When I was a teenager, my mom painted the walls in the living and dining rooms gray. It was something like this color ~ Stormy Gray from Benjamin Moore.....
It is actually a nice color but to a teenager, whose years are stormy anyway, I didn't need to be reminded daily. It was very tastefully done as my mom is a wonderful interior decorator. She paired the gray with lovely ivory upholstered furniture and wonderful art. Still, it was dark gray to me. I shied away from gray for years until recently. I designed a beautiful dining room, living room, and office (still a work in progress) with this color palette.....
Benjamin Moore: Cement Gray, Natural Wicker, White Chocolate, Wet Concrete
It is turning out swimmingly. The fabrics in the space marry the color palette. The cement gray was the hue I chose for the tray ceiling.
I am overcoming my avoidance of gray but I still have a bit of an aversion to putting it on walls. I am beginning to love it on furniture though in all shades and tints. The last High Point Market was alive with these hues so I was able to see them in all their splendor.
Take a look at the photo at the beginning of this post and the two below all compliments of Living, Etc.
The picture at the top has a very soft gray tint upholstery. The second one, a deep shade. The one just above is my favorite. A moderate gray boasting of elegance. I love that it is paired with warm gold pillows. Beautiful!
Its funny how certain times or events in one's life can leave an association ~ either positive or negative. In my gray case, on the negative side. I have learned two things from this gray recovery of mine ~ 1) gray is beautiful when used in a well designed room, 2) I will not be painting the walls gray when Lauren is an adolescent.
What are your thoughts on using gray? Do you have any color associations you'd like to share?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
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This is great inspiration for me too. My boyfriend and I are renovating/remodeling his house and I'm planning an overhaul of the dining room in shades of grey.
ReplyDeleteI love gray! My plan is to paint the dining room gray (some day).
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with certain shades of blue and pink- a bedroom makeover gone wrong when I was teen (and I was the "designer").
boring and cold... and lacks imagination.... I don't care for this at all....
ReplyDeleteNo photos yet but I am working on a condo using B Moore August Morning, a yummy orange/persimmon combined with grays-999 and fairview taupe. The 999 is MBRM and taupe is den. Lots of spicy, warm hues to + turquoise to complement. Very nice, even on a gray day in Seattle. Love the combo Patricia!
ReplyDeleteI am OK using warm undertone greys for residential walls or ceilings. I just completed a kitchen makeover for my Mom using "Revere Pewter" from Benjamin Moore paired with natural alder cabinets, epozy aggregate floors, and satin nickel hardware. Magnificent, I must say!
ReplyDeleteGray is relaxing to me. I love it!
ReplyDeleteI love gray too. We painted our bedroom over the summer in Benjamin Moore's pashmina gray. It ties-in nicely with the gold and cream colors we have. Thanks to Trish & Aimee at Valerianne (in Vienna), they helped me coordinate a duvet and accent pillows in gray and gold. I loved how it turned out.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the gray sofa you featured with gold pillows. Very striking.
In my very first apartment I splurged on gray and white Ralph Lauren bedding. I have loved gray ever since. Now that gray is so popular again, I wish I had kept the bedding!
ReplyDelete