Grey grief
I’m in a grey grump. Yes, like everybody else with any sense, I want a grey living room, preferably at some point before it becomes terribly passe. And the clock is ticking, yo! But no matter what sort of grey I choose it just looks wrong on the actual wall. And my living room is looking like the hull of the Ark Royal after an intense welding session.
Colours that look like a white in my sunny kitchen come out like lead in my north-facing living room. Smart, subtle greys become bizarre blues that make your fillings ring just looking at them. These pictures don’t do justice to the full grey grimness, believe.
I’ve lost track of what all these colours are – the pale blue is Little Greene’s Gauze, there’s Wickes’ Putty in there, and Farrow & Ball’s Hardwick White, if you please. They’re all dark enough to make it feel like I’m watching TV inside a big tin bucket. Time to rethink – the grey with yellow and pink accents idea I was delighting over in summer doesn’t seem so pleasing now it’s raining all the time. Maybe the previous owner’s coat of Andrex Peach wasn’t such a random colour choice after all.
i totally had a hard time with the grey in my bedroom. i was loving it when we did it in May, but now that the light and temperature are getting cool, it’s starting to make me want to make me shiver a bit – but i think it’s more because of the other colours in the room (greens, white). we did a light grey with yellow/pink undertones – i really think that’s the way to go, on the warmer side. i loved this warm neutral palette in this living room – http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/08/sneak-peek-emily-anderson.html
I think grey is lovely for a bedroom, but somehow not my bedroom. My Friend’s is gorgeous. Quite dark but softened with a metalic peachy wallpaper, if I remember right. Pics here:
https://myfriendshouse.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/window-dressing-to-print-or-not-to-print/
Hey it’s me, – it’s Little Green mid lead. Quite dark, bit blue-ish, but that was what I wanted at the time. I tried Fired Earth Plumbago and also downpipe and felt both too dark. My tasteful architect friend has a lovely Dulux grey in her bedroom and it has a touch of brown in it so is warm. I’ll ask which one it is.
PS If I ever have another decorating dillema I’m bringing it here – the responses have been magic!
I have Dove Grey in Little Greene in my living room + it’s turned out really well. I found most of the samples turned out pretty blue. I keep thinking I need to repaint in that downpipe grey that everyone has, but it’s not that sunny a room and think it could be too dark. I recommend Dove Grey but I suspect you’ve already tried it…
Thanks Lynne. I wonder if maybe I think I want grey but I’m too much of a wuss. Downpipe grey looks great, but it’s way to dark for a chilly room I think. By comparison a friend has a living room flooded with strong light, and every grey she tries comes out like bog standard white. I’ll look up Dove Grey. x
Maybe you have already tried it, but can I suggest Farrow and Balls Cornforth White? It has a nice warm tone rather than a colder blue tone. I found that most of the ones that looked grey on the card or in the pot were much too dark on the wall.
I feel your pain! I’ve almost decided that Little Greene’s Gauze, mid is the one for me but who knows whether I’ll be changing my mind again once the evenings get chiller. I’m lucky enough to have a sunny south-facing room though so perhaps I should just be brave!
Ps – ditto Mouse’s comment about Cornforth White – it’s one of the ones I pick out time and time again from the colour card so must be a good sign.
Hi there. We used French Grey (Little Greene) in the living room with cupboards in Downpipe (F&B). But we have dark floors (sisal type carpet but in dark grey) and lots of other deep rich colours to stop it feeling cold. P x
Your comment is timely as I’ve spent this evening dabbing 3 different F&B shades onto the walls. Downpipe is lovely but I know it’s just too dark for my room – or maybe I’m just chicken.
Could I recommend Dayroom Yellow? I know, everyone is going to object to yellow but I’ve used lots of black (curtains, pictures frames, lampshades) to tone it down. Bed linen is dark purple, I’m going to introduce some Down Pipe on cupboards and Pelt and Railings too. Its really working. Give yellow a go 🙂
I have just come across your ‘grey grief’ which for the first time in days made me see the funny side of finding the right colour especially non battleship grey! I was wondering what you ultimately decided on. I need wall, woodwork and floor greys – the floor being the darkest and probably Pavilion Gray. Just off to buy a pot of Cornforth white, hoping that it will allow Strong white to be just slighly grey enough for the walls – pressure
Oh that’s brilliant. Thanks! I’m really happy with the Strong White I chose in the end. It looks a soft, light grey, but my room is pretty chilly light-wise. Cornforth on the skirting and Pavilion Grey on the floors sounds lovely to me. The Strong White should be just light enough to stop it feeling too gloomy. Good luck – I feel your pain x