If you are looking for the perfect color for your home interiors, gray is the way.
Sound dull? Think again. Gray is the color being shown in just about everything these days, including bedding upholstery and wall color.
Why gray? It is a great backdrop that goes with just about everything. It has sophistication, class, expresses savvy, feels rich. It works well in both masculine and feminine settings. Gray fits in with traditional settings as well as contemporary scenes. Gray is the way to save the day.
Another interesting thing about gray is that is has a chameleon gene. It will take on the look of the surrounding hues and make them look good in the process. Gray does wonders for vivid colors and pastels. Perhaps it is the new beige.
Some people find gray intimidating, snobbish or cold, but if used well, it is actually organic. Think of the natural color of driftwood. Think of the inside and outside of some shells. Think of stones in a brook. Not so intimidating, right? Not so snobbish, right? It's downright organic!
Have you noticed how in the last several years stainless steel has been the most popular color for appliances? Brushed nickel has also been considered the state-of-the-art color for interior-design accessories. Gray has been subtly filling our homes for many years now.
Great colors such as yellow, fuchsia and pink vibrate against gray. Blue and purple become more sophisticated with gray.
Did you know that gray is the "in" color for bridesmaids? Perhaps it is because fresh flowers look stunning when the carrier wears gray.
Back to home interiors. Gray is the perfect neutral. It goes with everything, yes even beige. OK, so brown might not look so great with gray, but just about every other color does.
Like white, there are many, many shades of gray. Like blue, there are many, many shades of gray. So what shade of gray works best? It all depends on you and your home. Get several samples of gray from the paint store. Start with the paper samples and take them home. Eliminate the ones you don't like or those that don't work in your setting. Once you are down to two or three favorites, purchase the smallest amount of those two or three gray colors of paint. Paint them individually on large boards. Now hold them up individually on the wall and examine them at different times of the day to see which one works best. Daytime might give the gray one feel while night might produce another. Check to be sure the gray you like works well both day and night in your home.
(Information courtesy of Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, Creative Environments)
