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Design Dilemma
tommyflan

Grey - yay or nay?

Tom Flanagan
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

The colour du jour, grey has been having a moment for a while now. From washed out shades to stone colourings, grey has proved it can be both interesting and versatile. But in this recent craze, some people are feeling a little too grey about it - is there any escape?

So decision time - which side are you on?

The Loft Shaker Kitchen by deVOL · More Info

Featured Answer
  • Emmanuelle
    8 years ago
    Yay! In all shades! It is simply a brilliant background colour which goes with so many other colours! It is soft on the eyes and induces calm... I think it is there to stay!!!

    Comments (55)

    • standroid
      8 years ago

      Bored of grey

    • headers13
      8 years ago

      Yes I love it. I think it will carry on being popular.

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    • Kerry Donnelly
      8 years ago
      I LOVE it, goes with anything, like it in every room as it makes me feel uniformed, like a uniform probably lol
    • honeypoppet
      8 years ago

      I'm a yes too! It's such a calming colour...and can be essential to creating a certain mood...cold bluey greys to warmer almost browny toned ones.. they're all SO luverly! :-)

    • Emmeline Westin
      8 years ago

      Absolutely! And I love the images Emanuelle included.

    • alant1000
      8 years ago
      Definite yay! Although it can be tricky to find a suitable shade as some are hints of blues and some are browns.
    • Kerry Donnelly
      8 years ago
      Alan try the wickes range as they seam to be true greys
    • PRO
      Amber Jeavons Ltd
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      Hello Tom,

      Yes I'm a huge fan of grey. It's not black and white-There are many shades of grey- not only 50! From painted walls, to stone, to velvet to concrete.... With earthy, inky, cloudy.... : ))

      Grey and purple...

      Grey and gold... I even prefer charcoal... but the darker the better! : ))

    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Love the image AJ, the stairs in particular!

    • PRO
      Amber Jeavons Ltd
      8 years ago

      Thank you Minnie : ) )

    • kb_55
      8 years ago
      Definitely yay!

      We've been updating our house since we moved in July and have so far paired it with purple, teal and yellow.
    • Sherbert Barnes
      8 years ago
      Absolutely love grey - in all its tones..... Loving grey with old gold at the moment!
    • User
      8 years ago

      Depends...as in all things... Whatever the colour, we need the whole spectrum. As in beautiful nature.

    • hortonhearsawho2013
      8 years ago

      Love Grey!

    • gilliifer
      8 years ago

      Not keen.

    • PRO
      Coral Interiors
      8 years ago

      I adore grey and have used it a lot in recent years. I combine it with pops of bright primary colour, jewel tones and even neon for an energising and arty feel. A paler hue works well with blush pink, pale blues, and off white for a relaxing, cocooning vibe. It works brilliantly with most metal finishes too.

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    • johunt
      8 years ago
      Yay but you can go too grey and bland. Mix up shades and textures and it's a win win
    • PRO
      MaisieMoodesign
      8 years ago
      Yay! But you have to make the correct choice of shade, especially if the room is north facing. You also have to consider lighting. If you get this wrong grey can become 'murky' :)
    • chalkandbell
      8 years ago
      It's been done to death, why would you want something everybody else has? So no, no and thrice NO!
    • Jeanne Banks
      8 years ago

      Just got a grey kitchen. Love it. Makes a nice neutral option instead of white or cream which have been done to death.

    • kilmouski
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      Yay, I love grey... but unfortunately as with any decor colour it will come to define an era, and therefore in the end become outdated!

    • nudejude
      8 years ago

      Yup! Love grey in all shades, although a whole room done in it does become a little dull, it needs to be mixed with a little colour and LOTS of texture.

    • annebarretto
      8 years ago

      french grey is my grey of choice.

    • 163 hrd
      8 years ago

      Lamp room grey for me.

    • Jeanne Banks
      8 years ago

      Tanners Brown Grey is cool http://eu.farrow-ball.com/key-colours-2015/content/fcp-content

      I got the Ikea Bodbyn Grey kitchen like in the ad

    • PRO
      Curtains & Interiors by Rae
      8 years ago
      We love grey.
      Our showroom is grey so we can change colours our displays,
    • soozmacrae
      8 years ago

      Love grey, I had it I'm my home a couple of years ago, now its everywhere!

    • silyab53
      8 years ago

      Put grey carpet everywhere 30 years ago, so like to think I was ahead of this trend back then. When they died I went taupey and cream ish, but, in my new sofa covers, the largest is orange, off white, black and GREY, the small one off white but I have a massive orange sheepskin to chuck on it. Have spare of the patterned fabric so will cover a huge 'bed in a pouffe' with that. Painting entire room and floor white as we speak, but may have picture rails in a stand out grey, or skirting boards, or both. A very large black wool rug to finish. Love grey for the myriad of other colours it goes with but have to admit to being a tad peeved that it's everywhere right now. What's next??? Maybe we'll all go green or pale blue??? Only time will tell. Interestingly, when I popped into Brewers yesterday, there were almost no grey colour cards left on the Albany paint stand - says it all really.

    • PRO
      Sebastian Grey
      8 years ago

      I hope one grey at least will be around for a very long time!!

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      Rennew Traditional Building Materials
      8 years ago

      Personally I love grey - presently in my kitchen, bathroom and about to go into the bedroom... all differing shades but we've always chosen hues which add warmth.

    • girlpenguin
      8 years ago
      I've used grey throughout the house. Went for a darker grey in the dinning room. With low lights it's very relaxing when having dinner parties. And you. An add many colours to the rooms.
    • PRO
      Emma Green Design
      8 years ago

      Grey is such a versatile, yet calming colour with great depth

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      . I love to use it to create a relaxing background and add colourful highlights with accessories, as shown here.

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    • tiredoldwoman
      8 years ago

      I'm a new comer to grey , I like it on cosy jumpers and distinguished men ! But as a wall colour thought it would be depressing , but I now love it , when mixed with different shades. I'm even thinking of changing my decor of pumpkin to greys - I've been pumpkin for 20 years !

    • Blondilox
      8 years ago
      In my opinion I don't think you can ever get bored of grey. It's so varied and versatile you can pair it with so many other colours and textures to create any mood or style you desire. The only limitations are your own imagination and creativity. I LOVE IT!
    • Tom Flanagan
      Original Author
      8 years ago

      So everyone's pretty on the fence about grey then? ;)

    • Balbir M
      8 years ago

      Yes! We have recently painted our kitchen walls a light grey and I love it!

    • PRO
      Woodys Furniture
      8 years ago

      Big yes! Pure grey in all its shades from light to charcoal or even with a hint of blue or green is just sublime. It will always look sophisticated.

    • iammozzy
      8 years ago

      Will the ubiquity of grey make it the new magnolia?

    • Shaz Horne
      8 years ago
      Grey all the way
    • PRO
      Empatika Bespoke Fitted Furniture
      8 years ago

      I love grey, but not just on it's own of course, it needs to go with other colours, white, wood, metal, and colourful colours.

    • PRO
      Old Oak Kitchens
      7 years ago

      Grey is the colour of choice for the past few years. We have used it in contemporary kitchens, and it goes so well with other colours within the room.

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      Magdalena Bak Design
      7 years ago

      Grey is my primary color to use with more vibrant colors. Its a backgroud to different colors, textures shapes and forms. The color selection depends on the atmoshere we want to achieve. Definitely yes for me but not always.

    • ianthy
      7 years ago

      Just about to complete our kitchen with white base and larder cupboards and a Moles Breath (grey) island. I have seen photos before and it should look great.

    • Sara Foster
      7 years ago
      love love love grey
    • lynnevalerie
      7 years ago

      Nope! Am with standroid and chalandbell on this one. Vanilla is my go to warmth factor and goes with everything.

    • jenniimatthews
      7 years ago
      Been using grey in my home for the last 12 years....am now totally greyed up (still love wearing it) just moved home so now going for mushroom and stone colours...
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      Equilibrando... Space Planning with Feng Shui
      7 years ago

      I love grey if its in the right place with the right light and combined with the right colours. Otherwise it may just create a boring and depressing ambient. / Marcin

    • Jonathan
      7 years ago
      Inside a house you can change the paint colour easily when trends change.
      But there is a trend for grey window frames- sometimes it sits badly on houses (particularly those with plainer fronts or dark brick) so you have to be careful. Also wood windows can be repainted but this is not so easy with UPVC and I worry that the grey plastic windows fitted today could be a desirable in the future as the previous trend for mahogany coloured windows.
    • Deb C
      7 years ago

      So what paint did you use and the name? Trying to find very light grey to go with this

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