Design Rules: How to Choose the Right Gray Paint

Choosing from the variety of gray tones can feel overwhelming when tackling a room's design. Assessing room function, undertones, and balancing color with texture can make the decision easier.

Dessie Sliekers, interior designer and owner of Slick Designs, says determining whether a room's undertone is warm or cool is an important first step in picking out a gray color.  "If there are warm tones in the home, such as brown or taupe upholstery and flooring, or there's a lot of red, orange, or yellow accents, then it's imperative to use a gray with warm (tan or beige) undertones,"  Sliekers says to Realtor.com. If the design details are blue or purple, a gray with cool undertones.

"North-facing rooms get little natural light, so a cool gray (green-gray, blue-gray) will only make it feel chilly or cold," says Sara McLean, designer at Dunn-Edwards. "Instead, choose a warm gray or grays with brownish undertones." West-facing rooms also show better with warmer grays, while south-facing views, which get more sunshine, look great with cool grays. East-facing rooms tend to have little bluer natural light, so green- and blue-grays can also work nicely here, pairing beautifully with turquoise and cobalt accents.

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