50 Shades of…Yep, You Guessed it…Gray!

50 Shades of…Yep, You Guessed it…Gray!

So what does that mean, you ask.  Well, it certainly has nothing to do with any book or movie…instead it is one of the neutrals I am adding to my arsenal of paint colors.

You see, …I am going Neutral!

It started last year when I needed to pick a color to paint one of our Flip Houses.  If you follow me on this Blog, you will remember the post I wrote about picking an exterior color using various shades of gray.  See link below if you missed it.

Orange is the new black…or gray…or brown…or beige!

It turned out that it was easier picking a shade of gray for the Flip House, because I knew I didn’t have to live with it if I didn’t like it.  I chose a pretty Royal Blue for the double doors…another bold move for this gal of beige’s, browns, rusts and even pastels….(Guilty! on the very pale blue and very pale green for two of our guest bedrooms and baths in our own home…and the reason I thought I could get away with those colors was because we are coastal).  

When you look at the pics below of before and after…you might think the before is a gray…..not really true. It had more pale, pale green hues than gray. And in the shade, the color took on a blue hue.  It all depended on the sunlight hitting the house.

Below are two “Before” pictures of the greenish gray exterior with all white trim and white double doors.

And below are two “after” pictures of the new gray exterior, with a brighter white trim and a darker gray trim, plus the daring (for me) blue doors for accent.

The interior is neutral and I liked the clean and crisp contemporary lines….although contemporary is not my first choice of architectural design.  

I have remained loyal to old Spanish and Mediterranean architecture, which usually consists of the earthy tones.  

However, I do like the decorating choices when a neutral palate is the base.  This is where brighter colors can be brought in as I did with the Kitchen above.  I chose turquoise as an accent color to carry on the blueish theme from the front door. 

A few years back…the paint companies came up with a new name for certain colors of grays…they called them “greige”, which was simply a way to gently ease us away from builder beige to gray. Some have said the grays are just a fad….but I am not so sure.

My personal opinion is that neutrals will always be “in”… particularly grays. I think the days are dwindling when all the fashion and decorating magazines dictate what should and should not be the colors of our homes and clothing.  I believe inspiration comes from what surrounds us and what works for us.  A sort of simplification of our decor, so that we can perhaps be bold in accent colors that are easily changed, like throw pillows and single chairs or pictures.  It is much easier to change accent items than to repaint and buy all new furniture, when we tire of a certain look.  We change.  Our tastes change. Plus, not many of us have the resources to do a complete make-over of our homes each and every year. 

So I say all that, to say this, my friends….I am easing out of my comfort zone of the earthy colors of browns, taupes and rust and jumping right into the many shades of gray for our own home.  

So, perhaps you are saying…ok, no big deal, color everything gray and be done with it.  

Well, it is not that simple, because as I have said….the architecture of our home screams loudly of Spanish/Mediterranean!  And if I want to remain true to the original architecture, I have to watch that I don’t turn the house into French Country Provincial Farmhouse Contemporary Shabby Chic….which would be ok, except that I feel that I would have to change all the Spanish style exterior too… and I am almost positive that the Captain would not “agree” to that expense and extreme. 

So I am starting with the Hall Bathroom….it is the smallest of the 4 bathrooms and very ordinary…and it is used by our guests, because it is the closest bathroom to the kitchen and living room. I will be posting photos of before, during and after the make-over.  If you missed it and are interested, click on the below link which was the first step in the planning process…the picking out of a color(s).

Color Me Pink!

The color of this Hall Bathroom will definitely be gray….a pale gray. I want this tiny room to be soothing and calm, and I consider gray to be a cooler, peaceful color. (not that I want to encourage people to linger in the bathroom) 🙂  

I am also going to play up the white baseboards (which I changed from dark to off-white when I went pale sage green) by using beadboard as a wainscoting.  I am removing the huge frameless mirror and replacing it with a large oval mirror that I have had for years. The frame on this mirror is very dark  so I will be painting it a lighter color with chalk paint.  I am also removing the shower curtain and replacing it with a partial glass partition….not a shower glass door enclosure…you’ll have to see it to understand where I am going with the design. We are also adding a new counter-top and vessel sink and faucet.

Do you, my dear readers…have shades of gray or other neutrals in your home or do you prefer using warmer colors?  What are your thoughts on color?

More to come….Have a great Monday, and lets hope for a sunny day…. not a gray day.