Fifty shades of grey

Let me start by assuring that this is not about the book or the movie. “Oh, how drab,” you may think. Well, grey is not exactly drab.

Interior designers the world over say that the love affair with different shades of grey is an ongoing affair. Generations ago, grey was perceived as a depressing colour. Not only was it difficult to use, but nobody even wanted to live between grey walls. Now however, grey has evolved as a go-to neutral colour and more importantly, it provides solutions for many design dilemmas.

One example is when you want to use a bold colour, but worry that it will be overpowering or tacky. All you have to do is mix some cool grey and even the ‘loudest’ paint colour will look more subtle and sophisticated. The best part of this solution is that there is always a grey shade that pairs well with everything. Thus, it is a wonderful mediator for more dramatic colours.

Those who use the colour wheel to decide on the colour scheme will find that grey is complementary with almost any colour on the wheel. This cannot be said of the neutral tan-and-beige. Grey works well not only with different colours, but also with every decorating style from totally traditional to cutting-edge modern.

Whatever the style, grey can make a huge statement.One of my favourite kitchens amongst all the ones I’ve lived in is where I had all my kitchen cabinets painted in grey. The only dark shade in the kitchen was a mahogany puja mandap. Grey provides the option of several different shades. For example, charcoal grey can be paired with dark hunter green and black. You may think all three are dark and rich; but none are really too high energy. This gives an impression of a sense of glamour which is somewhat rustic, making for a really unique look.

Glamour is not something you associate with a kid’s room, but grey can be childfriendly too. It’s an excellent choice for a gender-neutral nursery or children’s room. And you can accent it with a wide array of colours. Contrary to what we may believe, greys can be mixed with deep shades of blue from navy to teal. This is because deep blues can pleasantly pair with light greys. This creates an emotional impact without being over-the-top.

Grey, far from being depressing, can be quite warm if used with organic items like pottery, plants and natural wood furniture or even floors. Another tactic to get grey out of the ‘depressing’ label is to warm shades of grey with colours like mustard, olive, or soft pinks. These may seem outlandish but they can be surprisingly effective.

A room’s natural light is very important while deciding on a grey shade. If you’re worried that a grey room will look dark or dim, choose items that reflect light. A woven silk rug, upholstery with a slight shimmer and maybe a tablecloth of pale grey or grey and white marble that reflect light are some options.

Likewise, lighter greys have the ability to help keep things from getting too intense. The shade of grey you choose is very important. Thus, when using grey with red, opt for blue grey rather than charcoal. Why? Because dark grey and red are both rather dramatic, so they can come across as too startling when paired together. By pairing red with paler greys, the effect is light and airy, as opposed to dramatic and high-energy.

As you can see, there are more than fifty shades of grey, and each of them can be used to create a subtle or dramatic effect, as needed in your decor plan.