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Gray, Grey or Greige {Finding the Perfect Gray}

perfect_gray_grey_greige_colors

Work is progressing in the kitchen and I finished painting the upper portion of the wall a very light greige (a cross between beige and gray.)

aesthetic_white_upper

Light Greige
Our Kitchen Command Center – Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White

With the abundance of light colors in the kitchen, I was craving a little dark paint for some drama. A small accent wall near the mudroom and pantry seemed like the perfect spot. I knew I wanted a chalkboard wall, but my sister (my interior design consultant) worried that black might be too dark. I filed her feedback in the back of my head as I headed to Lowe’s to buy primer. The paint gal tinted my primer with black to achieve a 50% shade of gray. (It is easier to paint dark colors if your primer isn’t a stark white.)

After applying the primer, I thought, “Hmmm, I kind of like this.” But decided to sleep on it. In the morning, that wall had a message for me:

gray_primer

The gray primer was a bit too blah for me. Simple black and white is like vanilla when there are more flavors of gray that have color undertones:

PHGbistrotable

Warm Greige
Our Home Office – Benjamin Moore Hot Spring Stones

 

 Light Greige
Decor Chick’s Living Room – Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige

 

Bonus_room_Revere_pewter

Light Greige
Our Bonus Room – Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (at 75% strength)

 

Young House Love's Living Room

Light Gray
Young House Love’s Living Room – Benjamin Moore Moonshine

 

Centsational_Girl_master_bedroom

Light Blue/Green Gray
Centsational Girl’s Master Bedroom – Custom Color mix of ½ Benjamin Moore ‘Camouflage’ and ½ Benjamin Moore ‘Misted Green’

 

Olive Gray
Abby’s Kitchen via Two Story Cottage – Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray

 

Greenish Gray
Our Humble Abode  Master Bedroom – Restoration Hardware Bay Laurel

 

Light Blue/Green Gray
Sand & Sisal’s Kitchen/Family Room – Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray

 



Blue Gray

Traditional Kids by Kansas City Interior Designer McCroskey Interiors – Benjamin Moore James River Gray

 

Light Blue Gray
Bits of Splendor – Glidden Quiet Rain

Which gray did I end up using? Chalkboard gray! The color of a black chalkboard after it has been perfectly seasoned

chalkboard_wall

It may not have any colored undertones, but I really like the texture and movement in the eraser marks. Plus, I can achieve a lighter gray by wiping more chalk dust on it.

Now, if you are looking for the perfect white, The Shabby Creek Cottage has you covered!

Do you have a perfect gray, grey or greige? I’m always looking for more “perfect” grays (and less gray hairs.) Have a great weekend! I’m in the final push to get the kitchen painted and install the flooring by the middle of next week. I either need a lot of good luck wishes or more caffeine.

PHGFancySign

 

Want more tips on how to pick the perfect color for your room? Read: Isn’t it Amazing What a Little Paint Can Do

26 replies
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  1. Jessica Gremillion
    Jessica Gremillion says:

    You have a beautiful home! On the command center pic, you mention that one of the colors is Aesthetic White. We recently picked this as our whole-house wall color and I’m worried it will be too light. Is the Aesthetic White the beadboard color or the darker color on the top?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Donna
    Donna says:

    So on the way to red, I painted the upper port of my dining room with my fave gray primer, Kilz tinted black (leaving it a medium gray, because they can only put two ounces of tint in). My husband saw the room with the blue-gray wall above the creamy beadboard wainscotting and was like, “I like THAT!” Realizing that a, we only have a bit of light and needed a warmer gray and b), the Jerusalem Gray floor would look nicer with a warmer gray, I washed on a 50/50 mix of the gray Kilz primer and BM Cotswold, a nice beige, with plenty of water. Warmed it up GORGEOUSLY to a beautiful greige / green-gray! It’s warm and fashionable, yet not just blah “beige”. Sometimes the best gray is a combination!

    Reply

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