Monday 2 June 2014

The Best Grey Paints

We're often asked our recommendations for the best grey paint colours. Our answer is always the same: where will you be using the paint? Is this a grey paint for use in a warm, sunny bedroom, or a cool, urban kitchen? Or do you want a grey front door? Or shed?

Grey sample pot
Grey sample pot

Grey paint, you see, is rarely simply a blend of black and white. In fact, any paint worth its salt will contain a gamut of subtle colour additions that make each grey absolutely unique; it's the complexity of these added hues that create the paint's undertones.

Grey living room
Grey living room

For paint advice that's absolutely suited to your needs, get in contact with the Relics team; we'd love to help you find that perfect grey paint. However, for the purposes of this post, we'll first recommend our current favourite grey front door paints, and then our favourite grey wall colours.

The Best Grey Front Door Paints

Farrow and Ball Railings is the colour to choose if you want a classic black door with a contemporary twist. Railings is a soft, dark grey with a hint of deepest blue in full sun.

Front door in Farrow and Ball Railings
Front door in Farrow and Ball Railings


Front door in Farrow and Ball Railings
Front door in Farrow and Ball Railings

Farrow and Ball Down Pipe is a mid-dark grey with a hint of teal in warmer light. As the images below show so effectively, Down Pipe is a colour that springs to life as a front door paint whether placed against brick, stone or painted exteriors.

Front door in Farrow and Ball Down Pipe
Front door in Farrow and Ball Down Pipe


Front door in Farrow and Ball Down Pipe
Front door in Farrow and Ball Down Pipe


Front door in Farrow and Ball Down Pipe
Front door in Farrow and Ball Down Pipe

Farrow and Ball Plummet, which is a paler version of Down Pipe, and fast gaining more and more popularity, has a coolly sophisticated charm of its own:

Farrow and Ball Plummett conservatory
Farrow and Ball Plummett conservatory

Little Greene Scree is a true mid-grey. Bold and moody, it's a grey paint that looks great teamed with red brick houses:

Front Door Painted in Little Greene's 'Scree'
Front Door Painted in Little Greene's 'Scree'


Victorian front door in little greene scree
Front Door Painted in Little Greene's 'Scree'

Here's a good illustration of how Little Greene Scree sits on the grey paint spectrum. Eggs painted in Little Greene Loft White, Shallows, Inox, Pink Slip, Urbane Grey, Teal, Scree and Lamp Black.

Egg Painted in Loft White, Shallows, Inox, Pink Slip, Urbane Grey, Grey Teal, Scree and Lamp Black!!
Eggs painted in Little Greene Loft White, Shallows, Inox, Pink Slip, Urbane Grey, Teal, Scree and Lamp Black.

Dulux Weathershield products are outstanding in quality, and have some beautifully subtle grey shades. Dulux Goosewing is a soft putty grey with gentle green undertones.

House front exterior in Dulux Goosewing paint
House front exterior in Dulux Goosewing paint

The Best Grey Paints For Interiors

For those of you who want a grey paint that appears truly grey, choose Manor House Gray from Farrow and Ball

Farrow & Ball's Manor House Gray
Farrow & Ball's Manor House Gray


Paint color, Manor House gray by Farrow and Ball- # 265.
Farrow & Ball's Manor House Gray

Choose Farrow and Ball Lamp Room Gray for a grey that manages to appear quite warm, despite having a cool blue undertone.

painted in Farrow and Ball Lamp Room Gray.
Farrow and Ball Lamp Room Gray. 


painted in Farrow and Ball Lamp Room Gray.
Farrow and Ball Lamp Room Gray. 

For a gentler take on grey paint, try Farrow and Ball Cornforth White: neutral and soft, this is a grey that let's a rooms' bones speak for themselves. 

Farrow and Ball Cornforth White
Farrow and Ball Cornforth White

Little Greene French Grey is an excellent choice for a grey painted kitchen that will stand the test of time. It's possible to juxtapose it with a whole host of other colours and French Grey will still look beautiful. Bold brights, soft neutrals, gleaming whites and darker greys all work with this classic stony grey.

Little Greene French Grey
Little Greene French Grey


Little Greene French Grey
Little Greene French Grey
Little Green Paint Company 'French Grey' and 'Dark Lead'.
Little Greene French Grey and Dark Lead

Dulux Dusted Moss is an excellent choice of grey paint if you want a limited palette to run throughout your house for harmonious continuity. It comes in four shades from a dark green-grey to the palest off-white.

Dulux Dusted Moss
Dulux Dusted Moss

And, for those of you who love a bit of colour, next month we'll be looking at our favourite emerald hues...



Images via: Wilko, Housetohome, voysey and jones, Lifebylotte, kate bishop, klaus and heidi, pistonheads, emma turner, just fab design, Little Greene, antony georgiou, Little Greene, Dulux, apartment therapy, nice kitchens, Claire Carlos, New kitchens, bryan turner, higham, Maple & Gray, harvey jones, Abigail Ahern

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