21 Gray Decorating Ideas That Are Anything But Boring
Add this versatile neutral color to your decor to add a calming touch to your home.
These inspiring interiors demonstrate gray decorating ideas, including decorating with gray as an accent color, using accessories, furniture, fabrics, and more. A mix between black and white, gray is, by definition, a neutral. But its varying shades, from light dove to dark charcoal, make gray as versatile as any color.
Related: Top 10 Expert-Recommended Gray Paint Colors, Plus How to Pick One
Gray Bedroom Decorating
When decorating with gray, a colorful mix of patterns can enliven a neutral scheme, as in this gray bedroom. An almost white shade of gray on the walls sets the tone for the accents, including the upholstered bed, coverlet, and curtains. Patterned sheets and pillows introduce pops of pink, egg-yolk yellow, and blue to add personality.
Related: Learn How to Mix Patterns
Gray Kitchen Colors
Gray decorating ideas are sophisticated and timeless, making it an excellent choice for more permanent design elements like kitchen cabinets. In gray kitchens, contrast is key to creating visual interest and dimension. Here, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, and dove gray cabinetry are cool tones, while brass and copper accents pair with honey-toned wood to warm up the palette. The mix of textures and color temperatures forms an inviting, balanced look.
Related: 15 Gray Kitchen Ideas for a Timeless Space
Gray Bathroom Decor Ideas
Subway tile walls and a gray vanity combine to create a crisp, clean aesthetic in this bathroom. Shiny brass hardware and light fixtures contrast vividly with the gray paint. Decorative mirrors with cobalt blue frames provide a fun accent color.
Related: 10 Gray Bathroom Ideas for a Serene Sanctuary
Cheerful Gray Walls
These storm-cloud gray walls don't look a bit dreary, thanks to the white moldings, chairs, and a woven shade. The cool hues are balanced with warm neutrals introduced in the wood table, cane chair, and area rug. Splashes of celadon and coral add a cheery note to the gray decorating idea in this dining room.
Contemporary Gray Decorating Idea
Pebble-gray walls keep this dining nook warm and cozy. Contemporary wood furniture, hardwood floors, and taupe tile on the bar's backsplash draw out the warm undertones of the walls for an overall gray decorating idea that's inviting, not sterile.
Decorating with Gray and Neutrals
Neutral color palettes can be just as interesting as more colorful combinations. The key is to vary shades, intensities, and textures to add depth and richness. Follow these tips on decorating with neutrals to make sure your gray color scheme doesn't fall flat.
Gray Entryway Decorating
A sunburst mirror in the entrance to this home is paired with a sleek gray console with matching gold knobs. The soft gray color of the console lets the mirror remain the focal point. Simple accessories give the entry a lived-in look without being cluttered.
Gray Bedroom Wallpaper
The woven gray wallpaper in this bedroom gives the walls a dose of texture and pattern. A fuchsia headboard, throw pillows, and comforter bring life and color to the room in a subtle, reserved manner. The gray striped area rug adds another layer of pattern to the room, contributing to the dynamic look.
Related: The 10 Best Wallpapers of 2023 to Add Visual Flair to Any Room, According to Our Testing
Dark Gray Decorating Ideas for Walls
Decorative moldings on these charcoal gray walls add an architectural element to the dining room. The tone-on-tone approach ensures the effect isn't overbearing. A rustic dining table makes the room feel less formal and more relaxed. The chandelier and oval-back chairs add an elegant touch, while the white ceiling creates light within the space, so it doesn't feel too dark.
Decorating with a Gray Sofa
Light gray walls in this living room help balance the bright palette of pink and blue throughout. The couch is much darker than the walls, so it stands out. Accent chairs and accessories continue the color scheme throughout the space.
Serene Gray Bedroom
To achieve a soothing, relaxed look, opt for a brown-tinged shade of gray. The walls and ceiling of this bedroom are painted in gray with a hint of beige. The undertone softens the gray, and the hue almost perfectly matches the linen headboard. Use crisp white linens and just a sprinkling of colorful accents to keep the hue from looking dingy.
Striped Gray Walls
Dress up a room with gray stripes for a fresh, energized look. For a more graphic paint treatment, use hues with a stronger contrast, such as a medium gray and pure white. The color in this family room comes from the children's artwork and bright pillows in orange and citron, which lend a modern look to neutrals like gray.
Related: How to Create a Striped-Wall Paint Design that Looks Classic and Crisp
Mix-and-Match Gray Decor
Blending styles is one way to bring visual interest to a room when using a neutral color palette. Texture also plays a key role in the success of a neutral scheme. In this dining room, an X-base farmhouse-style table is paired with casual white director's chairs. Glossy floors and a sculptural light fixture offer a more contemporary look.
Although the gray walls have cooler undertones, the abundance of natural light ensures the room doesn't feel dreary, and the pink sofa adds a splash of personality and color.
Natural Gray Color Scheme
A barely-gray wall is the perfect backdrop for these waterfowl drawings. While a more dramatic hue might have added dimension, the gray background gently blends with the art for a museum-like display. For continuity, the soft gray repeats through the space on the chair, lamp, and even on the blonde wood flooring, which has a gray wash. Touches of black on the dresser, in a few drawings, and the chair's stripe ground the space.
Related: 8 Designer-Approved Ways to Decorate with Black
Gray Tile Backsplash
Gray is the perfect bridge between black and white and can be used to soften the high contrast. In this kitchen, a dark gray backsplash in variegated tones stands in the middle ground between the black soapstone countertops and white cabinetry. Crystal knobs and stainless steel drawer pulls add a hint of sparkle and glitz.
Gray and White Kitchen
Break up large expanses of white with gray to create visual interest while maintaining a clean, neutral aesthetic. In this kitchen, a white island would have been lost against the white cabinetry and moldings. A medium-tone gray provides the right amount of contrast, and the gray paint pairs beautifully with dark hardwood floors.
Luxurious Gray Bathroom
The highlight of this bathroom is the glittering gray tile. Varying sizes of tiles are used to create a dynamic, flowing look. The purple-gray wall picks up slight lavender tones in the tiles behind the sink.
Neutral Gray Palette
A subdued palette of neutrals keeps this primary bedroom peaceful. Barely-there gray covers the walls, while stone gray adds depth to the headboard treatments and bed upholstery. A small-scale desk serves as a nightstand for the shared space. Warm hues come from the orange rattan stool, small bedside bench, and desktop flowers.
Related: All White Bedding Is Out—Here’s How to Create a Dreamy Colorful Bedscape
Gray Living Room Ideas
Grass-cloth walls bring a natural element into this living room, but the gray undertones in the paper up the sophistication factor. The multitone walls pair well with the dark gray couch and patterned chairs for chic gray decorating ideas. Lemon yellow and Kelly green accents are reminiscent of a garden, bringing life and energy into the room.
Charcoal Gray Bedroom
This gray bedroom shows how different shades can create a soothing, sophisticated space. The barely-there gray bedding, paired with charcoal and pale yellow accent pillows, feels updated. The yellow is picked up again in the patterned footstools and accessories on the side tables. A reflective sheen gives life to dark gray walls.
Dark Gray Living Room Walls
The dark gray decoratin idea adds drama to this living room. Inspired by the bark of the dense trees surrounding the home, the color on the walls makes the wood side table and picture frames stand out. Other elements, such as the metallic garden stool and ottoman, bring out the walls' cool undertones. Thanks to the versatile paint hue, this room is a mixture of styles that all work together.
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