50 Shades of Gray?

If you think all grays are created equal, think again! We had a fiasco of color when recently prepping a home for sale. The existing wall paint was a deep golden yellow, and none of our favorite grays worked. Agreeable, Repose, Useful, Worldly... we tried them all plus 10 more and they all turned blue once on the wall. Even our team's all time favorite neutral, Gossamer Veil (Sherwin Williams #9165), wasn't right. We finally ended up going with Accessible Beige to achieve the warmth we needed. Keep these tips in mind when choosing your gray shade.

The underlying color will absolutely change the outcome. The more coats of gray needed to cover up your current walls, the more costly.  

Before you start testing colors, decide on your light fixtures, bulb style and wattage. Bulbs range from warm yellows to almost fluorescent whites, and their glow will play with the color. Be prepared that the same color can vary greatly throughout a house based on the lighting. 

The most common mistake is choosing a gray that is too cool and appears blue once on the walls. Blue is a great color, but not what you're going for when trying to create a warm, neutral palate. Look for grays that are more brown than blue. You can do that by checking the darkest color on the coordinating swatch. 

We are happy to come over and consult on paint colors for your home! Our teammate Lauren is a Certified Paint Color Expert. Involving an expert can prevent an expensive mistake and help you  trust your instincts. You’ll be amazed at what the right paint color can do!