Bobby Meyer
Join our newsletter Name: Your Email Address Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Thank you for signing up to Realhomes. Whether you are a lover of cool-toned greys that work amazingly in minimal homes or, if you're keen to embrace the dark side with dark grey and deep charcoal hues for a cozy and enveloping finish – you'll be able to find the perfect shade.
Fittingly, we've covered all the different grey color schemes possible for living rooms so that you can pick your perfect look. 'The best way to perceive grey is as a neutral which can create the ideal canvas for spaces that require calm and relaxation such as the living room,' says explains Patrick O'Donnell, brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball (opens in new tab). An archway is a beautiful architectural feature that feels oh-so-inviting in a grey living room. Abstract art, jewel velvet cushions and tactile footstools all add to relaxed and free-spirited vibe.
Pair a grey sofa with navy blue living room elements like shiplap wall paneling and upholstered chairs to create a cozy theme. We also enjoy the subtle celestial nods scattered around the space, ideal for a dreamy evening spent around the fire. But, by introducing a corner fireplace into your grey living room, you can carve out this area of relaxation.
In line with the wooden flooring and abundance of houseplants, this fireplace is built from grey brick to create a sense of bringing the outside in. Modern living rooms can often be modest when it comes to decor, with only the best statement furniture making the cut. Combine pared back décor with Scandi-inspired tactile textures to create a stylish yet warm feel.
Exposed brick walls, concrete and original floorboards are softened by natural materials such as linen, cotton and leather for a harmonious balance. A neutral palette of grey, white and pale wood evokes a sense of stillness, giving a calm and mindful ambience. The delicate balance of faux fur on the armchairs and footstools plays with texture to create a restful space to chill out and relax.
Less is more with this look, so scale right back and only choose defined, purposeful accessories that will subtly complement the scheme.
We know all about the benefits of layering living room lighting, but this duo of paned glass can really help to give the perception of a larger lounge space too. Choosing a cool grey like Benjamin Moore's Metropolitan AF-690 (opens in new tab) will help as one expert explains:
'Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,' says Ellen O’Neill, director of strategic design intelligence, Benjamin Moore (opens in new tab). Not arresting nor aggressive, this understated yet glamorous grey creates a soothing, impactful common ground.'
Fashion has been responsible for teaching us the power that lines and stripes have to make us look slimmer or elongate our silhouette and the same discipline can be practiced in a grey living room. Here, Carpetright's Westmoreland Twist Carpet in Misty Zig-Zag (opens in new tab) will help to stretch out that floor plan to maximize the space you have.
What's more, a busy pattern like this will help to disguise spills and stains – which is perfect for whatever modern life throws at us. Carpet is also one of the cheapest living room flooring options, so shop around to make sure you bag yourself a bargain.
Much easier than cutting reams of this fabric by the meter, you can have more control with this measurement – which is especially important if you're doing the job yourself. Scandinavian interior design has taught us a lot about how to create a sophisticated and stylish grey living room that looks and feels homely too.
Whether it's finding pictures of the family to frame, or going online and picking up some budget-friendly reprints from Desenio (opens in new tab) – this is one of the more simple living room ideas that everyone can get on board with. To maintain balance and a cozy vibe, add a grey-scale rug, or pillows in similar shades. Grey rattan garden furniture is a great investment for the summer time, but as the evenings get a little chillier, and the nights get shorter, it risks becoming redundant until the next year's signs of spring. We love this calming grey and white living room with shiplap walls and lots of indoor plants.
One very quick and easy way to inject country charm into your grey living room is through your choice of couch. The best grey sofas to serve this style could incorporate an all-over check, plaid or gingham pattern. Mix it up with a contrasting print like Laura Ashley's Beckworth table lamp (opens in new tab) for a more modern finish with the practical bonus of added task lighting also.
Start with a base layer, a grey that really inspires you, and add different shades through furniture, soft furnishings and accessories.
As a general rule when it comes to grey living room ideas – the cooler the tone you choose, the warmer the lighting should be – think about the room at night, you'll still want it to feel cozy and welcoming despite the cool grey color scheme. Living room storage units are a great way to add in grey, and particularly good when you don’t want wood or white melamine.
One of the big benefits of houseplants is that they can bring so much interest into even the simplest of color schemes. We love how the green looks against dark walls, giving this grey living room even more depth and drama.
Pink and grey where the color power couple for a moment back there, but we are loving this new, more grown up take on it.
Mixing a pale, cooler grey with a lovely warm blush pink creates an almost neutral space, especially if paired with white walls and wooden furnishings as seen here.
Add in a touch of muted light blue to bring out the cooler tones of the grey. 'To avoid giving off a ‘hard’ expression, which grey has a tendency to do, we recommend adding details such as softer colors like gold and pink,' says Wallin.
'Display black and white photo prints in gold frames, and add pink as an accent in the grey interior. Bring in those darker colors with cushions, throws rugs or even an accent armchair. Keep it soft or add bold, bright accents; just ensure they don’t detract from the shine and sparkle of your metals. With its charm and appeal lying in the ability to offer the best neutral base for interior décor, grey is the ideal shade with which to decorate your living room walls.
If you can't decide between a beige room or a grey one, it's actually a perfect warm-toned color that combines the two hues. We love how it's been styled in this living room with splashes of sage green and pale mustard yellow.
Black and white doesn’t have to be a boring combination – when teamed with different layers of grey, it can look exceptionally striking. Use a deep grey on your living room wall, and then mix in plenty of black and white accessories to get the full impact of this dramatic scheme.
Give it some life and add a few strong accent colors or simply layer your greys for a more monotone feel.
Painted on the walls and even the ceiling to it can act as a striking basis for bright colors and rock and roll décor. The homeowner has paired a subtle shade of grey with golds and greens allowing the features to shine, with a bold print that doesn’t impinge on the lighter feel of the space. Prevent it from feeling too sweet and sugary by accenting with darker, moodier shades seen here with black and white cushions and dark wood table.
Blogger, Arianna (opens in new tab), has created a sumptuous, cozy and candy-hued space packed full of texture and warmth. If you opt for a darker, charcoal grey on your walls yet don’t want the living room to feel all doom and gloom, lighten the space by using white-based artwork.
Include pops of color through your soft furnishings and make the most of your cozy feel by adding layers of sheepskins for warmth and texture. For a farmhouse touch, we love the look of this cow-print rug, but anything statement will do to add interest underfoot.
Palest greys and darkest blacks come together with stark whites to create the nomad look which has become rather popular in the last few seasons. Add some natural materials like rattan and wicker plus lots of house plants, and you have a very on-trend living space.
The floor is often the best place to begin when you’re building a scheme and if you want to include grey, this is a great kicking off point. But there is a reason we're all so in love with is swirly, opulent, qualities, marble just brings elegance into a space like no other material. The smooth and swishy finish works perfectly with lots of different shades of grey.
Anyway, yes, murals – a great way to add even more texture to a living room with a limited color palette.
They are also a fab option if you are decorating a rented home, because you can choose to hang a mural rather than paste it permanently to your wall. You can create a beach house-inspired interior using light greys and lots of layers of different fabrics and materials.
Rugs, cushions, baskets, wall hangings can all be incorporated into your current space to create that relaxed, laid back feel that the coastal look is all about. To copy the look, choose a grey paint with cooler tones (something like Farrow & Ball's French Gray (opens in new tab)) and, to further enhance the cool color, pair it with darker tones and furniture that has clear, sharp black lines.
Light the alcoves with wall or table lamps so that the grey becomes a warmer tone at night.
If you want those quite dramatic, contemporary vibes in your living room, keep the furniture very sculptural and slimline and enhance the drama of a dark space. The Mid-century modern furniture works so well in this minimal space and creates a really quirky contrast with the traditional design of the room. We just love the decorative stone horse on the living room fireplace which stops the mantel looking too bare, while also adding interest.
Wallpaper is such an easy grey living room idea, potentially the quickest way to add a dose of this stylish hue. Most of the time you will be able to find a shade of grey that will work with your current scheme, so it can be the simplest way to update your space.
Mix it in with some natural materials and lots of textures for a really cool contemporary grey living room idea. The living room in this gorgeous renovated home in Shrewsbury uses grey to a calming effect. The darker the grey, and the less yellow or even pink tints within it, the cooler the room begins to feel, so accessorizing or furnishing it in warm colors is essential. We really love warm, natural colors and textures or spice shades against grey – it brings out the best in both.
However, any warmer color will help make a cool room feel instantly more welcoming. This tan leather sofa set for example is the perfect furniture if you want to create a vintage retro living room. The grey also looks great mixed with the fresh, clean white and the warm dark woods of the Mid-century style furniture.
The mid-tone grey works so well with the lighter wooden floors and the gold accents and it's all softened up with cozy soft furnishings.
What we love about grey living rooms, is they can be both fresh and chic but really cozy and inviting at the same time. Then it's just a case of making the space softer with plenty of cushions, throws and even house plants can help add a kind of cocooning feel.
If you want more inspiring home decor ideas, make sure you take a tour of this first time buyer's Scandi-style house renovation. The walls in this space are painted with Manor House Gray (opens in new tab) from Farrow & Ball.
It's a favorite in contemporary homes and does need quite a bit of light so as not to look flat but it the right space paired with warmer colors it looks so chic.
You could add in some velvet curtains or even just a few cushions too if you are looking for a quicker, more affordable living room update. 'Display your black and white posters in a collage, and mix in oak frames to elegantly add wood details to the grey decor. This depends on the vibe you are trying to create – if you want to play it safe and like a neutral scheme, then layering greys with creams and whites is always a classic look.
'Bluer-based greys will team wonderfully with rich blue tones, brick reds and terracotta shades. Whilst browner greys look beautiful with an added punch of warm burnt orange and chartreuse yellow in your accessories through to more restful layering of caramel and chocolate tones,' explains O'Donnell.
Thank god, because it's our personal fave color to decorate with and we think it works in every room of the home.
Oh, and nice slubby linen cushions will help – check out H&M Home (opens in new tab) for our fave picks.
