So many Shades of Grey, but which to choose? Interior Designer Anne Tuohy shares advice on getting grey paint right.

Anne Tuohy

I know that grey colours are notoriously tricky to get right, but when you do have the right grey in the right space, you achieve a colour palette that is pretty close to perfection. One that is warm, calming and restful, all at the same time.

Here is my personal guide to demystifying the colour grey, and how to successfully use it in your own home. I hope that you find it useful. These are my go-to greys, that I use over and over.

My favourite grey paint colours & where to use them successfully

Farrow & Ball

Farrow & Ball Cornforth White

If you are a grey rookie, Cornforth White is an excellent place to start. It is a gorgeous soft warm grey that you can literally use anywhere.

Farrow & Ball Pavilion Grey

Pavilion Grey is a soft restful grey, with a slight lilac undertone. This is a great colour to use in a bedroom.

Hardwicke White

Hardwicke White is another personal favourite of mine. This is a south facing room, so the colour appears light and warm, you can also use it in a north facing room, where it will still appear warm, but will take on a deeper tone.

Farrow & Ball French Grey

Now here is an interesting one. Farrow & Ball French Grey turns green in a north facing room, so be very mindful of this. Many people are drawn to it on the colour chart, and are bitterly disappointed when they see it on their wall.

Farrow & Ball Elephants Breath

This is another interesting colour. Elephants Breath. Perfect when used in a north facing room, it can appear much more beige in a south facing one.

Dulux Moda

Dulux Moda – French Mists

If you haven’t seen the new Dulux Moda Collection, you should certainly check it out. This grey called French Mists is a sublime, soft grey which you could use anywhere.

They also have a lovely greige in this collection called Perfectly Greige – a very handy colour which works with most schemes.

Moda has five capsule collections which are designed to work beautifully together. You heard it here first, so do check it out. My favourite collections are Mineral Glow and True Romance!

The Little Greene Paint Company

Fescue 231

The Little Greene Paint Company – Fescue 231

This is probably my favourite grey paint of them all. I have recently painted my hall in it. It doesn’t matter where you put it, this is one perfect, warm uplifting grey, but better when used in a south or west facing room.

Go bold or go home!

Little Greene ‘Grey’ collection

Here the deep grey Toad creates a moody feature wall, perfectly complimented by Fescue on the other walls, The vibrant accent colours liven everything up.

The Little Greene Paint Company – French Grey 113

Unlike the Farrow & Ball French Grey, which can appear green, this one from The Little Greene Paint Company is a sublime soft grey that you can put anywhere. I absolutely love it! You can vary the depth of colour by choosing French Grey Pale 161, French Grey Mid 162 or French Grey 113, which is the one in the photograph.

Zoffany

Zoffany Paris Grey

Zoffany Paris Grey, shown in this picture, is a colour that seems to adapt to any light, while their Smoke colour is particularly good in a north facing room.

Here is the link to my 50 Shades of Grey video, which explains everything you ever needed to know about successfully choosing the perfect shade of grey:

Keep in touch
Anne x

Check out Anne’s Room Junkie page for more expert home tips and tricks at: @RoomJunkie