26 beautiful ways to decorate with grey

Grey painted rooms don’t have to be dark and heavy – here only the paneling is painted and the top of the wall is left white, softening the bold choice of dark grey paint. The best bed linen to go with this shade is pale grey and geometric print blankets – for a light, comforting contrast.

Dark grey painted rooms are the colour to choose if you plan to have bold accessories. Here, the pop of red on the stool jumps out, as do the gold letters. The more neon and metallic the better.

Because kitchens tend to be filled with all manner of unattractive appliances and cleaning products, they lend themselves to grey. Cabinets and surfaces, even grey fishermen lights can work well, providing a good backdrop to all the clutter it’s impossible not to accumulate.

This understated picture is proof that grey painted rooms can still be minimal living rooms – just a smattering of bookshelves and ornaments are all you need, allowing the grey walls to do all the talking.

Layering your best bed linen across the end of the bed will stop grey bedrooms from looking too muted, and keep them feeling comfortable and plush. Mix textures such as knits with faux fur for something you really want to sink into.

Grey walls make brilliant backdrops, especially when adding something really bright like a shot of red. Going for a pale grey wallpaper helps the room feel like a fairly minimal bathroom despite the bonkers bathtub.

Keep rooms feeling light and bright with a stronger neutral tone of grey (try Red favourite Farrow & Ball). Combine with crisp white ceilings and painted wooden floorboards for a calming space to read and relax in.

Going for darker grey walls can seem scary when staring at a paint chart, but if you balance them out with white floors and white kitchen cabinets it will soften the palette no end.

Bohemian living rooms are always about a mix of style, from cool grey walls and animal print rugs to sleek art deco furniture. Adding a metallic gleam with some living room lighting in the form of a fisherman light will just ramp up the maximalist appeal.

Wallpaper is an easy way to give your home a new lease of life and wood panelling designs are the perfect way to channel the beautiful French style of Louis XV. Highlight the moody grey tones with glistening golden accessories, such as a quirky side table from Rockett St George.

Transform a cluttered desk into an organised space with the help from some zinc wall shelves. Perfect for adding some industrial-style cool, hang a traditional grey wall clock on wood panelled wall to add to the country-style theme.

If you’re looking for an affordable project, then painting skirting boards or stairs is an easy way to give your home a quick and instant update. Greys and blacks will inject some downtown cool to all white open-plan rooms.

Grey walls don’t have to take over the whole room – sometimes an accent is enough. Painting the recess of an alcove marks the area as your home office, without overpowering the space.

It doesn’t have to be the walls that take all the grey, when it comes to grey bedrooms you can choose furniture in soft shades of charcoal. The upholstered bed head looks palatial in it sumptuous grey, regal without being uncomfortable. In other words, exactly what you want from a bed.

When it comes to grey living room ideas, the best rooms play with different colours along the same palette. Here, the off white sofa and chairs are just a few shades lighter than the rug, which in turn is slightly paler than the grey walls. Together, the colour scheme works as one.

Floral wallpapers are normally the domain of contemporary country living rooms, but with its background of grey it feels a little more luxe than your usual flower pattern, the sheen lending an air of glamour. Because that’s what grey walls do – provide sophistication by the bucketload.

Pale grey walls work as a good background to smooth wooden finishes – here this Scandinavian living room furniture looks just as good in Dagenham as it would in Denmark, thanks to the paint behind it.

Mixing purple with grey can make for a very luxe look – the richness of both colours working well together. Accents of gold from the cluster lighting will add a delicious bit of gleam.