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10 Best Gray Paint Colors That Go From Dreamy to Dramatic

Gray has never looked so rich and lovely

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Updated 03/12/21

It's safe to say that gray is a perfect neutral paint color. Gray paint colors are particularly versatile because of their wide range of undertones. A warm gray or greige (a combination of gray and beige) paint color most closely resembles a beige and can be used almost interchangeably. Cool grays can appear more modern and fresh, with soft blue and green undertones.

The beautiful secret about using gray as a neutral is that it allows you to decorate with bolder blues or calmer beiges. Gray walls somehow manage to stay crisp, even in darker shades. The key to finding the right gray for your space is to sample colors thoroughly and correctly.

Color Family: Neutral
Complementary Colors: No direct complementary colors in gray; they already have little bits of color in them
Pairs Well With: Everything from whites and pastels to darkest tones
Mood: Light shades generally peaceful, darker shades more dramatic and masculine
Where to Use: All walls, any room, even kitchen cabinets

Here are our 10 picks of the best gray paint colors for your home.

01 of 10

Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray

The Spruce

Sherwin-Williams' Repose Gray (SW 7015) is a versatile cool, moody gray with a slight hint of green and the palest of purple undertones. It's a great color for dreamy bedrooms or living rooms with a lot of natural light. This gray will pick up cool undertones in complementary colors, so pair it with soft greens and blues, and even navy, for the most stunning effect.

Tip

Every gray has an undertone—the bit of color(s) added to the base to create the hue. Knowing the undertone of any color you choose will help you to pair colors that won't clash.
02 of 10

Benjamin Moore Dior Gray

The Spruce

If you want to go bold with you gray, consider a deep, soothing dark gray like Benjamin Moore's Dior Gray (2133-40). This rich color works in bathrooms and bedrooms and pairs well with golds and rich reds for a classic palette that will transcend trends. When placed next to a fresh white subway tile, Dior Gray looks extremely chic and modern.
03 of 10

Farrow & Ball Skimming Stone

The Spruce

Farrow & Ball Skimming Stone (241) is a light, warm gray that looks stunning next to natural wood trim or flooring. It looks beautiful in a bedroom, providing a soothing and calming atmosphere. It looks striking next to a classic, stark white, but also pairs well with deeper grays and blues.
04 of 10

The Spruce Best Home Gravity Gray

The Spruce

A light gray is a great choice if you crave minimalist, monochromatic styles but want a color that's a bit punchier than white. The Spruce Best Home Gravity Gray ( SPR-30) is a light, cool gray with blue undertones that lends a silvery touch to your walls. This shade pairs beautifully with other cool tones such as blue or crisp whites and works well for any size bedroom.

Continue to 5 of 10 below.
05 of 10

Valspar Gray-Green Linen

The Spruce

No list of gorgeous neutral grays would be complete without a green-greige paint color. Valspar's Gray-Green Linen (V142-3) is extremely versatile in most spaces and will look slightly different depending on the accents you pair it with and the natural light streaming into the room. Next to cool undertones, Gray-Green Linen will appear a little more gray while it will take on a strong beige look next to warm colors. In bright light, the green undertones will shine through.

Tip

Test paint samples in large swathes across each of the walls in the room you're painting. You'll want to see how the paint color looks in every type of light.
06 of 10

Behr Irish Mist

The Spruce

Behr's Irish Mist (790C-1) has an airy quality, making it the perfect paint for a darker bedroom or bathroom without a lot of natural light. There is a slight warmth to this pale white gray that makes it much more versatile than a traditional beige neutral. Pairing it with crisp white trim will help lighten the color even more.
07 of 10

Benjamin Moore Sea Star

The Spruce

If you want a gray with a little more oomph, consider Sea Star (2123-30), a blue-gray from Benjamin Moore. This cool gray has a teal undertone making it a soothing choice for bedrooms or attic offices. It reminds us of sea glass and is a wonderful color for evoking the feel of the beach, even if there's no sand for miles.
08 of 10

Clark+Kensington Sheer Mist

The Spruce

Sheer Mist (N-C9) by Clark+Kensington is a soothing and pure gray without any major undertones. This cool, light gray can effectively replace a pale neutral when you need to tone down the warmth of a color scheme. It's also a nice option if you're going for a classic gray rather than a beige or greige.

Continue to 9 of 10 below.
09 of 10

Sherwin-Williams Amazing Gray

The Spruce

Sherwin-Williams Amazing Gray (SW 7044) is a warmer gray void of any harsh yellow undertones. It has a lot of depth and works well with warm whites to create a modern, monochromatic palette. Try it in a kitchen with white cabinets and a few accents with some pops of color.
10 of 10

Magnolia Prairie Smoke

The Spruce

If you want a dramatic look, an almost-black-but-not-quite gray is the way to go. We love Magnolia's Prairie Smoke for added dimension and personality. This deep gray has soft green undertones and is surprisingly versatile, which will work beautifully in a bedroom, dining room, or living space where you want darker walls. Keep the rest of the color palette bright to avoid Prairie Smoke feeling too dark.

Determine how much paint you need with The Spruce's Paint Calculator.

Tip

Valspar Gray-Green Linen

Tip