Behr’s 50 Shades of Grey

A close up detail of a silk tie and multiple gray-toned paint swatches.
Even if you haven’t read the books or are planning to see the movie 50 Shades of Grey this weekend, there are plenty of grey shades out there to pique your interest! In honor of the movie’s release, I’ve gone out and painted my nails today in an intriguing shade of grey…If you’ve ever lived with a grey before, you know it makes rooms feel very chic and glamorous. Grey is a color that adds instant polish and even an air of mystery to a space. They aren’t really demanding, but they do command attention. They set any tone you like from light and spacious to smoky and mysterious. I like tone on tone greys because it is easy to mix in other colors and change the mood of the room.

Layered shades of gray in the bedroom for a comfortably masculine look.
Grey ranges in value from cool to warm shades. Steel grey may be considered on the cool side, while mushroom can feel warmer. Layering warm and cool greys gives bedding a sophisticated and masculine look.

 Grey ranges in value from cool to warm shades. Steel grey may be considered on the cool side, while mushroom can feel warmer. Layering warm and cool greys gives bedding a sophisticated and masculine look.

Mix and match textures when using tone on tone grays in a room.
Light to dark variations of grey works well too. Be sure to keep it interesting by using mix and match textures in a room that predominantly uses grey.

Light to dark variations of grey works well too. Be sure to keep it interesting by using mix and match textures in a room that predominantly uses grey.

And here they are: Behr’s complete range of popular greys! They vary in subtlety from warm to cool and light to dark. Some even carry nuances of other colors like green, blue or even violet – but all are fascinating and unqiue!
Is there such thing as a “true grey” that perfect balance between warm and cool? We like to think it is Classic Silver PPU18-1.
Fifty paint spills showcasing different tones of gray.
Colorfully yours,

Erika

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  • Lisa says...

    I’m looking for a light gray that doesn’t turn blue, brown, or green in the light. Thanks

    • Larayne Boaz says...

      Hi Lisa,
      Unfortunately there is no way to formulate a true gray but here are a couple grays that I will recommend which come close – Sonic Silver HDC-MD-26, Classic Silver PPU18-11 or Silver Marlin N360-2
      Hope ones of these work!
      Colorfully yours,
      Larayne

  • Catherine says...

    Hi, I have leftover paints of Elephant skin, Chic gray and Classic Silver. Which of those three would look best with turquoise. My walls has turquoise on the top and brown on the bottom with side rails all around. I want to paint gray over the brown. If none of the three paints would go with the turquoise, which gray would you recommend? Thank you.

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