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Hello dear friends – I see a rise of grey returning to the world of interiors, do you? I must admit that it comes as a bit of a shock since grey was once a huge trend and then was largely overtaken by the beige and “greige” trend (grayish beige tones) over the past few years.
I remember a time when everything coming out of Scandinavian design was black, white and grey or bright primary colors – think pure red, green, blue, yellow. Lots of floral, lots of stripes. Then, the vibe changed and we saw loads of beige and cream. I felt like it was somehow wrong to use white on the walls over the past few years. Black lovers migrated to brown. White lovers, to cream. Grey lovers to greige or beige. Pure color lovers to more muted tones of their favorite hues and even pastels became trendy, which you normally never associated with Scandinavian design in times’ past.
Pure grey is back for 2024, slowly, but surely.
Grey (or gray in American English) is a neutral, achromatic color that sits between black and white. It has no chroma (achromatic) so there is no hue. It is the color of a cloud-covered sky, stone, the lines in marble, lead, ash, and cement. Some say it’s the official color of depression. Others, elegance and calm.
Let’s look at some examples of using grey in the home that feels elevated, moody, and serene and examine how it’s done, shall we?
Mixing grey with white, black and beige definitely warms up a space. Leaving grey on it’s own can feel a bit too moody and bring in a solemn vibe. In this image above, you can see how a beige woven basket warms things up along with the patina on the magnetic pin-board above the desk.
By the way, don’t you love the peeling paint on the wall shown above?
This is one of the most beautiful characteristics of an old home, though most people are very quick to remove it and paint over, which I understand as these walls can become troublesome if left alone for too long.
However, you can create a wall by combining wax and paint – here is a YouTube video which made help you get started. Some even purchase wall paper that looks similar to the wall shown above.
Personally, I am inspired most by authenticity in people and in design, so I appreciate the crackled and chipped walls created by age – though realistically most of us have to get creative and make this effect for ourselves.
I live in northern Europe, so I must be careful with grey in my home or else it can quickly become dreary and winters feel much longer. I can get winter depression easily enough, I don’t need a grey bedroom. Yet, these bedrooms above are a good example of how to keep the mood calm with grey, and not sad or draining. What do you see as the trick to accomplishing this?
For me, the trick is keeping the windows largely uncovered to allow in as much natural light as possible.
You can always use a very minimalist blind system to allow in all of that natural light during the day. Even on grey days, it’s best to not close the curtains or have a lot of shadows in the space from the curtains – or else you can start to feel cut off from the world and become a bit of a lump. Keep the windows as free as you can – it makes a huge difference in how you feel.
If privacy is an issue, use blinds at night.
Another thing I’ve noticed about the bedrooms above, the grey is broken up with white and tones of beige and natural materials like linen, jute, pottery and wood. The naturalness of the materials creates the beauty that you see here. The rumbled bedding to the right and the striped linens to the left almost beckon you to lay down with a book and chill for a while.
I love these two images. You may think, when you see the striped throw, that’s grey and white! And when you see the kitchen, that’s beige! But look carefully.
We can see beige and grey combined in both images which create the mood we’re getting from both.
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What do you feel when you see the beach image?
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What mood is present when you look at the kitchen?
Both give me a sense of calm and the feeling of how much joy can come from simple moments that are indeed beautiful. Each image shows us how you can feel when surrounded by beauty – natural beauty at the sea, and natural materials in the home (wood, marble, brass, glass). Also, each image combines beige and grey. The sea has lovely beige sand and the grey and white striped throw. The kitchen, beige cabinets with natural marble countertops with grey veins running through it.
Another way to create warmth and cosy vibes with grey, in addition to using natural materials, is to add some green with plants and flowers. You don’t have to go over the top with an urban jungle vibe at home. Less can be more if you’re not naturally a good plant mama or you simply travel too much to give them the love they so often require to stay fresh. In these images above, you can see that even the slightest amount of green can elevate and bring life to a room. The sprouts in the bowl lend a mood. If you were to remove the flowers from the table and the greens from the bowl, you’d have a lot less of the welcoming hygge vibe that you’re currently feeling. Same goes for the left image, remove the potted tree and the cow parsley from the vase, and suddenly the character of the space changes and it almost feels like life has walked out of the room.
These images are interesting in that they are both very different, yet very effective in their use of grey in combination with natural materials and nature.
The left image feels full and I find the placement of that mirror very peculiar, don’t you? Also the bench, as it juts out into the space when the natural urge would have been to keep it aligned alone the wall.
In Interior Design, you have to be a very clever and well-trained stylist to be able to break the rules effectively like this. I find it very well executed because the goal with product photography, which this is, is to entice the viewer to look deeper into the image, to stay there. The opposite, to flip mindlessly through a catalog, is not the goal of a smart business. Add something unexpected to the spreads now and then. If every image is like this, it doesn’t work – it feels staged and silly even. Like one is trying much to hard to be cool. But in this case, the brand (House Doctor) was smart in leaving it in the pack shots for the season – and I love how it truly does make you stop as you try to figure out the reasoning behind the mirror and bench placement. 🙂
The kitchen shot to the right is also interesting – the candle adds warmth, the addition of nature as well in this dark, almost deep eggplant tone, and the shades of green in the glassware and bowls is perfection in combination with the gray cabinet.
How inviting is this scene to the left? I love the peek of the chair outside of the doorway and the greenery outside. I also enjoy the combination of the black and beige fabric chairs along with the natural herringbone wooden floors and old walls with their worn patina.
The industrial loft space to the right is also welcoming, it reminds me that open spaces can be charming and cozy with the addition of the right touches. If you remove the natural wooden glass cabinet, the wooden stool, and the rug, the room would instantly feel cooler.
I love the ceilings, walls and floors in this space to the left, it has so much character. I like the slight messy-vibe too, it’s more like how I live at home – always piles on the dining table and some imperfections around me – I love that. In the right image, you have a more modern and clean space, clean lines, metal, smooth finishes, yet the Malawi chair, adds so much warmth and makes the space feel so much more interesting in my opinion.
If you want to take a deep dive into the history and making of a Malawi chair, I wrote about them a few years ago on my Substack account, I am certain that if you’re an interiors guru like me, you’ll really enjoy this article with several examples of it being made and how it’s done. Here is the link:
Heartwarming Objects – Malawi Chairs by Holly Becker / Decor8
Sustainably made chairs by skilled artisans that fit any home or style
I hope you have enjoyed this look into GREY and how, it’s not only resurfacing here in Europe to take a seat alongside beige, but there are many clever ways to use it in a space to add a feeling of calm and elegance.
All photos are from House Doctor in Denmark – and this content was not at all sponsored, so don’t worry – no free stuff or cash was gained on my side for this post. I simply enjoy writing about design and sharing my views with all of you. Please visit House Doctor to learn more about the brand and to view their latest digital catalog.
If you are also based in Germany, like me, you can shop directly from their new collection on the House Doctor website in German – here.
(Photography: House Doctor)