Gray Tones in Your Homes

More and more home buyers are saying that grays are their preferred interior paint colors. Integrating the most popular gray hues into your selection of finish offerings can attract a wide range of buyers.

Gray walls exude a modern simplicity with a fresh but comfortable feel. They fit in well with natural views and are great complements to a variety of furnishings.

With these qualities, it’s no wonder that more home buyers are turning to gray as an interior paint color. Join the continuing “gray is the new beige” trend by offering various grays as finishing options—you’ll increase buyer satisfaction and add value to your homes.

Here are the easiest ways to integrate gray tones:

1. Finding the right gray for your homes

Although the color gray is commonly associated with cooler, cloudy days, there are both “cool grays” and “warm grays.” Cool grays have more blue undertones, while warm grays are grounded in yellow and brown—similar to “greige,” a combination of gray and beige.

Consider the following elements when you’re deciding between a cool or warm gray for interiors: flooring, cabinetry, lighting fixtures, wood trim (painted or stained), and the colors of stone or brick in the house. The undertone of your interior elements should match the undertone of the grays you use. For example, cooler interior elements like certain stone and brushed nickel pair well with cooler grays, while brick and gold are warmer and more easily integrate with warmer undertones like beige.

Once you find the right undertone, you can use a variety of gray shades within that undertone throughout your homes. Cool grays—like Repose or Argos—complement pure white trims and rooms with plenty of light. Warm grays—like Keystone Gray or Curio Gray—work well with wood trims. Whether you go warm or cool, grays create a comfortable, clean environment that home buyers are drawn to.

2. Use grays to add dimension to your homes

Gray paint can also help add dimension to the rooms of your homes, giving your walls more personality so they won’t feel bare. Go classic with gray walls and white ceilings, using Pure White or Extra White. For your more taupe walls, use white ceiling paint such as Alabaster or Creamy.

Or, for more impact, paint ceilings gray instead. Try a gray that’s two or three shades lighter than the wall color—like Light French Gray—to give a smaller room a spacious feel. Select a darker gray paint for a high ceiling in a large room. It will create the illusion of a cozy space.

Whether you choose gray on the walls or on the ceilings, it offers a crisper, cleaner look than beige. And because gray paint is offered with many different undertones, it can either be the most neutral hue possible or give dramatic dimension—another great reason to add it to your palette.

3. Deliver your grays in high-quality paints that add value

Expanded paint palettes and a higher-quality paint? Now that’s a powerful combination. It will help drive up the value of your homes, and the profits for your business. Sherwin-Williams Cashmere®Interior Acrylic Latex or Emerald® Interior Latex Acrylic offer enhanced durability and washability, so your buyers will get a wall finish that withstands the rigors of everyday living. For more information on combining the power of an expanded color palette and higher-quality interior paints, read “Don’t Overlook Paint When It Comes to Profitability”.