15 Decorating Ideas for Gray Walls

You might be thinking light gray walls sound like a snooze fest. But, we promise, that could not be further from the truth. Sure, gray is a neutral color; however, you may not know it comes in a broad range of beautiful shades in both cool and warm tones. Even if you are not a fan of neutral room colors, light gray walls provide the perfect backdrop for colorful décor and lively wall art. Still not convinced? We want to get you on board with the hue's decorating powers. To prove our point the following ideas share how light gray walls can enliven your space.

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Walls Painted a Cool Shade of Blue-Gray

My Manicured Life

Interior Design, Julia Goodwin, the blogger behind My Manicured Life painted her living room a cool shade of light gray that resembles Gravity by Valspar Paint. The pale blue-gray works beautifully with white, wood tones, watery shades of green, and dark blue.

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Greenish Gray Walls in a Kid's Bathroom

Vidal Design Collaborative

Light gray may not seem like the go-to color for a kid's bathroom. But here a pale shade of greenish-gray appears in a child's space by California based Vidal Design Collaborative. The wall color reminds us of Aregent by Pratt and Lambert. The hue allows the colorful tile on the walls and floors to pop without feeling too busy.

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Sun-Drenched Casual Living Room With Cool Gray Walls

West Trade Interiors

In this sun-drenched space by West Trade Interiors out of Charlotte, North Carolina walls painted an elegant, cool gray shade similar to Winter Sky by Fine Paints of Europe elevate the main living area decorated with casual furnishings.

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Add Depth to a Small Space With Light Gray Walls

Decor Aid

Decor Aid an interior design firm out of New York City added depth to this narrow living room by painting the four walls a very pale shade called Gray Tint, by Benjamin Moore. The paint color adds a hint of gray to the room making it feel instantly modern. Keeping the ceiling bright white makes the small space feel a tad bigger.

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Refresh a Brick Fireplace With Gray Paint

Edith & Evelyn Vintage

When it comes to refreshing old brick, white paint is typically the go-to choice. But this idea by Cindy, the do-it-yourselfer behind Edith & Evelyn Vintage breaks with tradition. She painted her brick fireplace the same color as her walls—a shade of gray called Pavestone by Sherwin-Williams. The lovely hue is a rich tone that feels more light and airy and than dark and moody. Keep in mind, if you have a working fireplace you will need to use a heat- and fire-resistant paint.

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Gray Walls Carve Out a Small Kitchen

LLI Design

Walls and cabinetry in a steely shade of light gray create a little separation between the kitchen and living room in this open concept condo by UK based, LLI Design. The neutral walls set the stage for the crimson sofa, which anchors the sitting area.

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White and Gray Contemporary Bedroom

Martha O’Hara Interiors

One of our favorite shades of soft gray for walls is Gray Cashmere by Benjamin Moore as shown in this contemporary bedroom by Martha O’Hara Interiors based in both Minnesota and Texas. The soothing paint color has a hint of blue that glows in sun-drenched spaces. The design team painted the crown molding a bright shade of white for room brightening contrast.

17 Beautiful Contemporary Bedroom Ideas

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Pale Color Scheme With Warm Wood Tones

Benni Amadi Interiors

In this light and airy open concept home by Benni Amadi Interiors, a San Francisco, California based interior design company, walls in a paint color that resembles Passive by Sherwin-Williams throw focus on the pale furnishings. What we love best about this slightly taupe-y shade is that it pairs beautifully with warm wood tones as shown. Painting the ceiling and door white adds a little architectural interest to the boxy space.

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How to Add Depth to a Room With Gray Paint

Kate Roos Design

From the walls to cabinetry gray is the dominant color in this traditional cooking space by Kate Roos Design out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Combining different shades of gray add depth to the kitchen. The walls and floor are a lighter shade of gray, which makes the narrow space appear wider.

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Cool Gray Walls in a Vintage Inspired Bathroom

Kate Roos Design

Cool gray walls give this retro-inspired small bathroom by Kate Roos Design based in Minneapolis, Minnesota a modern twist. The paint color has a pinch of blue, which coordinates beautifully with the dark wood cabinetry and hexagon marble tile.

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Casual Dining Room With Pale Gray Walls

Studio McGee

We adore this modern farmhouse inspired dining room by Studio McGee based in Utah. The walls are a shade called Classic Gray, and on the crown molding is Simply White both by Benjamin Moore. The pales hues provide a subtle backdrop which does not upstage the furnishings. The design team did not want the space to feel fussy, so they went with a casual, wood dining table set and a simple, shabby chic inspired chandelier.

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Greenish-Gray Walls in a Guest Bedroom

Studio McGee

Greenish-gray walls transform a basement guest room into a welcoming space in this home remodeled by Utah based interior design firm, Studio McGee. The paint color beautifully unifies all the colors in the room from the neutral furnishings and green and blue decorative accessories. It might surprise you, but the shiplap ceiling is on the low side, but painting it white creates the illusion of extra height.

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Gray Walls Set the Tone for a Gallery Wall

Michelle Gage

Here light gray walls create a backdrop for an eclectic art collection in a home by Michelle Gage, an interior designer based in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The walls have a pinch of blue, which subtly picks up the blue, green and yellow tones throughout the room.

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Combine Gray Walls With Wallpaper

Michelle Gage

If covering all of your walls with wallpaper sounds overwhelming you can split the difference with paint. In this vintage-inspired bedroom by Michelle Gage half the room was covered with patterned wallpaper while the other half was painted light gray. The result creates an eclectic vibe that does not overwhelm the space with pattern.

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Create a Stunning Monochromatic Space

Third Coast Interiors

Create a monochromatic space by combining a broad range of gray, black, and white tones as shown in this bachelorette pad by Chicago, Illinois based Third Coast Interiors. The light gray walls were given a bit of oomph with charcoal gray crown molding.