quality lighting in soft yellow. It will help to correct the situation if you suddenly choose the facade colors too dark.
Proper lighting
High-quality light is a prerequisite for the interior in gray. In this case, it is impossible to confine oneself only to a ceiling chandelier; it is necessary to install several additional light sources: floor lamps, sconces, table lamps, decorative lamps, spotlights. Artificial lighting in a gray room should be quite intense, and the light itself should have a warm, yellow halftone.
At first glance, the gray color seems unremarkable and boring, but upon closer examination it demonstrates the many faces: nobleness and sophistication combined with practicality. This color is fraught with an incomprehensible secret and looks completely new, being next to various shades. This chameleon color will be an excellent backdrop for your favorite accessories and will make the room’s interior stylish, calm, balanced.