Is grey paint really Mumsnet2013, and help me find the right shade

[MmeLindor]

There have been a few threads recently about the exact shade of grey paint, and I am starting to worry if it is almost passé.

We are repainting the whole house.

Living room with wooden floors (oak) and white woodwork

Hall with large light grey tiles, stairs and upstairs landing in dark grey carpet

Bathrooms same light grey tiles, taupe wetwall, mosaic tiles in grey/taupe

I'd like the same grey through much of the house, but not sure whether to go for a darker shade in some rooms, eg bedroom and the living room/dining room.

And what shade. Don't wan't a blue grey, or a yellowy grey. Modern and clean. Our painter uses Johnstone's Paint, but he can colour match from other companies.

Grey is very MN2013 but personally I've always decorated to what I like and be damned if it's on trend or not.
I'm the one who has to live with it and so if I like it that's all that matters.
I try and encourage clients to make choices the same way.

50 shades?

Oh, Mme Lindor - I sympathise.

I can only hope that we on Mumsnet are so far ahead of the trend that grey will continue to be acceptable for a while.

After all, I think it's a reaction to feature walls - now everything has to be toning shades of grey.

Deep blues (specifically indigo, particularly in Ikat patterns) have been popping up in the decor mags, but they're still falling back on the grey when they aren't doing colour features. And what are you supposed to do with indigo as a wall colour, anyway?

DH and I have gone for slightly bonkers shades downstairs (blue, green, purple etc) and so the grey we're looking at will hopefully tone down some of the madness.

Also DH keeps announcing that anything with yellow tones is like living in a bowl of custard. Unfortunately, when we moved in the whole house was painted yellow.

^ Ba Boom Tish! She's here all week folks^

Dulux dusted moss. Perfect neutral grey. And I tried a LOT!

It is very much 'now'... but it is so lovely, that I don't care!

I love all your pinterest new home ideas btw Mme

Our tastes are v similar.

And I am currently looking for the perfect grey for a West facing sittingroom/Est facing dining room... as I wasn't all that thrilled with the one I just used in my bedroom (west facing).

@BillComptonstrousers

^ Ba Boom Tish! She's here all week folks^

Sleep is for the weak....

MmeLindor are you planning on selling soon (i.e before you decorate again) or (b) are you staying put for a bit ?
If (B) do whatever makes YOU happy.

Olivia
None of that norty stuff on my thread, if you don't mind

Staying put for a while, especially since we are doing all this work. So yes, we are doing what we want. Totally. To the despair of our builders, who hate me.

Grendel
I am tempted by colour, but nervous if it woudl be too much. And yes, we are soooooooo ahead of the trends that I am hoping that we will look cool for longer

If you're tempted by colour, go for it. It honestly does give me a lift every time I go into our funkily coloured rooms.

Hardwick White, (it's grey) by F&B is a gorgeous colour as is their Light Grey; I have the latter juxtaposed with an acid yellow Cole and Son Cow Parsley paper. It may be passé, I don't know but I love it.

Dinnae fash yersel about te builder = you are the customer and YOU have to live there. He doesn't

NB was joking about that appallingly written FILTH

Olivia
Are you really ScottishMummy

I like Hardwick Grey but bit worried it might be too warm. I'd really like a cooler grey

Interesting blog post for grey fans

My current house is different grey tones varying from quite dark and striking through to white. It is stunning (if I do say so myself!) and the tonal thing gives such a nice feeling as you go through the rooms.

However, we've sold this one and are now in the look out for something else to do up. My mind is still in grey mode as it looks so nice, but I feel I need to venture into something different for my next place!!!

ooh, I am on trend looking for cool greys

That first blog was interesting as she said to warm up the cool greys with wood - think a cool grey would go really well in the living/dining room with the oak floor.

Just have to decide on the hall

Also, as the blog you linked to shows, grey is such a widely variant colour. It is really THE perfect colour for any situation!

this is my grey house

oooooooooooooooh, that is lovely.

What colour is the living room? And is the kitchen light grey or white?

That's gorgeous chunkamatic. I love the colour in the sitting room, and the room that has just one bold lime green splash. That works so well.

Thanks, feel quite proud as have done it all myself. Am not normally a show-off, promise!!

Living room is F&B Manor House grey. It's a south facing room with large windows so can take the darker shade.

The kitchen cupboards are light grey (can't remember which colour but was an Albany shade so from Brewers) and the walls are white.

manor house grey. that is gorgeous. I've been looking online at the house i'm buying. Iwant to paint the cupboards grey butnot sure if it would work because the floor is brown tiles. can i pm you the link ? it is so humble compared with your house!

noooo grey is 'in' now?? Just chosen it for new dining room and I wanted to be different!

joymachine
just noticed your post about Pinterest. It is a time stealer, isn't it?

What did you use, that you weren't happy with?

I've had grey walls since 2002. Smug. However with 3 children & 2 dogs they've been repainted 3 times. Grey is good for prints, paintings etc.

I'm from Portugal so naturally attracted to stone/wood floors, stark white walls and acres of muslin/linen curtains, BUT...

I live in Scotland and that just looks cold and sad up here.

I find that grey walls really suit the British light and it somehow makes houses look cosy and clean at the same time.

chunk I love your green chair too.