What about Gray?

What about Gray?

As a professional interior designer in Bergen County NJ, I am often relied upon to select a color scheme for clients.  As we approach the New Year 2017, there is a question that we need to think about.

Color trends are often fickle with “the new color of the year” announced by many different paint manufacturers. Some colors come and go.  Other colors stay with us for quite a while.  Some of you may recall the mauve and gray color scheme from the 80’s.  It lasted almost 20 years!  This time, gray is back in vogue again as the “it” color~ it’s been going on for a while now and is still hot going into the future.

#1. Why is Gray so popular?

From home interiors to elegant office settings, gray has become a huge favorite with clients and designers alike.  It is very versatile as a neutral that can “go” with many other colors whether soft or more vibrant.

Gray is complex. It can have hints of green/red/blue/yellow or some other hue mixed in to change it from pure gray.

If gray is your neutral, all-over color, the pigments in the paint can help you figure out the rest of your color scheme for the other fabrics, wallcovering and flooring in the space.

#2. Is Gray going to stay?

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This color trend started almost 10 years ago. No longer paired with mauve, it is a “go to” neutral color.  If you were to poll designers of cabinets for kitchens, you would find out that gray and white kitchens are the most popular recently.  Gray paired with stark white, off-white and beige are what clients have been and are asking for now too.  Bathroom renovations also have gray and white being specified as the color scheme.  White marble with gray veining is very popular and rich looking.

Gray.  It is calming. It goes with wood tones.  It goes great with pops of color.

It can be rustic or contemporary.  It can be very elegant as well.

I would suggest on a practical note, you may want to use gray as the wall color or in the accessories.  Just in case people finally tire of it, sometime in the future, the walls could be repainted and/or refreshed with a great wall covering without the major cost of replacing the cabinetry or major fixtures.

It’s tough to pick just the “right” gray.  You need the whole picture to decide including what it looks like in various lighting situations.

I think gray is here to stay for a while more, at least. As long as clients still like it!  Personally, I wouldn’t mind moving on to other options!

What about you?  What’s your take? Love it or tired of it?  Please share! 

Happy and Healthy!