What Are the Best Colors to Pair with Gray Interiors?

Feeling blue or gray is possibly the worst. But if you’ve got these colors for decor, you’ve hit the jackpot. When it comes to interior designing, gray is a fantastic option. This is especially true if you are leaning towards a minimalist or contemporary style of decoration.

What’s cool about the color gray is that whether it is on your walls or it’s the color of your furniture, there’s an easy way to decorate the rest of the space. There are so many colors that complement gray because it goes with accent colors, pastel colors and even a rainbow setup. Let’s look at some examples to see how to use the many shades of Mr. Gray.

What Accent Colors Go With Gray?

Because it is an easy pick, there are a lot of options. This means one needs to think hard for a look that will really stand out.

And in this context, the question what accent colors go with gray is often asked. Let’s start by understanding what accent colors are and then proceed to color combinations.

These are colors that are used specifically for emphasis.

They are used to create contrast and against neutral or dark backdrops. A blue couch in a white room with light-colored furniture is a good example.

If we look at color combinations, the popular opinion is that shades of silver and cadet give the space a feminine vibe.

Shades like gunmetal and charcoal make it more masculine.

Gender stereotypes aside, most bright solid colors work with shades of gray. Here are some examples of what colors go with a cool gray and what go with a warm gray. 

Dark Gray and Light Gray Works With Pink

On the left, we see how an accent color works with dark gray.

And on the right is an example of an accent color against a light gray background.

The flowers can be looked at as the introduction of texture while the couch is solid orange. 

Gray and Yellow Complement Each Other

This one uses light and dark gray with yellow as the accent color.

While the light gray couch and the dark gray cushion already complement each other, yellow adds color to the almost monochromatic setup (with the exception of the plant in the foreground).

This one is a good example of light gray and white with a splash of turquoise as the accent color.

Almost every item in this frame is in one color palette with the exception of turquoise.  

You can apply the same logic to gray and pastel colors too. Interestingly, it once again works for light and dark gray. Check it out.

Do Gray and Orange Go Together?

This is pastel orange Post-Its against a dark gray backdrop and white furniture.

As a bonus point, consider this.

It is not hard to imagine light gray ceramics in the foreground, is it?

In fact, it is also easy to imagine Post-Its of different colors fitting just fine in this space.

So if you think about it, you have managed to decorate this small space with just shades of gray.

Gray and Blue Interiors Look Fantastic

And this is pastel blue with light gray and white.

The walls might appear to be white but if you look closely at the white picture frame, the difference becomes clear. 

You’ll find it easy to find seascape photographs or paintings that show the ocean in various different shades so try starting with artwork to accent against a gray sofa or walls.

Do Gray and Green go Together?

Since this approach is predominantly used in Nordic interior designs, it is often coupled with indoor plants.

And the question arises, do gray and green go together?

Yes, absolutely. Whether you add a plant to the mix or are thinking about furniture, it’s a great combination.

But there are more than a couple of ways to add green to the mix. 

In picture one, green is a structural addition. In picture two, it is an accessory. In picture three, it is added to the decor which can be replaced or repainted in a few years. And in picture four, two shades of green are added through plants and the color of the floor.  

It gets better.

Just because you have your heart set on gray does not mean you have to limit your palette.

There are many ways to introduce color and mix it up a bit. 

These are all great ways of incorporating multiple colors against a light color like gray while maintaining the integrity of the design.

What Color Walls Look Good With Gray Floors?

You don’t always get to choose the color of your walls or flooring. So, you are left only with furniture options to jazz up the room. And thus comes the question, what color furniture goes with a gray floor?

Typically, there are a few color combinations that designers fall back on. you can use cream, beige or silver to stay in the same color palette. All of these colors work with gray and a contemporary or minimalist style. If you want to throw a strong color in the mix, you can work with a variety of accent or pastel colors. You can also try different shades of the same color to maintain the design flow.

If you have plants in the room, you should consider working with silver and green combinations. All of these work very well with light gray.

If you have a dark gray floor, you might want to try red. That is quite a popular choice. Since the floor isn’t black, it manages to avoid a gothic look. When it comes to urban decor, red is considered bold and stylish.

Keep your drapes loose. If you get them in a combination of gray and red, the room will have a dramatic look. Here are some more options.

This is a look. You can go for an almost midnight look and get wooden furniture to match the dark gray of the floor.

If you consider the dark gray rug on the floor to be the color of your flooring, this is another way to decorate the space. You could simply get furniture that is in the light gray pattern. Another advantage with this is that your bed can have colorful bed sheets and throw pillows that will not clash with the overall color palette.

This is another way to add wooden furniture to the room without making it look so dark.  But don’t worry. Your furniture need not remain in the grays. Here’s a way to add color to the room.

If you add white curtains to the room, your furniture can be in the above seen pink and blue. In that case, your palette should be limited to pastel colors.

If it is an option at all, you could choose an accent color that matches your furniture and paint just one part of the floor. This will create a pattern and give the room that added zing.

You could also get colorful rugs and/or carpets and place them in patterns on the grey floor. The possibility of combinations for this style is endless. You could do different colors in the same pattern or pick a color and cut up the rug into different shapes. And you can choose the color depending on the shade of grey.

What Paint Colors Go With Gray Furniture?

But if you already bought your furniture and the choice at hand is to repaint the walls, there’s a whole new philosophy. In that case, the question is, what paint colors go with gray furniture?

The key to making this look good is to focus on undertones. You can still keep it clean and uplifting. As always, bright yellow is an excellent choice with dark gray.

Sea Salt is another good option if you want to stay with the gray palette. This is for monochrome lovers but also great if you want your space to look bigger, as long as the undertones of gray don’t clash with each other.

Faded Violet is considered creative and expressive. Sylvan Mist is just gorgeous. Tropical Oasis, interestingly, is an accent color that is making a comeback.

But if you are afraid of experimenting, Porcelain Glaze is a safe choice. Unless you have a couch that is warm gray.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Gray Interior?

Now that we’ve discussed combinations and examples, here’s a look at the overall pros and cons of decorating with gray.

Pros of Gray Decor

It is a popular shade among designers for a few reasons.

• It is considered versatile and practical.  
• It has very many tones that work well with different parts of a single room.
• You can pick any style and throw gray into the mix.
• If gray is the main tone, you can match it with any color.
• Redesigning with gray as the primary color is inexpensive.
• Darker shades of gray do not fade and dirt is hardly visible. 
• It is a deeply relaxing color.

Cons of Gray Decor

Now, a few things that designers don’t tell you.

• While it is classy, too much gray can be depressing.
• In a dim room, gray highlights the lack of lighting.
• If the walls or floors are in gray, it can look bad because it is the color of concrete. 

To Conclude

Any color, including gray, is only as good as you make it. Since it is a base color like white, you have a lot more color-coding options with this color. You can go low key and classy or bright and bold. Whatever your choice, the right shade of gray will stand by you.