This post will help you decide on the perfect gray paint color. Continue reading to see real-life examples to help with your next painting project.
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Why is gray such a popular neutral paint color?
Gray is a fabulous neutral color that can come in so many different versions. You can have a more cool gray (say blueish gray) or a more warm greige. Gray is as neutral as white but definitely adds more richness to a space. Not to mention, gray will stay cleaner looking than all those white rooms you see (hmm….kids I am talking you with your dirty hands).
What is greige?
Greige is a term used to describe a beige + gray. Some of the most popular greige colors are SW Accessible Beige (don’t worry it is not your 90’s beige), SW Wordly Gray and Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172.
Is grey paint going out of style?
Ten years ago everyone would have said gray is the new beige. Remember all the oak and beige colors. However, we don’t think gray paint will age as beige did due to the fact that there are so many different versions, tones and shades of gray paint available. Even if all the choices can make it hard to find the perfect gray paint for you.
What colors look best with gray painted walls?
We love added bright and bold colors to complement gray. Or light and neutral white accessories and decor can add a clean and crisp feel. The fun part about gray painted walls is that you can make the color scheme work for whatever you want.
Do you want to use a natural color that is not gray? Check out our favorite non-gray neutral paint color.
Gray Paint Ideas
From nurseries to bathrooms to living rooms, gray paint on your walls can honestly work anywhere. Nothing freshens up a room more than a fresh coat of paint. Here are some of our favorite DIY painting projects that might have you thinking you want to use more than just gray on your walls.
Best Gray Sherwin Williams Paint Colors
- SW 7929 Agreeable Gray
- SW 7015 Agreeable Gray
- SW 7015 Repose Gray
- SW 6169 Sedate Gray
- SW Worldly Gray
- SW 7016 Mindful Gray
- SW 6001 Grayish (see our real-life Grayish examples and photos)
- SW 9167 Polished Concrete
- SW 6170 Techno Gray
We don’t hide that we are Sherwin Williams paint people. From painting backsplashes to painting cabinets, we always trust the quality of the paints they provide.
Tips For Picking Grays
Remember that paint colors can always look different in your own environment due to lighting and other home decor colors surrounding the area. If you are having trouble deciding on colors to go with sometimes a larger paint sample can help you. We have used Samplize to help with this when deciding on a kitchen island cabinet color.
We wrote a whole Samplize review about how that process went for us. Also, note that when I link the color choices I will be sending you to the sample site to see the specific color larger on your screen.
You may also be able to get your own peel and stick larger samples from Sherwin Williams. We don’t have personal experience using them yet!
Most Common SW Grays
- SW 7029 Agreeable Gray: This paint color almost has a cult-like following. People love that this color is not as cool as other grays and seems to match all home decor styles. Not to mention it is light enough to still make a room feel larger.
- SW 7015 Repose Gray: This is a great neutral gray that leans towards the warm side of things but can have purple and even green undertones. I know sounds kind of confusing, but this is why people swear by this color in order to match all styles and colors in your home decor.
- SW 6169 Sedate Gray: A light paint that is a great neutral backdrop. Be aware that some people say it can look more beige with limited natural light, but is an awesome light gray color for brighter rooms. Even in the chart above, notice the green undertones compared to some of the other more brown-based gray colors.
- SW 7043 Worldly Gray: Another greige color like Agreeable Gray but doesn’t seem as beige. Therefore a little more on the cooler side, but is light enough to still brighten a room that may not even get that much natural light.
- SW 7016 Mindful Gray: Is on the same patch swatch as Repose Gray and Dorian Gray. It is a pretty medium-toned neutral color. Some people will say it can look warmer depending on your lighting and home decor. In the list and image below you will see a darker door painted in SW 7048 Urbane Bronze shows a darker color that can complement this more medium-toned gray color.
Read More>>>Best White Paint Colors For Kitchen Cabinets
3 More Uncommon Sherwin Williams Gray Paints
You have all seen the lists that include Agreeable Gray, Repose Gray, etc, but there are a few grays we have added to our home. We have used Grayish, Techno Gray, and Polished Concrete in our house several times. Why? We like to go to the paint store and get samples to compare our color schemes.
- Grayish SW 6001: is definitely a cooler gray with almost purple undertones. However, it is light enough to paint a bathroom and still adds a pop of color to our large basement. In our home, we tend to lean more toward cool colors (hello green cabinets) and this color just seemed to be a great, fun neutral paint for us. In the image above you can see that this color really does not have the same brown undertones that a lot of Sherwin Williams’ most popular gray paints have.
- Polished Concrete SW 9167: is what we used in our herringbone accent wall basement. It is one of the darker colors we have used. If I were to describe this paint, I would say a “gray’s gray”. It is a great modern color that works well with the warmer and darker wood tones we have. It also is a great contrast to the beige that was already painted in that bathroom.
- Techno Gray SW 6170: In our bedroom, we do have warmer tones and this gray color works well. I like the contrast of a medium gray color against the walnut-colored woods and beige comforter.
Painted Gray Room Ideas
Now that we have covered all the Sherwin Williams gray paints that are most popular, here are some real-life rooms using Sherwin Williams gray paint and other brands as well.
DIY Gray Paint Ideas
We have all seen those staged interior design photos where you wonder what would that paint color look like in my real home. Well here are some of the best gray paint ideas you could use to help modernize your real-life home.
Ammonite: An Understated Gray Color
We love the comfy and cozy look of this room using Farrow and Ball's Ammonite paint color. This gray color is not too warm or cool and looks amazing and fresh with those white accents.
Nimbus by Ben Moore With Cool Bubble Chandelier
This gray paint and funky decor sure go hand and hand. Check out this bubble chandelier and Nimbus color paint. This foyer is truly proof that grays can be fun and exciting.
Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams
Repose Gray is one of the most popular grays out there. It definitely can work for a farmhouse with a completely modern look. It is a pretty neutral gray going towards the greige side of things (but nearly as far as on the most popular greiges by Sherwin Williams).
Behr Light French Gray
This Behr paint color is very clean and classic for this nursery design. We love the classic look of this design as it is or we think any accent color would work to complement this room.
Polished Concrete Accent Wall
This bathroom received an upgrade by creating a fun-painted herringbone pattern using SW Polished Concrete. One of the best things about this cheap bathroom makeover is that we had a lot of leftover paint to use on other projects!
SW 9167 Polished Concrete In Closet
If you are looking for a simple way to create a fun closet, consider painting the inside gray. Honestly, we painted the inside because there was leftover paint (see previous gray paint idea). However, we love the dark gray closet walls with clean white shelving.
Behr Planetary Silver with Navy & Orange
The combination of gray (this color by Behr), orange and navy really work in this DIY nursery. The gray-painted walls are light enough to go with almost any accent colors or your choice.
Mindful Gray Painted Cabinets
We are always a fan of painting cabinetry if you like your layout and they are in decent shape. Mindful Gray was a great color choice to add a little depth to the cabinets while keeping the walls closer to white.
Mindful Gray SW 7016
Here you can see one of Sherwin Williams' most popular colors, Mindful Gray on the walls with white trim and a dark door. Depending on how natural light your room gets, will depend on how dark the gray tone appears.
DIY Ombre Hexagon Wall
If you are looking to get creative with different gray paints and colors we have the painted accent wall for you. This hexagon wall was created using a variety of gray and pink paints. Some of the tones were created by mixing paints from the same swatch with the base wall color to get all the different tones.
Grayish (SW 6001) Painted Basement Walls
We are shocked that don't hear about Sherwin Williams' color Grayish more often. We absolutely love the soft gray vibes it adds to any space. It has a cooler tone to it. I guess some people prefer a more greige tone. This basement got a little color but still looks great with the oak trim and white doors.
Ombré Gray Painted Decor Items
If you don't want to paint the whole room, consider painting one piece of furniture gray or in this case ombré gray. This is such a fun dresser yet neutral dresser for a baby nursery.
Sherwin Williams Grayish With Blue-Gray Vanity
This bathroom got a budget-friendly makeover by painting the walls with SW Grayish and the bathroom vanity with Behr Charcoal Blue. It is amazing how a little paint and accessories can completely modernize a space.
Grant Gray by Behr
Some people say that Grant Gay is the perfect gray without undertones either way. You can see how nice the white molding looks in contrast to this color.
Follow us on Pinterest, Youtube or Facebook for more DIY inspiration!
The most important part about picking a paint color is that you like it. Check out a time we took a chance with a more blue-gray color on our oak banister. We love using gray paint and adding pops of colors to our home decor.