How to Design a Modern Gray Living Room

Gray tones are renown for their subtle, calming affect on the décor of a room, and have become popular for their relative versatility as well. Whether your living room is formal or casual in function, there are several ways to naturally incorporate the color gray into its design. Here you will find how to design a modern gray living room without abandoning your preferred aesthetic.

Things You'll Need

• Gray paint samples
• Flooring samples (optional)
• Accent color paint samples

Instructions

1. Decide on a color palette for your living room, which can definitely incorporate accent colors to the predominant grays. The main goal is to find a shade of gray which appeals most to your personal tastes. This will serve as the paint color for your walls.

2. If necessary, re-evaluate the existing color of your flooring in order to achieve the most pleasing aesthetic for your gray living room. For example, it may be necessary to darken or lighten the finish of wood flooring to complement the new color of the room; the same principle holds true for carpeting as well.

3. Decide whether or not you want to utilize the living room's existing furniture within the room's new color palette. This doesn't necessarily require painting the furniture gray, but ensuring that the style (preferably understated and minimalist) will fit with the shades of gray you paint the walls.

4. If your living room is rather large, adding an accent wall in a contrasting gray tone to the other walls may lessen redundancy. This can be accomplished by choosing a complementary yet deeply contrasting gray tone (or a completely different accent shade altogether) to paint one wall with as a focal point.

5. Because darker shades of gray can make a living room relatively dark, select lighting fixtures and window treatments which will allow good amounts of both artificial and natural light to offset this effect. Bright art prints and other objects, such as vases, mirrors and flowers, will also liven up the living room.

Tips & Warnings

• Accent colors, such as crimson, dark blues and/or pale gold, will add a dramatic yet modern touch to a mostly gray living room. Any of the aforementioned accent colors can be used for draperies, throw pillows or area rugs and will not disturb the peaceful effect of the grays.

• Avoid decorating your living room in solely blacks, whites and grays if you don't want to risk the space feeling too cold or sterile.

References

• Choosing a color scheme for your space

Resources

• Tips on pairing wallpaint with carpet color
• Modern furniture and accessories for living rooms