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Grey Living Room Ideas: A Shade for Every Style - Mylands

19 April 2022 5 min read

Grey is a popular, classic choice for living rooms, a modern, neutral scheme, yet it's remarkably varied and versatile. Take a look at our grey living room ideas.

Our love of grey shows no sign of fading; this neutral has become a true classic, and for good reason, it's versatile, sophisticated and easy on the eye. There are countless shades of grey (far more than fifty), which means there's a hue to suit any room, large or small, and whatever your taste, Scandi, mid-century, luxe or modern, there's a grey idea for you.

How do you want your living room to feel? Calm and relaxed, glamorous and stylish, or cosy and comforting? There's a grey for all those moods and more. What makes grey so versatile is its varied undertones, giving you myriad colours to play with and accentuate when you style with grey paint. Here we share our insights into transforming your lounge with a simple, tasteful grey scheme.

Georgian drawing room with soft grey Hoxton Grey No.72 walls and white shutters — Hoxton Grey No.72 walls in a Georgian drawing room with tall windows

1. Silver grey, the sophisticated shade

Give your living room a modern makeover with silvery grey; pale in tone, it makes a room feel light and airy, and metallic silver touches or sparkling chandeliers will bounce natural light around beautifully. Silver-grey is grown-up and sophisticated, luxe and special, working well in minimalist décor as a monochrome scheme with white. Being cool, it pairs perfectly with warm colours like blush pink or rose gold, making an ideal backdrop for brighter, warmer accents. Below, Mylands' FTT-004™ silver on the walls brings lightness and shine, lifting the room with its metallic vibrance.

Art Deco sitting room with metallic FTT-004 Silver walls and a blush pink velvet armchair — Living room walls in metallic FTT-004 Silver with blush pink accents

2. Deep grey, the dark and brooding shade

For real impact, go for a deep, dark grey, intense and dramatic yet smart and elegant, a perfect backdrop for striking artwork and metallic accessories, as below, where partly white walls and woodwork with pale flooring keep it from looking drab, and fluffy textures in the furnishings add softness, a velvet sofa or soft grey carpet would suit. This modern room is super stylish and full of confidence, its brooding grey walls in Lock Keeper™ No.18, the black bookcase, fireplace and furniture heightening the drama while white and pale elements, like the throw on the footstool, provide the necessary lightness.

Loft living room with dark grey Lock Keeper No.18 walls, black bookcase and white window wall — Dark Lock Keeper No.18 walls with black bookcase, white woodwork and pale floor

3. Neutral grey, the soft and calming shade

Grey has become the modern neutral; move over cream, white and beige, soft grey is today's easy classic and a great alternative to a white living room. Soft grey walls create serenity and calm, easy on the eye and inoffensive, and lend themselves to layering, so start with your neutral and add deeper tones and textures. Here the walls wear Rose Theatre™ No.249 as the base, an interesting grey mixed with white and pastel pink for warmth, while rugs add layers of grey and texture, stylish grey furniture brings another tone plus shape, and with the black fireplace the room looks balanced and varied.

Sitting room with Rose Theatre No.249 below the dado rail and Fitzrovia No.26 above, grey rugs — Lower walls in Rose Theatre No.249 and upper walls in Fitzrovia No.26 with layered grey rugs

4. Earthy grey, the natural and comforting shade

We've mentioned greys with blue and pink hues; earthy greys have brown or green undertones, the colours found in nature, sometimes called 'greige', a neutral of grey, beige and even green. Earthy greys are richer and deeper than cool, light greys, pairing beautifully with natural elements like wood and stone that add texture. This grey, Mylands Flanders Grey™ No.110, carries olive-green tones that suit mid-century styling, warm wood furniture, with teal and orange as perfect splashes of colour; jewel-toned cushions or lampshades are a simple way to lift the neutral walls.

Mid-century living room with greige Flanders Grey No.110 walls and Maugham White No.2 woodwork — Left, Flanders Grey No.110 walls with Maugham White No.2 woodwork and mid-century furniture; right, Limestone No.55 walls with greens and golds

Cottage sitting room with Limestone No.55 walls, olive velvet sofa and brass accents — Left, Flanders Grey No.110 walls with Maugham White No.2 woodwork and mid-century furniture; right, Limestone No.55 walls with greens and golds

Alternatively, Mylands Limestone™ No.55 is a grey with yellow and brown notes and a natural feel, lending itself to bolder tones like the greens and golds here.

5. Cool grey, the natural and fresh shade

This pale grey works beautifully for a contemporary coastal style instead of the traditional blue and white, fresh, airy and light, like Scandinavian design. Coastal chic uses pale wood flooring, rattan or wooden coffee tables, soft linens and natural textures, with pale grey as a calm, simple backdrop reminiscent of beach pebbles or slightly stormy seas. For something bolder, this cool grey pairs extremely well with navy, keeping the coastal theme but with more punch, so try a navy feature wall as a focal point against cool grey for a stylish, contemporary look.

Coastal living room with pale grey Sloane Square No.92 walls and Pure White No.1 woodwork — Coastal living room with Sloane Square No.92 walls and Pure White No.1 woodwork

6. Chalky grey, the classic and simple shade

This warm grey has more depth than the cool hues, a classic grey with a little complexity that sits well against white woodwork and ceilings for balance and light; consider it on a lower section of wall, especially with panelling or a dado rail, and white above for contrast. Lighting is all-important with grey; warm light creates a perfect balance, and simply choosing the right bulb or adding a floor lamp will change the atmosphere and make the room more welcoming. After a classic, chalky grey? Mylands' Empire Grey™ No.171 is a confident yet charming choice.

Apartment salon with warm grey Empire Grey No.171 walls and floorboards painted Pure White No.1 — Chalky Empire Grey No.171 walls above floorboards painted in Pure White No.1

Stone Castle™ No.71 is a darker but equally warm grey whose brown undertones keep it from feeling crisp and cold, adding depth and interest as a contrast to a paler tone, as here.