Homes & Gardens: 5 Colours to Never Pair with Gray According to Designers

Featured by Homes & Gardens | Article by Emily Moorman

Ensure you make the most of this cool-toned neutral. Designers stay clear of these five colour pairings when decorating with gray.

Image credit: Farrow & Ball, Future, Future

Gray is one of the most timeless color choices, working as an inoffensive neutral across so many interior design styles. While decorating with gray is versatile and can be paired with many hues, experts say there are certain colours to never pair with gray to make the most of this cool neutral. 

Keep in mind that each of these ideas depends on the specific shade of gray you're working with. As a general color rule, classic cool-toned grays don't look best with warm tones, whereas warmer grays aren't best suited to sit alongside cooler hues.

'When pairing any two colors you need to consider intensity, saturation, and undertones,' explains interior designer Trish Knight, co-founder of Knight Varga Interiors. 'For example, pairing a cool gray with a warm tone like orange, or a warm gray with a cool blue would be disjointed. An overly saturated vibrant color would overwhelm a muted gray but a softer color with less contrast would create a better balance.'Knight Varga Interiors