A Guide to Greige Paint Colors:
The Perfect Neutral
Who doesn’t love a nice neutral paint color? Neutrals are relaxing, versatile and uncomplicated which is what makes them so popular. We all know that gray and beige are universally popular neutrals, but how about greige paint colors?
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Gray
Gray has been a trending paint color for quite some time now, which makes sense because it’s a neutral. Neutrals are go to colors for people that just don’t know what color to choose but gray in particular can be challenging to work with.
Unfortunately, gray is not as simple as mixing black and white together. Choosing a gray paint color becomes a battle with undertones. If you look at the 4 paint colors below, you’ll notice that they all have different undertones, but are still considered gray.
Beige
“Beige is a beautiful French word meaning the color of un-dyed wool”, says interior designer Sarah Reid from Small Victories Design. Beige is another common neutral paint color. Beige is similar to gray in terms of being difficult to work with because of the undertones. Beige can have red, orange, pink, and even yellow undertones.
Beige is also often considered a warm neutral. But let’s be honest, beige just hasn’t been as popular over the last decade. I think people were becoming tired of it because it was so overused and it just seems a little bland.
Gray + Beige = Greige
Greige is a happy medium because it brings out the best of both gray and beige. Combining the two together creates a rich color that works well with warm and cool color schemes. The amount of gray within the beige color is what determines “temperature.” If the color has more gray in it than beige, it will likely lean towards a cool neutral.
If it has more beige than gray, it will lean towards a warm neutral. This is why greige is such a great neutral. It works with so many different spaces and color schemes. The key to making a greige paint color successful with almost any interior space, is by adding contrast through unique furnishings and art.
Choose The Perfect Greige
To choose the perfect greige paint color, you’ll want to find a color with an even mix of grey and beige. I know you’re probably thinking that’s pretty obvious, but it’s more challenging than you might think. I find paint swatch fandecks to be incredibly helpful for this.
In the pictures above, you can see that the top arrows are pointing towards light greige colors. It’s also important to consider what the darker color would look like because you can get a better idea of the undertones. The picture on the left shows warmer undertones, where as the picture on the right shows cooler undertones.
What undertones would go best with the furnishings and decor that you already have? Below, you’ll find example pictures of popular greige colors. If you’re still unsure if greige would be the best paint color for you, you’ll probably find this article very useful… How To Choose The Perfect Paint Color.
You Need a Paint Swatch Fandeck
Greige Paint Color Examples
Benjamin Moore Grege Avenue
991 / LRV: 40
Grege Avenue pairs well with:
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
HC-172 / LRV: 55
Revere Pewter pairs well with:
Have you heard about Samplize?
If you’re trying to pick paint colors, you’ll most likely want to sample the color first. Samplize offers peel and stick samples. These samples are easy, MESS-FREE, and affordable.
A few reasons that I love Samplize:
- You can order online, and samples are delivered right to your doorstep!
- The samples are much more cost-effective. You won’t have to purchase a paint sample, poster boards, AND brushes, that people typically use, for paint samples. You’ll save yourself time/energy and money!
- If you want to try samples in different rooms, don’t peel and stick the sample. That way you can hold it up and move it around.
Sherwin Williams Mega Greige
SW 7031 / LRV: 37
This is a warm greige that coordinates well with nature inspired hues, and crisp whites.
Mega Greige pairs well with:
Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige
SW 6073 / LRV: 41
Perfect Greige pairs well with:
Benjamin Moore London Fog
1541 / LRV: 57
London Fog pairs well with:
Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray
HC-105 / LRV: 36
Rockport Gray pairs well with:
Benjamin Moore Pashmina
AF-100 / LRV: 44
Pashmina pairs well with:
