Wednesday, January 9, 2013

How to fix the "too much gray" look

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How to fix the "too much gray" look

So you fell in love with the new trendy gray, and I cannot blame you. Grays are sophisticated, versatile and work extremely well as a background to brighter colors.


Is there a downside to gray? Yes. The biggest one is this - with a few exceptions, if you overuse gray in a room, it might start to feel static, boring and even depressing. I have posted some examples of "too much gray" interiors in my previous post

So here's my best tip to avoid and remedy that depressing "gray on gray" look:

use bright color accents 

A "pop" of color can be introduced in many different ways in your decor. The brighter the color , the less of it you would need to create the same energized effect. For example, a bright green pillow will have the equivalent effect of a more muted green upholstered chair.

Here are some examples of ways to introduce color into a room:
1. Fabric - upholstered pieces (sofas, chairs), pillows, window treatments
2. Accents - flowers, lighting, vases
3. Warm toned wood pieces - tables, chairs etc.
4. Art - black and white works too
5. Plants - probably the cheapest "quick fix" to any dull room.


Rich wood pieces - even wood furniture with yellow/orange tones such as oak, pine and maple can pop out like color splashes against gray walls.


Grays can be either blue-gray green-gray, blue/green gray or purple gray. Taupe is a mix of gray and beige.
Different grays work better with different color accents:
Blue-gray and blue-green-grays - blue, green, yellow and teal accents
green gray - yellow, yellow-green and yellow orange.
Purplish gray - yellow, green, teal, red.
Taupe - gold, orange, red.


Art - no wonder why gray has been a favorite wall color in art galleries.
Art 
Grays can be either blue-gray green-gray, blue/green gray or purple gray. Taupe is a mix of gray and beige.
Different grays work better with different color accents:
Blue-gray and blue-green-grays - blue, green, yellow and teal accents
green gray - yellows, yellow-greens and yellow oranges.
Purplish gray - yellows, greens, teal


Colorful fabrics - Upholstered furniture, window treatments, pillows, all work

Blue gray walls work best with blue, green and teal accents





Colorful accents - fruit bowls, plants, vases, lighting fixtures. They all work as long as they are colorful


Art, texture and fabrics
Texture -  Notice in the picture above there are lots of interesting white shaped objects?
 The white painted wicker chair, side table and decor pieces on display, all add visual pizzaz!

Last - Have you wondered why there are so many bright colored home decor accents in stores now instead of the earth colored accents we were used to? that's because bright colors complement grays much better then earth colors (which are the perfect accompaniment to beige).
If you'd like help with color, decorating and interior design, don't hesitate to contact me for your free initial consultation.
617-584-9965
vered@veredrosendesign.com

houzz

additional reading
gray is the new beige
decorating with neutrals
what everyone should know about gray

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