Gray paint colours are considered both classic and modern and can help bring an elegant luxurious balance to any interior living space and give stunning curb appeal to any exterior. 
Grays are a versatile neutral paint colour that tend to blend with just about anything. From warm to cool, gray paint colours add a sophisticated look to any space.
What Are The Best Gray Paint Colours
As a neutral, whether you decide on choosing a combination of the gray with beige undertone commonly referred to as greige or going into a darker and bolder shade it will help make your space look modern, elegant and crisp, and because of its versatility it matches and pairs well with any home décor.
Over the past five years or so gray has been one of the most popular paint colours we as a professional painting company in Ottawa have seen home owners choose to paint their homes or condos. Because it tends to lend itself to blend well with dark or light hardwood flooring, modern stainless steel appliances, and creates a classic yet modern ambiance to any space.
All paint manufacturing companies have a huge wide range of gray paint colours to choose from, the key is finding the perfect shade for your space.
Here are a few of our favourites from Benjamin Moore Paints for the best gray paint colours to spruce up your home’s interior or exterior.
How To Find The Best Paint Colour
What is the “perfect paint colour” to use is a frequent question we get asked when meeting with home owners for a painting estimate. Although it can seem daunting to choose the right paint colour it really doesn’t have to be.
Get inspiration from photos on pinterest or houzz, get help from your local paint store or if you have hired expert painters they too can help provide you with ideas and suggestions to get to the perfect choice of paint colour that brings harmony to your living environment.
The Best Light and Dark Gray Paint Colours
Gray is the versatile neutral for every room which helps make it an easy choice for hallways and entrances, living and dining rooms, bathrooms, bedroom and nurseries. It is a great alternative to painting a nursery in pink or blue, as it is the perfect gender-neutral paint colour that can grow along with the child from infancy to the teenage years. Here are a few of our favourite light and dark gray paint colours from Benjamin Moore Paints along with their LRV factors to help you understand how lighting affects the paint colour.
Light Gray Paint Colours
A soft neutral gray with a hint of green makes gray owl OC-52 a modern paint colour for any room. It blends perfectly with stainless steel appliances in today’s modern kitchens, and looks very chic with deep brown colours that can be found in hardwood flooring or furniture. The LRV factor for this shade of gray is 65.77.
With an LRV – Light Reflectance Value of 59.75 Stonington Gray – HC-170 is a soft warm neutral gray that is both modern and sophisticated. It’s the perfect light gray choice for those not yet ready to go to a darker shade. 
With a light warm gray and brownish green undertones Revere Pewter HC-172 helps create a calm and comfortable cozy space. It blends well with light or dark furniture and flooring and has an LRV of 55.51 making it an easy colour to work with especially for open concept areas. 
Dark Gray Paint Colours
To quickly add drama or feel of luxury to your space, paint an accent or focal wall with Stormy Monday – 2112-50. It’s the perfect choice for those not wanting to go with a light pale shade yet not quite ready to go into a deep bold dark colour. Stormy monday has an LRV of 40.87 
Ready to take it up a notch with Steel Wool – 2121-20. It’s the perfect choice for those ready to move into a more sophisticated look with darker paint colours. Its LRV is 19.37 and creates instant drama and luxury in any room.
Kendall Charcoal – HC-166 is a deep rich gray paint colour that when paired with white painted accents such as in the trim, baseboards or crown molding creates a look and feel of elegance. It blends well with most colour schemes of home décor and although dark it is still considered to be a versatile neutral. It has an LRV of 12.96
These are just a sample of the popular paint colours we’ve seen home owners choose for their interior painting projects over the past few years. For more gray paint colour choices visit the selection at Benjamin Moore’s website, then connect with painters in Ottawa near you to schedule an estimate.
What Is LRV or Light Reflectance Value
Light Reflectance Value or LRV is the percentage of light that reflects from a surface. LRV’s range from 0 to 100 with 100 being pure white and 0 being absolute black. Reading the label on paint cans will give you this information and it help to know how the different types of lighting can affect paint colours final end result.
When you are ready to get started on a new look for your home and don’t want to do it yourself, find painters near you that can help you harmonize your home with colours. Connect with a reliable painting company in Ottawa by completing a contact form today.
This post was originally published on December 19, 2020 and updated on August 29, 2021
