A few years ago, nobody had gray in their homes. Walls were mostly beige and the daring few had taupe or tan walls. The wall below is SW Windsor Greige.
I had a very red dining room, and my daughter’s room was green.
Nary was a gray wall to be found. I remember painting my rocking chairs gray back in 2011. Some reader said it was a ‘bold move. I took that to mean ‘weird.’
Then when we were building our city house back in 2012 I decided to go gray on the walls (very lightly) and I used a darker gray on the doors and on some of my built in cabinets. Actual paint colors are HERE.
This went well with my new neutrals. I loved it. I even used a very subtle blue/gray tile in the kitchen for the backsplash, Walker Zanger Gramercy Park in Wedgewood.
I had seen grays around here and there, but now it’s EVERYWHERE, especially on furniture, doors, and kitchen islands.
So now I see those that do not have gray in their homes considering jumping on the bandwagon. But they are wondering if it is too late. What happens if they go gray just as things are going away from gray.
So is Gray here to stay or on it’s way out?
My opinion is it is here to stay.
Now there are some who will pronounce it DOA this year, but I don’t give the much credence. The reality is (as I have said before) consumers have wised up and no longer allow a handful of people to dictate what is in and out. Now people look to many sources to information, not just a few elite designers.
I believe more than ever before the thousands of bloggers are directing design styles. This is a good thing because bloggers are real people with budgets. We don’t have a large staff and millions to spend on redoing our homes every year. As bloggers have more of a voice in design trends, things become more practical. Bloggers are the voice of the people. Since many people are influencing trends versus just a handful, there are more opinions and ideas, so whatever you like, someone out there will surely agree with you.
I think people are creating their own style more and more. We all like to see what the designers are doing, then we do what works for us.
I just don’t see bloggers going and changing everything in their house every year or so to have an entire new look. That’s way too much work and money.
But here’s another reason I believe gray is here to stay. Back in the 80’s when I got married, you could get a white or a yellow refrigerator. That was pretty much it. Stainless steel was not an option. Some years yellow was hot, and then white. Then black came into vogue for awhile. Next came stainless steel which was a major upgrade for many. Slowly over time homes changed to stainless steel appliances. That became the new standard.
Then someone (who sells appliances) decided that stainless steel was out and bronze was in. Everyone had just spent a good bit of money switching out their appliances for stainless. Good luck I thought. I’m not falling for that one. It sounded iffy and trendy from the get go. And guess what?
It never caught on. Stainless steel is still king. I predict the same for gray, it’s here to stay. It is a neutral, and it’s the new standard.
Also I love cool colors which I think are going to be around for awhile. They look fantastic with gray.
So those are my thoughts on gray. I think it will stay in style for the long haul. Something else might be touted as ‘the next big thing’ but I think gray will still be ‘in’ for a long time.
So if you were waiting, I think it’s safe to pop out the gray paint; it’s here to stay. Those are my thoughts, but I want to know what you think.
I just can’t get my head around the gray, I find it very cold and depressing. BUT my motto has always been “If you like it, do it” when it comes to decorating. Your home has to make you Want to be there, so it doesn’t really matter what others think 🙂
Yup agreed Amy!
Same here Amy. I will stick with Avery soft blue, however some people have beautiful rooms with gray
I agree. I find gray gloomy and depressing. What neutral color can I pick instead of gray?
Pat, I think you could go for white, oatmeal, or a cream color, even a greige.
I agree, very cold and depressing, like the color of zombie flesh. And speaking of zombies, it seems like most people in our neighborhood who have recently redone their houses (which is a lot, half our neighborhood flooded in Harvey) jumped on the shades of grey bandwagon, their houses all look alike now, with no personalization.
We built 2 houses in the 90’s blue and mauve and wallpaper was the thing! I’ll never have wallpaper if it does come back in style now we updating our 3rd house built in 2002! New granite cabinets painted rooms painted and when we went to different stone places gray and white is about your choices! I’m not wild over gray but that’s what it’s going to be!
Well you said that so much more diplomatically. I really don’t like gray I don’t think I would put it in my house I just find it not very pretty.
Yes! I hate gray- cold, depressing, boring. I love warm colors- browns – different shades are great. I like green, blue, black, white. I’m not a fan of bright colors- more neutrals but warmer.
I have a narrow hall rack near my front door. It is a walnut color but the finish is showing signs of wear. Walls are a color called Raffia by Ralph Lauren, My accent chair is oatmeal, rust and shades of gray. Would it look odd to paint the rack grey with those tannish walls?
That is very difficult to answer without seeing it.
Well, I am in the process of painting all of my rooms various shades of gray – and I LOVE it! I became so tired of the red, green, yellow, blue and beige walls, and needed a change. I have had color – bright & bold in every house we lived in, but at this stage of my life I want neutral. I am also simplifying my decor and did not want to be distracted by color so I went with pale grays. My home feels so soothing and calm – there is just something so peaceful about the gray. I don’t care what the trends are or what may be in or out- I have finally found a color and style which makes me very happy with my home.
I totally agree! Gray is here to stay. For some reason, I like it much better than beige. Somehow, it’s a less boring color. I think it shows texture very well and as I’m sure you know, texture is huge right now.
I am obsessed with all things gray. We are building a farmhouse and have used Repose SW cut to 75% in the bedrooms on the walls with sheet rock. It is warm and beautiful. The rest of the house is ship lap and painted Snowbound SW. The two colors are beyond beautiful together. I completely agree with you that gray is here to stay. It is a perfect neutral.
I agree with you about gray will always be in. It is a good neutral option. With the popularity of bloggers, I believe the design field is changing. I only buy certain special publications every so often for inspiration. Remember back in the day when we subscribed to monthly magazines and hung on their every word? I think those days are gone. Now we inspire each other and do what works for us.
I’m slowly moving the entire house to neutrals after 10 years of the Tuscan colors of gold, red and various shades of gray. It’s so much easier to add a splash of color in accessories if I want, but the neutrals are just calming and gray is one that I’m using often.
Same here Becky. My whole house was reds and golds.
I like to think that the internet has made us all a bit more savvy. I believe that a lot of us are finding the confidence in ourselves to do what works for us and to be confident in those choices. I spent my younger years chasing that unattainable perfect house. Now, I buy what I love and what speaks to me. I love the collected look that I have and don’t ever plan on changing that. Reading amazing blogs like yours has a lot to do with that, I think 🙂 I have lots of gray and I love it!
When we moved into our home in 2006, these were the colors I chose and will be loving them for years to come. My palette has been creams, grays, and taupes. I think they are the most calming soothing and actually refreshing as well.
Sounds wonderful Gerri.
Sounds beautiful. A mix of neutrals…not all gray sounds perfect.
I feel like you wrote this for me. Like you, In 2012, I painted all my walls grey, they looked beautiful! Then we moved and I’m starting over. We just painted the two largest rooms the same grey (Halo by BM) and some furniture grey owl. I started wondering if I was too late and this would be “out” soon. I sure hope not. I appreciate your thoughts….thank you for sharing!
I think you are good Jamie!
Personally I’m not a fan of gray in MY home, however, I love it in other people’s homes. I think your house is stunning! I’m a fan of white and taupe walls with cobalt and citrus green accents. I like neutral furniture, with accent colored chairs.
That’s what makes the world go round! Be happy in your space!
I built a farmhouse 2 years ago in grays and white thanks to the inspiration of you and other bloggers. I worked with decorators in the past and wound up getting what they loved, not what I preferred thinking I just wasn’t knowledgeable enough. Thanks for boosting the confidence of all of us out here creating our own homes!
I didn’t used to like gray, mistakenly thinking it “cold.” There are an array of grays that have more warmth and lean toward other hues. Benjamin Moore makes a gorgeous shade called “November Rain” that I painted in my daughter’s bedroom, Depending on the light, it is different and never cold, really pretty.
Very true Audrie. Some grays are very cold, but some are warm if they have a bit of yellow in them.
I agree that gray isn’t a warm color, so care must be taken when deciding where to use it. Also, using too much gray can create a gloomy atmosphere, but when used sparingly on select pieces, it can look chic. Like fashion, people no longer slavishly follow trends in home décor either. Following trends is the surest way to ultimately make your home look dated. I think choosing colors and designs you are drawn to is the best way to create a home you love. Follow your heart!
Elizabeth, some grays are very harsh. If you choose a warmer gray then it does not feel cold, at least in my opinion. Agreed, follow your heart and don’t worry about the trends.
I like they grey but I still hate stainless steel. I’ve always thought it was hideous, like a fast food kitchen.
My mother used to say that everything comes back in fashion. When I lived in Washington D.C. in 1963 all the government buildings were wall to wall grey on the walls and woodwork. Even our apartment was grey walls. Needless to say grey is not my favorite color unless it is mixed with a beautiful color. Patience is going to be good for me. We’ll see.
Personally, I don’t want grey in my home. There are other colors that make me much happier, and I think that’s what decorating your home should be about…what makes you happy. The color grey is gorgeous though and will always be classic. (Picture the old classic movies with fine gentlemen in gray top hats and tails. So handsome and the epitome of style.)
I love gray but don’t have much in my home. I still have a lot of other neutral colors though and I definitely love seeing all the gray inspiration on blogs and in stores.
Shelley
I think home design is going the way of fashion. It seems like almost anything goes..skinny jeans or boot cut. Grey or beige. I think the thing that is sort of “out” right now is color. But I think color will start making its way back onto walls again but in more subtle colors. The red will become a soft blush. The bright blues will become blue grays. The yellows will be soft creams and the evergreen colors will become a fresh mint. All of these soft colors mix nicely with grey or beige. Pastels…they’re coming back. A new version of Miami Vice… but I don’t think neutrals will ever go out again.
When I was working in the home decor biz years ago, there was a “gray” period for contemporary and transitional interiors during the 80s. It was OK, but I wasn’t wild about it in the cold, gloomy climate where I was. Since I’ve moved to an area with a hotter climate, I found that the warmer tones to which I usually gravitated created “hot” rooms. I now have a combination of warm grays, beige, and white as my neutral walls, and it is a very nice combo. Chic, serene. Paint is one of the easiest, cheapest things to change at any rate, and has big impact. I say go for your bliss!
I so enjoyed this interesting post, not specifically regarding whether gray is in or not but rather, thinking about (worrying) that what you choose now will soon be passé. You’ve made some terrific points about style and what is influencing it these days. The comments you have received on this post are also enlightening. Thanks for sharing your views on “gray”.
I also think of gray as an”institutional ” color and view it as the color used in prisons and jails. I am amused at the recent rush to gray, much like the great white trend that was so hot a few years ago. We are easily persuaded to follow trends ; I’m not sure who is orchestrating them whether it’s bloggers, decorating magazines or paint manufacturers. I try not to follow; I am too old to grab a paintbrush and a gallon or two of the latest, coolest must have color every few years. My new appliances are white and my walls are neutral beiges in varying shades . Things come in and go out, but I suit myself .
At the end of the day, that’s the best thing to do; suit yourself. There are many shades of gray, and yes some are cold and industrial, but some are warm and pretty.
My whole house has gray walls, painted white furniture, white slipcoved upholstered peices and some pine and wood in the tables, etc., and one leather chair and ottoman. It’s very soothing. I’ve learned nearly everything goes with gray! No plans to change any time time soon… and the trendy designers are just a blip on my radar screen. If they have their way it will be teal this year, orange next year, etc. Not for me!! Thanks for writing about this.
I don’t think the grays will truly ever go out either. I, too, used to decorate with the reds, yellows, and greens, but over time I have transitioned to a more neutral palette. And I love it. It’s so easy to use a pop of color here and there with accessories. Nope, gray isn’t going anywhere around here! Great post, Anita!
I am still not on the grey bandwagon “yet”…I but I have picked a soft very light pale green called “forest light” for have half my coastal cottage and I love it! It me tie together my husband’s caramel leather couches, his dark teak bar with green marble with my collection of blue porcelain china and dark furniture..I made pillows of green and blue paisley and some other blues and greens. Its a very soothing color. It goes well with my stainless appliances and grey/black granite..All that being said, two of my favorite dresses including my wedding dress were soft grey..
I love all the greys and am so happy you think it is here to stay. We are in the process of building a new home and I have picked out a lot of greys for paint, tile and countertops.
Me too Cheri!
I am transitioning to more neutral colors in my home. What I found works for me is to mix grays, tapes and shades of white with texture. I love the satiny brass accents in a gray room. When people see my newly decorated master bed and bathroom, they have commented on the serene look and feel of the space. I love my grays and neutrals! I do agree as long as you love what you put in your home it will work! Happy decorating!
Exactly right Kathy!
I painted my guestroom/craft room gray in 2011 with white trim and used a window treatment with a black background, white and a little antique gold. I picked up the gold with a lampshade over a white/gray lamp base. Love it just as much now as then. PS, my grandmother had all gray walls in the living areas from the 50s to now. Gray is here to stay and it’s OK if you “to gray or not to gray” borrowing the play speech.
Oh that is interesting PC.
I am totally on board with doing what you love. YOU are the rockstar designer of your home, and YOU have to live there. Even if gray were to give way to the next big thing, if it makes you happy, DO IT!
Absolutely Judy.
No, gray isn’t on the way out…it is a classic color that will never go out of style…besides, I never pay attention to what’s “in” or “out”…if one loves a color, that’s what they should use ….life is way too short to hang on to only things that are IN. Every one should use what they love…I don’t want my rooms to look just like every one elses..I want my home to reflect ME…
My 2 cents is I absolutely hate GRAY! It’s depressing, dingy and dirty looking to me. It reminds me of the gray battle ships of the US Navy I grew up with as the kid of a Naval officer or the continuously gray winters I had in Germany for my first assignment there with the US Army as a finance officer. I will be happy to see it die and long for the lovely jewel tones to come back or the French Province colors. Something lively and beautiful not this dreadful white upon white and no color or life in the home. I want to be inspired by my home and have it be a lovely refuge not a sea of boring bland lifeless non-colors.
I completely agree! I grew up in a gray stone and brick house with a beautiful marble entryway. I’ve always loved gray! When I went to work for a builder, he said “nobody wants a gray house!” I’m thinking he’s eating his words. ?
That is so interesting Krystal and funny.
Anita, your blog has given me the courage to be content with my style as it evolves. I could care less what designers say or if anyone other than ME likes it. Thanks to you I am enjoying my home more than ever. And (even though I painted part of the interior two years ago) I have decided to go shades of gray with white trim throughout my small cottage. The outside is medium gray with white trim, black shutters and red door.
Thank you for keeping it real.
Maggie
I’ve never really liked gray but a mixture of the “gray brown” look of taupe has always appealed to me. So that is pretty much the way i’ve gone all through my house but with variables of the shade. I love that family of color because it too is a neutral and I find it never goes “out of style” for me, anyway. And I think that is what you are saying. Whether your preference is comforting neutrals or blasting colors, do what makes you happy and not what we are told is the color of the day. Love your blog!
Yup Janet, I agree, your home, your style. I really don’t worry about the latest trends.
I haven’t gotten on the gray bandwagon yet. I’ve seen it used over the past 10 yrs now and it’s still out there. I use colors that I like. I’ve just repainted my living room/dining area in “Swimming” by Sherwin Williams. I have mocha colored chairs and a medium teal couch. The doors and trim are white. I am planning on using lots of aqua, some red, orange, and green in accent pieces along with some gold/white frames. I do what I like. To heck with the big magazines. Aqua may be on the way out by the time my decor is finished.
Yup, decorate to please yourself Barbara.
I sold my condo a year ago, and I painted the kitchen walls gray. I had lunch with a friend last week and she mentioned the new owners painted the kitchen walls a darker gray, so I guess the gray in the kitchen was here to stay. They liked it, too!
Oh that’s funny Saundra.
I am a little late reading this, but I also feel that people are doing what THEY like in their houses more and more lately. I always liked khaki and white and black. Love white!~ but I wear blues and greys~!
I am now using coastal colors with out all the shells and starfish. Grey fits right in. I’m using white and Repose Grey (SW), in my kitchen. The countertops are a grey,pale beige and white granite look. We cut1/4″ into 4X8 rectangles and put them on the wall as a backsplash. We painted them white-white. The walls will be Repose grey which is an extremely pale grey. It looks yummy!
Our living room is Sherwin Williams Sea Salt ( which looks pale green on the sample but is a pale blue in our home! We have a Cape Cod and thee isn’t a lot of natural light and I think that is why. But it is calming and wonderful.. Just do what makes you feel happy in your own home!
Anita, I love this topic, as I have been asked about gray from friends. And, some younger family members have done every wall in their home in shades of gray. I personally need more color in my life, and find gray to be too cold, regardless of what accent you pair it with. I remember painting my master bedroom a shade of gray back in the 1970’s. I had lots of white with it and I don’t recall the accent color….but I grew to hate it!
Having been a Redesigner I recognize that there will always be people that want to stay current with the latest trend, (like the 30-40 year old generation that I would call the ‘stainless steel appliances and granite counter-top age) and those like myself that need our ‘feel good’ colors to wake up to. I fell in love with the color aqua/turquoise a number or years ago. I have shades of it throughout my tiny home either in the walls or in the accents, such that the rooms basically flow.
I agree with many of the others that it is best to do what feels right for you. I am so glad you brought this topic up. Enjoy your blog immensely!
Exactly SandiO, I agree. Do what you want in your house.
I find gray depressing and cold. I prefer browns and beiges, blues, yellows, peach on walls. I just can’t get into gray. I am into warm and I just can’t warm up grays.
I know I like gray on walls, but it depends on the shade . But I totally agree you should use what colors you love and make you feel good.
What a thought-provoking topic! I do like grays, but have none in our home. Our decor is based on shades of beige (wall paint) and creamy whites with black and browns. With open concept, to change one area would mean changing four rooms, so I’ve been leery of making the switch to gray. Regarding appliances, I do have to admit that I miss our white appliances – with white cabinets, our kitchen looked seamless. The stainless with our white cabinets now looks very imposing to me. Am enjoying reading everyone’s responses!
I know some people do prefer the white appliances.
I like a pale gray with white – I think it’s a clean and edgy neutral. So much better than beige and earth tones. Yuck. But you’re right – go with what makes you feel good. Thanks for a compelling post….love all the comments on color choices and the whys for them.
Oh thank good painted my hall and because of life don’t have trim up! May need to sell soon. Whew
Too funny Roxanne.
I always loved gray. Back in the 80’s when forest green and burgandy were in I painted several rooms of my first house a very light gray with a medium gray for the trim. People thought I was crazy when I told them what I was going to do. Then they saw it and fell in love with it too. Been through a lot of houses and colors since then, but I just recently did my house in gray again (SW Alpaca) with white trim this time. I love it. It’s clean and serene and you can change out colors of accent pieces to make any look you like. Paint companies dictate what colors are on ‘trend’. They can’t sell a lot of paint if the same colors stay in style forever. But in my opinion, you can never go wrong with a soft gray.
When i moved to New Mexico 3 years ago all I saw was the bright colors of the NM culture. It was bright, intriguing and only a in my book. BUT, I love of European styles and bright didn’t fit my personality. My home is 3 0 rs old and still has that particular look. I moved from an old miner’s , 2 bedroom, 1 bath home in California to a very tradition looking, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, dining, living room and family room with a big used brick fireplace. It was the fireplace that got me. Anyway, I bought used furniture to fill this space. I’m 72 and new furniture didn’t seem right for me. I started looking at pinterest at. Shabby chic styles and fell in love. All the wood trim in the house is dark. At firs t it was OK, but…….. I wanted something lighter and there it was Gray and white. So, I started and painted the outside trim of my floor to ceiling book shelives and other trim and doors and mantel white. The inside of the shelves is gray. It made the room look bigger and brighter. I intend to use the two colors in various shades and ways throughout my home. It is refreshing and comforting to me. I bought the American Farmhouse Style today. Love your work!
I think gray will always be around just as it has been in places it belongs, basement floors, garage floors, industrial buildings, steel undercoating, prisons. Are you kidding me, with all the beautiful colors in the world why on earth would you talk yourself into believing gray is even a color at all. Color makes your precious eyesight/mindsight wonderful to behold.
Mark….marry me!! Lol just kidding, but I love your passion (about color)
I painted my living room walls gray back in the mid 90’s when it was not popular. It looked nice with my furniture but after 5 yrs I was tired of both. Been there, done that with grey. My problem with all grey, all beige, and all white interiors (with no accent colors at all) is that they are too boring and sterile looking. Most people that decorate all in one color just don’t know how to tastefully co-ordinate colors to add interest and beauty to their homes.
I just painted a loft space that I have in gray. And if it is going out of style I could care less, after all it is what we love that counts! Not everyone is willing to jump on the next paint bandwagon. I think it is calming and clean and it looks great with wood floors.
I’m with you Mary. Do what works for you!
I personally detest grey and noticed at the last parade of homes that every single designer used grey as their main theme… it was strange and after the 5 th home I visited it became redundant – every-single- room.. grey ! I understand that grey is neutral and versatile but it is not for everyone. The beautiful thing is that we don’t have to follow trends. To each their own! To me grey is depressing and it makes me feel sad to look at shades of grey all day – but apparently lots of people like it…
I have been decorating houses for years. My clients have loved colors. Most of them find the grey depressing, especially a lot of it.
It is very hard now to find anything with color.
I go to Market in Dallas and all I see is Mid-Century Modern. The furniture is not traditional.
I am not seeing stained furniture. The furniture does not have depth.
Most of my clients are over fifty so many of them want color and traditional furniture.
I have one room in my home Mid-Century-Modern but I am keeping my home traditional and with color.
I think color is coming back Jan!
Well, I’m old enough to comment on this blog in regards to color trends, and recurring cycles. In regards to gray, it has trended 3 times since I’ve been around. In the mid 1950’s light gray wall schemes were predominant in new homes. It was when my home was built. The same color scheme came up again in the mid eighties, mixed in with gray and blue furniture hues. So, here we are again another 30 years later when this gray trend reappeared around 2015. So, it has a roughly 30 year cycle, which is much longer than other color trends. Just like the yellow and olive-green appliances of the mid 70’s, be prepared to say “What was I thinking when I painted my whole house gray?” Based on past trends, I agree with Anita that colors will follow the current somber moody gray hues.
For years we’ve had rich golden, a little chamois quality with a very subtle parchment faux finish. Our window trims are aqua, the kitchen cabinets a translucent light gray green. The bathroom door is a dark coral. Upholstered furniture is Shades of teal and burnt orange. Every time people come into my house they tell me they love the colors and wish they were brave enough to do something more colorful in their own houses. Brave??? Does one have to be brave to appreciate bold colors? When did drab gray become king? The neighborhood is starting to look like a battleship or military encampment! Being unafraid tool use playful colors is so liberating!!! Oddly enough, nearly all colors work well with my chamois parchment walls!!
I wear gray and love it. But in a home looks it too modern. (Or farmhouse..) However, the real problem I have with gray everywhere is all the unfinished woods. I love Cherry. Wont give up our woods. Gray isnt the same with cinn cherry tables.
Hi! This is a great post! I used to hate gray, but I’m always a little behind the times. Now I really like it, especially with wood floors.
My question is, do you know what color the gray French closet doors are painted? I tried the link for paint colors but received an error message. Thank you!
That should be pussywillow in Sherwin Williams. Thanks for letting me know about the error message.
Thanks so much for replying, Anita!
I just painted by master bedroom, SW Passive and my door SW Web Gray and my room feels HUGE!!! As far as being “cold” feeling, I used warm brass and bronze accents with driftwood colored side tables and it warmed the space up. I use to HATE my beige/tan/cream bedroom. Now, I sit in there reading or checking out Pintest. It feels crisp and clean not boring a dingy, like I had before. A major bath reno is currently underway and the crisp clean, cool, colors are on the list to use.
This blog post is a few years old now. So I googled “Home decor, why is everything gray” and this post came up.
I have been having a hard time finding decor items that I like, that used to be in the stores a decade or so ago, but now it’s all gray, gray, gray, and quatrefoil/geometric patterns. I can’t even find light baby or periwinkle blue bath towels, they all have either a gray or greenish cast to it. Trying to find a traditional oriental rug that is red, navy, and gold has been difficult, too.
I am so ready for the gray and geometric trend to end. I like classic style and patterns. I used to subscribe some years ago to Colonial Homes magazine that became Classic American Homes, that is now defunct.
I collect antiques and a lot of what I have chosen for each room reflects the kind of antiques and artwork I have put in each of the rooms.
I also like distinguished colors in each room and not one big gray haze throughout.
So, I have Imari colors in the living room, according to my antiques there, which are rust/red, cobalt blue accents, a little burgundy, and pale yellowish gold walls. Also dark mahogany/cherry stained furniture.
Dining, I have my china and the walls to go with it are pale sage/apple green with an antique glaze in wide stripes alternating with a little narrower very creamy stripes, painted antique white wainscot below the chair rail. The paint looks like wallpaper. Same style furniture. I actually have pink accents via the antiques and other things people have given me. But mainly it is cream and light sage/apple green. You wouldn’t believe how hard of a time I had in finding actual cream colored curtains a couple years ago.
Both formal rooms have antique white painted moldings.
Family room are cherry/mahogany stained moldings with light/med shade taupe walls with colors of brown, black, and a little burgundy and dark sage or rather maybe olive.
Kitchen flows into family room so had to go with light taupe walls in there, light creamy painted cabinets.
Master bedroom light pale blue walls with antique white painted moldings.
Master bath light robins egg blue with antique white painted moldings, including beadboard wainscot. We also put this color in the laundry room, it’s a refreshing color.
Main bath tan/taupe colors to go with the tile that was already there.
We do have a spare bedroom that is painted a Terra cotta red that had been so popular in dining rooms before. I saw the color once in an entry way in one of my magazines and had liked it since. But it was too much for our entry so we stuck it somewhere else. I’m sure we’ll paint that sometime since it is much darker than the rest of our walls. It’s not really a bedroom color. I think bedrooms are well suited for the calm cool colors.
When my parents built their home early 70’s everything was the trend of the day. Harvest Gold appliances in the kitchen with burnt orange countertops, shag burnt orange and gold carpet in the family room with matching color drapes. Avocado green in the dining room, Harvest Gold and avocado green in living room. Avocado bathtub and toilet in the main bath.
I think me being drawn to old fashioned classic style and colors might have been a backlash because of it. I’ve always liked Chippendale or Duncan Phyfe style furniture and the Federal/Adams period of decor. I also like jaccard fabrics for upholstery and silky curtains for the formal rooms.
All this makes it very difficult to find things I want to replace with my own style when everything is a sea of gray and seagrass/jute, geometric quatrefoil and/or chevron patterns, etc. None of that goes with antiques or antique style furniture.
It wasn’t long ago, colors were very bold. I saw navy, dark red, and aubergine walls. Now there is no color. Maybe a pop of some odd color in a pillow or something, like orange or teal with the gray or white everything else.
One thing that is kind of funny, I’ve liked white kitchen cabinets for ages, starting when oak was all the rage and then on to heavy Tuscan cabinets. I wanted an old fashion looking kitchen. I couldn’t find a cabinet door style that was painted white or rather, off-white. True white is kind of stark. Now, apparently, white kitchens are everywhere. So when I finally redo my cabinets, it will seem like I am following a trend, but I’m not. I’ll still do an off-white anyway.
But I still like delft tiles with it, as opposed to gray or modern skinny horizontal glass tiles. I still prefer the old aged classic look. And I also liked marble countertops, of which one couldn’t find back then either. I wanted something that looked like the 1920’s or so era.
Subway tile will be somewhat dated because, well, it belongs in the subway. It just seems too industrial. A classic square tile will never go out of style, 4×4 or 2×2.
I don’t think gray walls would go with anything I have if I wanted to. I have too many warm colors in upholstery and other items. I never liked beige either.
And when we finally do new siding, this colonial will have plain white with black shutters and a red door.
I’m just going to keep plowing ahead with classic decor, it’s just very difficult these days. No wonder the antiques market has bottomed out, and I’ve gotten what I’ve wanted during this bottom period. It’s funny also how the beautiful cherry or mahogany stained furniture is now disdainfully called “brown furniture” which apparently is also out, too. Better market for me, I suppose.
I never jumped on the gray bandwagon. It has always seemed so cold to me. I’m a warm tones type of decor person. If you showed me 10 pictures of Living Rooms, or Kitchens, or Bedrooms, or even Bathrooms and told me to pic my favorites I would always pick the warmer tones. That said I’ve seen some very beautifully done rooms in gray as long as they’re grounded with some beige or even wood accents to warm them slightly. I’m also very traditional and gray doesn’t tend to lend itself well to that decor style either unless it’s mixed with gold or sage green to warm it. All gray and white seems very cold and uninviting to me, although it does seem very clean. But as you said, to each his own! It’s sort of like a place we like to visit but wouldn’t want to live there. We all know what we love and no one else can dictate that for us including those in the Decor world who try and tell us what’s in and what’s out. It doesn’t matter to me whether it stays or goes away, since I didn’t change my house to it.
Gray is the best background color for YouTube videos plus it never gets old, it is the museum color, it is timeless, and therefore, it is never going away…
Well it is 2021…and I am so sick of this colorless world we have created. Pull into a parking lot and the cars are all some shade of cement. Try to buy ANY home décor and everything is shades of gray – 50 Shades of Gray. I agree with some lady’s comment above, buy what you love. But you can’t any more!!! It’s gray or the other colorless color – white. People! Watch the recent commercial about a depression medicine. They show you real paintings from depressed people and the are all full of shades of gray. Then when they take the medicine they paint new paintings that are full of COLOR. Yes, their happiness equals color. Think about it.
i hate the color grey what happened to the pretty colors of the past you cant buy them anymore why does evetybody like grey so much its so cold and ugly looking . everywhere i go i see that ugly dreary color of grey grey walls grey skys grey cars grey water grey sun
why do so many people like that ugly grey color its so morbid and cold looking. grey is eveywhere iam so tired of it grey skys grey cars grey sun grey trees grey birds grey people grey grass. bring back color