Grey

From the Resene colour choices booklet

Grey is a wonderfully versatile neutral, and as such, it morphs with fashion trends, appearing as a warm 'greige' (grey-beige) one decade, and a crisp Scandi dove grey the next.

Sophisticated dark grey bedroom

Walls in Resene Nocturnal.

In any depth, it's synonymous with style and a certain urbane sophistication – whether it’s a silvery off-white or a deep, grunty charcoal.

Silvery grey: Tones such as Resene Half Surrender appear luminous in a well-lit space. They are serene and whimsical, and look stunning with other greyed-off pastel colours. Warm soft greys with pale timber and textures.

Mid grey: This hue has a calming effect. True grey can be too cool for many people’s liking, so adding a smidge of another colour will change its character. You can go warmer by adding a bit of brown to achieve a greige colour like Resene Half Friar Grey.

Storm grey: There's a big move towards greys with a touch of blue or green, like Resene Bounty or Resene Emerge. These slatey tones in their darker forms are smoky and moody. In paler forms, they are beachy and casual. A warmer twist to this palette is the purple-greys which are rich and warm.

Charcoal grey: Elegant and restful, charcoals like Resene Mine Shaft look superb with creamy whites and shots of bold colour.

A grey kitchen
Cabinets in Resene Half Rakaia.

Grey combos to try:

Mid greys with terracotta or ochre. Rich spicy browns to warm up the grey.
Silver-grey and white with touches of deep charcoal or black.
Turn the above combination on its head: go for charcoal walls with white accessories.
Grey with orange, either deep, burnt forms or tangerine.
Grey with pinky purples.

Using grey in the garden
Walls in Resene Gravel.

Top tip

The best place to find a wide range of grey paint colours is in the Resene Whites & Neutrals collection – charts and palette cards are available at Resene ColorShops and resellers.

Positive – Grey can enhance creativity, so it’s a good office colour. As a neutral, it provides an unobtrusive and stylish background for all sorts of colour combinations and furnishings in all kinds of looks.

Negative – Used excessively, grey can exude a lack of confidence and fear. Pure grey can be suppressive and depressing.