The anatomy of grey: How to use the subtle colour in your home

Often, grey is forgotten. It is allowed to hang silently in a room like a shadow, its effects felt more keenly than they are seen. In other words, grey creates a base for a space or colour, rather than a focal point. It imbues a room with an air of design savviness, allowing more vibrant tones to flourish, without making too much of a scene in and of itself. Many are known to have said that great design should be invisible, and that can certainly be applied to the quiet command of grey.

The subtle power of grey has meant that the colour has found its way into the Moma, the Met and the Rijksmuseum, vitally forgettable in that it does not detract from some of the world’s most famous artworks displayed. The seemingly nondescript colours of the walls in these prestigious establishments are in fact the products of hours, days and weeks of discussion and testing. The objective of the colour used is to enhance the artworks and more often than not that colour is grey in some form.

The technique of using grey to enhance colours can be used in the home too. Below, I speak to three design experts on ways to incorporate grey into the home to make your design schemes come alive.

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Experts suggest that it works well in large swathes in a space, from your walls to your floor.

Brintons, a heritage carpet manufacturer, has launched a collection of grey carpets that place an emphasis on texture over the vibrant colours the brand has come to be known for (in the wake of striking and colourful collaborations with Timorous Beasties and Zuzunaga).

The collection is called Perpetual Textures, and the designers cite materials such as chenille, corduroy and tweed as inspirations for the subtle, largely geometric patterns in the range. It was introduced to Brintons’ offering due to a spike in the popularity of grey carpets among customers. Natalie Littlehales, the firm’s consumer marketing manager, has forecast a further increase in sales of colours on this spectrum. This, she believes, is in part due to the colour’s versatility in the home.

“Grey is an adaptable shade, with the ability to provide a platform and set the scene,” she explains. “For a dramatic look, pair grey with layers of dark, moody tones like aubergine or midnight blue. For a fresh look, infuse the palette, with a lighter, softer shade that glows, like golden yellow or bright green.”

So too has new brand Urban Collective adopted grey as a staple colour of its collection of eco bed linen, towels and throws. The brand is launching at designjunction this year, showcasing its range of bamboo bed linen and recycled wool throws for an eco-conscious, urban demographic.

When I asked the founder, Karl Lindhe, why grey comprises such a large part of an already limited colour palette, he says, “We draw a lot of our inspiration from urban environments, and they are very often dominated by grey. It helps us to create a modern environment for the modern city dweller, and provides a fantastic foundation for design schemes when you want to bring other colours in.

“All colours work well with grey, so you can really express yourself and let the grey to the work. Personally, I can style it in a traditional way with whites, black and more toned down colours, or I let other colours in the room stand out by contrasting them against the grey, like a light pink, lilac or a green. I have recently focused on a lot of different greys together as a canvas and then try to find a interesting piece of furniture that can stand out and really pop.”

When I asked Lindhe about which rooms should use grey to complement a scheme, he suggests a “little and often” approach to using the colour.

“Grey in the kitchen is a modern classic of course, but I think people should dare bring some darker greys into their bedrooms and living rooms,” he says. “A really dark grey on a living room wall can be fantastic as long as the room is big and there is enough light. Grey towels can also provide a boutique hotel feeling in a bathroom, for example. Overall I think you would struggle to find a room in your house where grey does not suit, except if you have a dark, damp and creepy basement, then you should maybe pick something on the brighter side.”

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Speaking of a modern classic, Tom Howley, the creative design director of bespoke kitchen maker Tom Howley Kitchens, suggests that a grey, shaker-style kitchen will always be a true marker of luxury.

“In terms of colour trends, dark kitchens are set to take the interiors industry by storm,” he says. “However, warm greys will continue to dominate our sales. Grey is an effortlessly chic tone, simultaneously glamorous and relaxed. It also brings out the cloudy smokiness of our smoked oak finishes.”

Miles Welch is a senior designer at the company, and advises pairing greys with metallic finishes to bring the aesthetic of a grey kitchen together.

“A statement grey kitchen is brought to life when you consider the finish of the hardware, hinges, handles and taps,” he explains. “These metallic accents help to transform the space, and play to the warmth or coolness of the grey finish you have chosen. For example, polished nickel is more timeless and sophisticated, while contemporary burnished brass creates a really warm, industrial chic look.”

So, whatever your personal style, you can make it pop with a hint of grey. Reinforce a red, punctuate a pink, boost a blue or underpin an umber with a stormy grey for instant added vibrancy.