Inside: Learn how to choose the perfect greige paint with these simple tricks and avoid ending up with too much pink or beige in your final color!
What is the color I used on the walls in my house?
I’ve had a lot of emails asking this and today I will answer it, but more importantly I’m going to explain how to choose the perfect greige paint for your house — cause around here the why and how is always more important than the what!
If you haven’t heard of greige, you’ve most definitely seen it.
It is like the perfect beige from the 90’s and the perfect grey got married and had a baby. Greige is my favorite neutral because it goes with everything and doesn’t make me want to hurl like most beiges do.
Now, I hope I’m not offending, but the problem with beige is that it’s really hard to pick the right one and often times people end up choosing a beige that turns out looking pinky beige, or even orange! Ya know what I mean?
My sister in law recently had this problem and it cost her big bucks cause she had to pay her painter to repaint –ugh! I helped her pick out a color the second time around and realized that there’s a definite trick to picking out a perfect greige. —Believe me, I’ve made my own pinky beige mistakes in the past, but I’ve learned to avoid them.
When we bought our house, we had it painted before we moved in, and I really honed my skill of picking the right greige. We painted almost the entire interior of our house with this neutral —so it had to be right.
And it was! —Don’t worry, I’ve since changed up the color on some walls, so my entire house isn’t greige.
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Grey is definitely a trend that doesn’t seem to be going away, but no one wants the walls of their home to feel like cement right?
The trick is to pick a warm grey which means you want a grey with some brown it it.
And what do you get when you mix brown and grey? That’s right, greige! Believe me, greige is your new best friend.
Here is what it looks like in my home:
This is my entryway. You can see that the wall color goes really well with wood tones. This space does’t get a ton of light, but the greige here doesn’t make it too dark.
Much of my home is done in grey and blue tones and the greige goes perfectly with that too. Even recently when I updated my family room and added a ton more color, the greige walls still go perfectly.
RELATED: how to make grommet top curtains from shower curtains
You can see here in our loft, which is where my kids play the most, that the greige goes with everything. There is a lot of light in this room and a ton of colors and the greige is a perfect background for everything else going on.
Convinced yet?
How to choose the right greige paint
The first step is to use the darkest hue on the swatch as your guide. This will give you an idea of the true undertones that will show up even in the lighter hues.
Let’s look at an example. The second color from the top would probably be one that a lot of people would grab as a good neutral. But look at the darkest hue on that swatch. There’s a lot of red in that brown. And so as the hue gets lighter, there will be red or orange undertones. You don’t want that.
You with me? Let’s keep going…
Again using the darker colors on the swatch, look at number 1. Lots of red in that chocolate, no good.
In number 2, you can see a lot of grey, but you know there’s still a ton of brown in it by looking one color down. That’s good!
Then number 3 is somewhere between the two with definitely more brown, but still with some grey in it. So this would be a good option for someone who wants to go a little more brown.
Here’s a closer look at number 2. The darkest hue definitely looks very chocolate brown, but if you look up one hue, you can see the grey tones. Then if you go all the way up toward the top you will find a shade that would be suitable for your walls. I typically go one or two down from the top for my main living spaces.
And that is the trick!
There are a ton of shades of grey and they can all work, you just need to know what you’re going for. By the way, you’ll probably want to read this post too: 12 Go To Neutral Paint Colors. It’s got examples and more explanation of this trick.
If you see green in the darkest hues, you’ll have a hint of green in your lighter shades too. Same goes for blue.
One more tidbit of info.
The color used in my home is Requisite Gray by Sherwin Williams.
If you don’t have a Sherwin Williams near you, your local hardware store can typically do a color match. I do this a lot at Home Depot. Just tell ’em the brand and color and often they can look up the formula and mix it for you.
So with that, the greiges that I find to be a great starting point are Mindful Grey and Requisite Grey by Sherwin Williams but you’ll want to test out samples on your walls since the lighting in every home is different.
Don’t forget to Pin before you go by hovering over any image!
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HOW TO CHOOSE NEUTRAL PAINT COLORS
8 TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAINT COLOR
CREATE A WHOLE HOME COLOR PALETTE
Great tips Corey! Do you have any wall color suggestions to contrast SW Repose Gray kitchen cabinets ?
Hey Shells, thanks for your message! Since I can’t see your home in person, I no longer make color recommendations. I’m hoping you’ve already found my interior color resource page and downloaded the how to choose color guide. I’m also creating an interest list for my color scheme workshop; sign up for it here. Best wishes!
Hi! Love your blog! I currently have kitchen cabinets in Zurich white with Pure White trim in the rest of the home. I’m trying to find a perfect super light (almost white) greige that will go well in the kitchen and pop against the pure white for the whole house. Any suggestions at all?
Hey Diane, thanks for your message! Since I can’t see your home in person, I no longer make color recommendations. I’m hoping you’ve already found my interior color resource page and downloaded the how to choose color guide. I’m also creating an interest list for my color scheme workshop; sign up for it here. Best wishes!
Any thoughts on SW Gracious Greige? Love the Requisite Gray on your walls, but the swatch looks really dark. Gracious Greige seems a little lighter, but I’m not finding too many images of this color anywhere.
Hey Deb! The best solution is for you to buy a few small test paint samples, paint a swath or two on the wall, and then compare it over time and in various lights. That will give you a good idea of how Gracious Greige will look in your home without committing to a big paint job!
I’ve got a yellow kitchen with a open floor plan. The living & dining rooms are painted a dark taupe ( including the ceiling). The kitchen had distressed antique white and pecan colored cabinets and island. The trim is beautiful and elaborate but, a creamy off white. I dislike the color of the trim but, painting isnt an option. I absolutely love gray and want to paint the yellow kitchen gray but, the backsplash tile is a mixture of tan, sandy and copper colors. Please help. I’ve already painted two bedrooms I’m a gray paint that turned lavender so, I’m especially gun shy with the gray paint. Thinking accessible beige maybe?
You need to be careful, Robin, when choosing a grey to make sure it doesn’t have any blue in the base color or you’ll end up with lavender. 🙁 For your kitchen you may want to go with a warm grey (one with a little bit of brown in the undertone) so it will go with the existing colors without being a total contrast (too cold.) Best wishes!
I’m redoing the bathroom.
what color to paint walls in small bathroom with white tub and surround plus the stool is white, too. The flooring is dark simulating wood floor, the flooring could be changed yet. I just want to warm all that white up or should it be cooled down. I don’t know what to do.
Hey Sally Ann, This post has great tips for choosing the right paint color that should help you narrow your choices and reduce the overwhelm. Best wishes!
Hello. I am a disaster when it comes to picking out paint and decorating and always frustrated with my choices. We have a split level ranch and the room that I am having difficulty in putting together is our lower level. It has only two small windows side by side and then the big glass door that goes out to the backyard. It is my husband’s mancave/ my office. We have a light gray bluish stone fireplace that makes picking out colors difficult. We don’t want blue paint and currently we have a chocolate brown in it. So it makes the room incredible dark. When I picked out the paint, the brown looked lighter on the card. We are looking for much lighter colors to go with the fireplace and our brown leather furniture, and dark furniture. Thank you for any help and advice you can give.
Hi Sharon, I’ve definitely had my share of color disasters too! These are my best tips for choosing the right paint color While I can’t recommend a specific color since I can’t see your home in person, I do recommend using paint testers so you can “test drive” various shades before making a commitment! Best of luck!
Question, so my kitchen and my family room are one big room. My kitchen cabinets are a buttery cream with some brown glaze in the cracks and nooks and crannies, back splash is tan and cream and brownish tiles and counter top has creams and tan and brown but some grey in it. I’m thinking of doing one of the Sherwinn Williams colors of greige you listed and circled as best greige. I’m going to do a buttery white on the ceiling. Do you think that will go with my cabinets
Hey April, it’s really hard to say since I can’t see your kitchen in person and even in photos the colors might not be true. I would get a small sample of that paint from your local paint store, apply a few strokes to the ceiling and leave it for a week. Look at it in all kinds of light and see how you like it. Cuz you’re the one that has to be happy!
Do you paint the ceiling the same as the walls or a shade lighter?
Hey Liz! I think the best answer is “it depends”! See this article for advice on what color to paint a ceiling.
Out of all of the blog posts and articles on this topic yours is by far the most helpful. Read quite a few trying to figure it out and wish I found this first…thanks! I couldn’t figure out why the colors I liked looked crappy when lightened up now it makes sense. Going with essential or requisite gray. Entryway photo is great example of accents btw.
Thanks for stopping by Trevor! So glad you found it helpful.
Hi there. Your blog has really helped in searching and picking paint colors! I have a huge, lofted area to paint. I was thinking of doing two color of the same family. Do you feel like the requisite gray and it’s next color up, functional gray (and same with mindful gray and Dorian gray) are too close in color? Would you suggest going one color up/down from your original recommendations for doing two different tones?
Thanks!
Hey Sarah! I do think that moving up or down just one shade my not be enough contrast. In order for it to look intentional and not like a mistake, I’d go up or down 2 hues. Best wishes!
Thanks for the tips Corey! We are currently revamping our living room. Did a Boral Ledgestone stone fireplace that has lots of greys, browns and taupes in it… Had the painter do the walls in Revere Pewter and it’s a disaster. I have to start over:( The walls took on a green hue…… I’m so overwhelmed… I need a greige that has brown undertones. Suggestions?
Hi Allie, Requisite gray by Sherwin Williams has brown undertones and may be what you’re looking for!
What about for a North East facing hallway that doesn’t get much natural light. I was advised to go with a beige with orange undertones to counteract the blue natural light. As every grey shade I choose just looks purple on my walls. Can you help me please?
Hi Hayley, I wouldn’t go with orange as an undertone but a brown undertone will still downplay the blue light without creating yellow light. Hope this helps!
Hi Corey!!
I just ran across your site and am so glad I did! I am getting ready to paint our living room and kitchen (they are joined together) and would like to do them in gray, but wasn’t sure which shade to use. We remodeled 15 years ago (no joke) and still can’t seem to get the look I want. Interestingly, we recently painted the exterior of our home in SW Dorian Gray which is 1 shade away from one of the shades you suggest (Mindful Gray). I see you live in San Diego, me too! Do you make house calls? I feel like we both have the same style and I REALLY need help. Thanks so much!
Hey there Lynn! I do occasional consult work in the area. You can email me directly at [email protected] and we can discuss a bit further.
But for now I think Mindful Grey or a shade lighter in a kitchen would be fantastic especially since you already know you like those undertones in general. But a lot will depend on your cabinet color, floor color, backsplash and what colors you want to bring out/ style and feel you’re going for.
Hi Corey!
Just moved and I’m wanting to give my crazy kitchen a quick makeover. The cabinets are burgundy/red, the granite a busy grey/white and I’ve got grey/orange/reddish stone on my walls. It all has to go. After a day of looking at samples, I came home with Requisite Grey! Just sat down to think about a wall color and found your article! Any suggestions? I’m thinking of doing the stone and walls the same color. I also really like Benjamin Moore Stone Harbour. I’ve already painted the stone white but it’s just too stark. Kind of lost, other than I’m loving the Requisite Grey.
Cheryl
in search of the perfect greige, i just found your blog. oh happy day! i love your style. please please tell me you still know the name of the fabrics in your living room picture…one is a medallion-patterned valance and the other, a striped grommet panel. i am utterly hopeless when it comes to window treatments and i only know what i like when i see it. i just saw it, lol. thanks in advance!
Hi Amy! The valence and the grommet panel were both shower curtains from West Elm! They are no longer in stock but fabric curtains are a great resource to make your own and there’s a tutorial for the faux roman shade on the blog. Glad you’re finding inspiration here!
Hello,
these are amazing ideas & tips
thanks for sharing
Thanks so much Nisha! Glad you found inspiration here.
Hello Cory
Just found your tips re paint thank you for sharing! I will be going to get my paint swatches today. Can you please tell me the name of the brown shades. I live in Scotland so I am hoping I can get the same. I have a very large kitchen/family room. The kitchen units are sable brown and others are antique white. I know that may sound yuk but it’s a new kitchen and it looks amazing well we love it. Do you think greige will work ?
Hey Angela, I think greige will look amazing with this color scheme. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by brown shades, but the greige you see in my home is Requisite Gray by Sherwin Williams.
Hi Corey – we are considering Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige for greige color. Would you classify it as greige, or is it really a beige. We want to be careful and not get too much brown. We started with the darkest hue in the fan deck, which seemed similar to the Requisite Gray, but with a little more beige. What do you think?
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Corey…Do you think Requisite Gray would look nice with a coffee colored sofa, chair and ottoman set (not too brown, but darker than camel). I liked your pictures of your home using the Requisite Gray. We are moving into a town home with lots of light. Our new furniture is medium wood on top and off-white legs. dining room set is a pub set, which is off-white with a dark wood top. I think the off-white is kind of like a greige white. I was originally thinking a warm gray would look good on the walls since I have the off-white furniture and wood tops. Can you help me decide?
Hi Steve, I would classify that one as a true beige because the darkest hue is a true chocolate brown. A greige has a little bit of black in that darkest hue. It is still a really nice beige because it does not have a lot of orange in it so you shouldn’t get that pink undertone that should be avoided. However if you have a lot of orange tones in your home (like oak) it may bring that out in this color. Hope this helps!
I’m definitely challenged when it comes to seeing subtle differences in similar colors. We are about to start building a house and I’ve already chosen white cabinets (the white is similar to Sherwin Williams Greek Villa and Pure White) and Viscon White granite for the kitchen which is in an open space with the dining room and great room. The floor will be vinyl plank in a medium oak shade. I’ve looked at Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray, Requisite Gray, Anew Gray, Mindful Gray, and Versatile Gray. I want to be able to use some of my current accessories that are similar to Sherwin Williams Artichoke (6179), Oakmoss (6180), Stolen Kiss (7586), Salute (7582), and Wild Currant (7583). Which gray would you suggest? And should my trim match the white cabinets or would you suggest another shade?
Please help! Thanks!
Hiya! I am from India, and of course we dont have Sherwin Williams here. Can you please tell me which color you would have chosen to closely approximate the colors you suggested?
Hi Cvan, We can’t give exact color advice but using the tips on looking for undertones should lead you to your perfect color in whatever brand you choose.
Thanks for this post. Would the same color tips apply to furniture. I can’t change the walls or floors. My living room is very beige. Darker floor, tan walls, dark brown blinds. I’d like to start going grey by purchasing a grey sofa but I’m nervous about getting the right shade. I’d love any tips you may have.
Unfortunately I can’t give you specific color advice since I can’t see the colors that will go with it in person, but I did offer a bunch of go to neutrals that have various undertones in this post. And I’ve got great news for you – you can sign up for my brand new free mini decor course, and the first lesson gives that much needed clarity about color! Clickhere to get three free lessons delivered to your inbox. Best wishes!
Hi. I am looking for a warm neutral that will complement a medium olive green wall and golden oak floors. I’m looking at SW Stucco or BM Manchester Tan. It appears that greige colors look more gray when you put them by warm colors. My living room is north facing, so that’s why I’m looking for a beige with gray and not a gray with beige. Are these good choices? Accessible Beige looked really gray and dingy. No warmth at all. Any opinions? Thanks.
Unfortunately I can’t give you specific color advice since I can’t see the colors that will go with it in person, but I did offer a bunch of go to neutrals that have various undertones in this post. And I’ve got great news for you – you can sign up for my brand new free mini decor course, and the first lesson gives that much needed clarity about color! Click here to get three free lessons delivered to your inbox. Best wishes!
Hi! I doubt you’ll answer this – but what if your furnishings and tile are really in the brown/beige family? Can you still do a greige?
I think brown/beige furnishings and greige CAN work and look awesome, but to be sure it fits in your particular home, I suggest you buy paint samples first. Paint a few brush strokes on the walls (or on boards if you prefer) and look at them at different times of day, under different lighting. Doing samples first lets you see how everything looks together and gives you a better chance at getting it right. Hope this helps, Kristen! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Corey,
Thanks for your informative post. My husband and I are currently in an apartment with beige carpeting, and dark cherry wood furniture. We have maroon/gold-ish curtains that happen to go very well with the carpet and furniture, but here’s the thing… We bought a house that needs painting, and I’m so intrigued by gray. I’m sick of boring white walls, and really like what can be done with gray, but I fear that our furniture and curtains will not go well with gray or greige. I’d rather not do beige walls, but it seems like that might be the route for keeping our current decor…
Any ideas?
Thank you Corey for a VERY informative post. I really learned a lot. Can you please tell me what color you used for trim?
Thank you so much for the article!
We just bought rental house that needs lots of remodeling and our biggest struggle is with color choices for walls/ trims/ floors/ cabinets. It’s very tricky for an average person w/o designer skills.
Your advise is invaluable. Many, many thanks!
I love the benjamin moore revere pewter.I am unable to pick a similar colour.would anyone know of a similar shade.
I’m thinking of painting my kitchen cupboards one of the greige shades, perhaps Falls Creek, med-large kitchen. Would this be a nice warm shade without being too dark?
Hey Joyce, Unfortunately I can’t give you specific color advice since I can’t see the colors that will go with it in person, but you can sign up for my free mini decor course, and the first lesson gives that much needed clarity about color! Click here to get three free lessons delivered to your inbox. Best wishes!
What color greige did you use? I find your advise very helpful!
It’s Sherwin Williams Requisite Gray. If you don’t have a Sherwin Williams near you you can have the color mixed at Home Depot. Just tell them the brand and the name. You can find the names of all the paints I use in my home in this post.
Great post. We have honey oak woodwork and cabinets. Do you think I could try the same griege that you used in your home?
Thanks for the great tutorial on how to find the perfect greige. Very helpful!!!!!
Great post! Just bought a house and this is helpful! Change of subject: where did you get your table and your hutch. I like the mid century look. :).
Hi Jamie. Can you tell me which table and hutch you are referring to? My dining table? And the credenza in my entry?
Would you use the technical on exterior color schemes too?
Yes I would Tanna.
I just wanted to let you know that I found this to be very helpful. It’s a principle that I am sure would apply to all colours of paint!
It absolutely will apply to other colors too Rachel! So glad you found it helpful 🙂
Do you have suggestions for a perfect greige from PPG? My husband wants to use that brand.
This is more of a question than a comment; oh wait, I should actually say that this post was very helpful, especially as today was the first time I’ve ever heard of the color Griege. I was looking for advice on updating a 13y/o bedroom set as well as my master bedroom and it was suggested I use Griege as it would be a neutral color choice and I’d have more options when accessorizing. I really like your suggestions for starting points (Mindful Grey & Requisite Grey) and was wondering if these would be good colors for my bedroom set with a darker color for the walls or vice versa? Also, do you usually paint your trim to match the wall color or do you paint it white as my mother always taught me? — Thank you in advance.
I think these lighter shades of greige would be great on furniture with a darker or lighter wall color! And I prefer to paint my trim white so that it pops and gives contrast against the wall color (like my mom taught me too 🙂 Good luck with your room refresh! Sounds like it is going to be wonderful.
This is so helpful… I am looking for a Greige for my son’s room right now!
That was really helpful. Thank you.
Great post… Just bought my first pad and was super excited then became overwhelmed by all the colors I wanted!
Wondering how I can tie in this griege with a masculine feel? Any suggestions?
Everything is greige now. Grey with beige used to be called taupe. Whatever it’s called, it’s a great color.
Agreed Cathy! It is my fave and so many fun colors go with it so it never gets boring. Thanks for stopping by!
Is “greige” the same as taupe (which I always thought was a cross between tan and gray)? I want to paint my living room a neutral gray/tan color and wonder if a shade of greige would work for me. Thanks!
This was so helpful – thank you! I Googled “requisite grey” and found many photos – it’s gorgeous and takes on a different look depending on lighting, surrounding colors, etc. Definitely a winner! Would you mind sharing information on the shade/color of white that you pair with it?
Hi Gerri. I use mostly bright white in gloss on my trim because I love the modern contrast it gives.
Love this. I’m thinking of painting my dining room in a lighter gray – doesn’t get much light. However, my living room is painted a sort of old gold color called tobacco. You can see a wall of the dining room from the living room – will it work to paint the dining room gray of look weird?
Repose gray from Shewin Williams was mixed at another store in a different paint brand, FYI. I’d recommend Repose Gray with white trim, as we have just painted our entry, living room and hallways with it — soothing and beautiful!
Help is needed, though, in choosing a brown paint for the floors with the repose gray and white trim, jade/verdigre drapes and accessories, bronze hardware, … the darkest possible, I think; so if anyone can help recommend acolor, I’d love it! I have to paint it, rather than refinish the wood with stain (lots of damage to the wood required wood filler – ugh)… do you have any ideas?
I would find a wood floor sample that you like, Jane, and have the paint store color match it to point you in the right direction of a paint color for the floor. Hope this helps!
What font is used for “GREIGE” in the 2nd to last photo? Love your blog!
Never heard that tip about looking at the darker colors, but that totally makes sense! Thank you!!
Hi Corey, I have a problem with the paint I used. Because it’s open concept house a lot of light. some of my walls look like a greige more on the beige which I like. now the family room which is facing the north looks grey. I have one wall that starts from the front of my house which is facing south and goes all the way to the back which is facing north. So……. that wall changes colours all the way down. Help I don’t know what to do.
Hi Tammy.I’m not sure I quite understand. Some walls are looking greige, but you want beige? Most of my walls are painted the same greige color (Requisite grey) which looks a little different from wall to wall because of the lighting in each room, but I like the different tones. My best advice is to find a color that you like in the different lighting (put test squares on each part of the wall,) or go with a completely different color for that wall. Maybe more of a statement color. Hopefully I’m understanding, but please feel free to reply back if I’m missing some info.
What finish did you use in the Requisite grey?
Hi Ashley. I used eggshell cause I have kids and it holds up great and is easy to wipe clean.
What color white did you use for your baseboards with the Requisite Gray walls?
I used bright white in a semi gloss.
I love your post! Did you use the requisite gray in the room with the blue and white striped curtains? That is exactly the color i want, it would be great to have the name of the paint!
Thanks!
Yep! That is the requisite grey!
Oh my gosh! THANK YOU! I have been looking for something like this to help me. We just moved and the kitchen has gray quartz countertops and a (mostly) gray mosaic backsplash. I think gray would look great with this, but find that I gravitate towards more warm/brownish color palettes, so I have been looking for something that would compliment the kitchen, but also work well with our brown baseboards. This is SUPER helpful! (Now I just have to figure out which whites look best!).
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Hi! What is the color grey you used in your entryway? Thanks
Hi Magen. It is Requisite Gray by Sherwin Williams.
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Hi. I painted my living room Misty(Sw). I love it. I painted my coffee table Naval(SW). Love it. I do not know what do with my kitchen which is right next to the living room. My cabinets NEED to be painted too. What color do I use for walls and cabinets? Please help.
If you are painting your cabinets, white or a slight off white always looks fresh. Since you have added some beautiful colors, I think adding in some neutral walls would work really well. I listed some go to neutrals to get you started in this post.
Our walls run continuously from Living Room to Family Room. The Dining Room is offset from these two rooms by a large entryway with mirrors on the wall looking back into the Living Room. In addition the main floor goes straight up the stairs and into the second floor hallway. That’s a lot of greige. Should we have different levels of greige in the rooms based on light, furniture, floor covering or stick with one color throughout? One more bit of information: the Family Room is flooded by light, the Living Room less so without sunlight and lamps. The Dining Room receives more light mainly because of the ceiling light and moreso with an open window. I didn’t mention the Kitchen which is a Galley design and flows straight back from the Dining Room. It is the darkest room without ceiling lights but there are seven receding lights in the ceiling. By the way, except for the Kitchen, everything is your favorite beige. You would gag if you came into our home.
I hope you can help me. I have to paint my exterior and am having trouble picking a color. Our existing colors are a barfy dark khaki, medium brown accent shingles, white trim and a burgundyish shutters and door.
We wanted to paint the shingles rather than the existing stain for less maintenance and my husband really likes the idea of a red door.
We have as SW color book, and thought we settled on the Artistic Taupe for the siding, but when we picked up the sample, it looked totally pink! So now back to square one.
The next door neighbor just painted their house in a bluish grey. So that’s out.
I’m debating on Perfect Greige or Truly Taupe, and just doing the shingles that are on the upper and lower part of the house the same color, rather than accent. But what colors go with it?? I’m lost and freaking out since we have to get this done like yesterday!! Is there any reddish color that goes with it? Or stick with blue or green or brown shutters? Can you help me!? Thanks so much! 🙂
Thank you Corey,for clear explanations.
Finally I know how to deal with it :).
You helped me a lot.
Hello from Poland.
I love greige. It is perfect with blue and white. I have seen it in combination with light green, too. I am so happy that I found your article. I am going to show it to my husband. We are in the middle of renovation so I think that will be the perfect color for the living room. Thank you for sharing this article. Greetings!
Good tips! Thanks! Where did you get your grey couch?
Hi Danielle. I got my couch at a knock off furniture store here in San Diego. I’ve been able to find one in the industrial areas in many cities that I’ve lived in so you may want to ask around.
Great tips. Thank you. Where did yòu get the gorgeous striped drapes?
Love this post! I am starting to finally get the courage to paint my walls and I really like greys so this post is super helpful. Where did you get those cute blue and white striped curtains?!
Hi Katelyn. Glad you found the post helpful to go for it! The curtains are another easy DIY project. You can find them right here.
Hi!
Thanks for the fantastic information.
I am hoping to have our house exterior rendered and was wondering if the same colour choice principal would be applied to the outside colour selection? We are hoping to have our roof painted charcoal and I was hoping to select the right greige paint to complement it. Would you happen to know of any greige colours suitable? We have not decided to paint our French window trims white or charcoal? I guess it depends on the greige!!!!! I would love to hear your ideas. Thanks.
Unfortunately I can’t give you specific color advice since I can’t see the colors that will go with it in person, but I did offer a bunch of go to neutrals that have various undertones in this post.
Thank you! The previous owners painted our house seven different shades of beige. Most of them orange. Gag.
We’re in the process of repainting and this is so helpful! Thanks!
Corey, I’m wanting to paint our kitchen a greige color but don’t know really what to choose. I have stainless steel appliances and have gray in our countertops. So would gray on the walls be to much. I was leaning towards Mega Greige. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Dianna. I don’t think grey on the walls would be too much as long as it is a different hue (shade.) I have grey walls, and grey counter tops too. Remember you are created a backdrop to then add texture and color to in other ways.
I love the colors of your home…I need a “greige” for the general living space of my home, but also wanted to get a coordinating soft blue for my adjoining kitchen. Any suggestion, I’m horrible with at this, (I’m going to copy your greige choice, love it!)
what is the color in your entryway. Thank you so much for the tips. We are doing new construction and it can be overwhelming.
Hi Sandi. The greige I used is Requisite gray by Sherwin Williams.
Hello again!
I called Home Depot to see if they could match the SW Requisite Grey paint. He said it wasn’t coming up in their system, and I’d need to get a swatch from SW and bring it to HD. I’m concerned that the swatch may not be the exact same color. How did you get Home Depot to match the SW paint? Was it just with a swatch from SW?
Thank you!
Hi Karen. I took the swatch in but they didn’t scan it. They just put it into the computer. You should just go in there. They may have misspelled it wrong or something. I think SW spells grey “gray” which may make a difference.
Hi, I am also painting my living room in SW Perfect Greige. I’ve been looking everywhere for the same blue and white striped curtains you have though! Where did you get them? Thanks!
Caitlin
Hi Caitlin. I actually made them. You can see exactly how in this post.
You explained everything so well. Looking at the darker color is so important.Here are two of my favorite painting tips. I painted a small room yellow. The sunny yellows seem to turn greenish on you , and the yellow is twice as bright in a small space. Choosing a yellow with a orangey base ,and going a couple of shades lighter than the shade i liked, came out just right. Tip 2. paint the ceiling two shades lighter than the wall color and it will make the room taller feeling.
Great tips Denise! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for responding! One more question, on your trim do you just a basic bright white and what finish? Thanks!
Yes I use bright white and I ususally use gloss. Makes them super cleanable and fresh looking.
Hi! I love this post. I was wondering in case I missed it somewhere…..what finish do you use? Flat, Eggshell, Satin etc?
Hi Amber! I typically use an eggshell (something with barley a sheen to it) so that I can wipe up any scuffs. I have two small kids so that is a must. I love the look of flat paint, but it just isn’t suitable for family life 🙂 You will want more sheen in a bathroom or kitchen. Thanks for stopping by!
[…] wants the walls of their home to feel like cement right?” lifestyle writer Corey explains on her blog. “So the trick is to pick a warm grey which means you want a grey with some brown it […]
I too found your explanation of paint chips very insightful! So your entryway, loft and living room are all Requisite Grey?? I’ve been a taupe/tan fan but am ready to make the move to Greige!!!
Hi Deanne. Yes. All of the greige walls in my home are Requisite Grey. Greige is awesome. You are going to love it!
I’ve never looked at paint chips like this before. Thank you for sharing your insights into choosing the perfect Griege for my space.
You are very welcome Sharon. I’m so glad you found it helpful!
Thanks so much for the great info. It will really help since I just purchased a dark grey sofa and have never decorated with greys. Every wall in my house has always been beige taupe or kahki. At least now I have a starting point. Love your walls!
[…] to blend brown and grey? Enter the greige movement. I had never heard that word until I read THIS article by Tiny Sidekick. What great tips she has! She really did her research, which really […]
Thanks for the great info on choosing the right color hue. I am having issues with a bathroom and
need a pop of color but not too much on my cabinets. The countertop is a gorgeous white iceberg quartzite. I need a grey to make it pop. I saw Dura Supreme Zinc color that looks luminous so hope
Sherwin Williams can create a match for it since SW paints the cabinets. My problem is the walls
but once I see the cabinet sample I will want a cream on the walls. Do you have a blog on wonderful
creams? This is a north bathroom.
Thanks.
Hi Fran! I don’t have a post on creams, but the same rules will apply. Be sure to look at the darkest color on the sample. If you want a lot of yellow this is where it will show up, but if you want more mocha you will want to have a brown undertone. Let me know if that doesn’t make sense.
These are great tips, thanks so much. Looking for a perfect shade of pale grey to pair with off white panelling in my son’s bedroom so this was really useful today! Love the colours in your home☺️
Thank you so much for posting these helpful tips. I have made so many bad paint color choices over the years that choosing a paint color now absolutely makes me ill. After reading this, I think I’ll breathe a little easier when choosing future paint colors!
I’m so glad you found this helpful Susie!
Thank you for giving me the word to use when describing my favorite color! This post was very helpful for choosing the perfect color for my first DIY project for my new blog.
Hi Kerry! I’m so glad it was helpful. Off to check out your spot on the internet!
Thank you for looking! I know its brand new but I would love to know what you think of it!
[…] Valspar’s Smoked Oyster, which is a warm beigey-grey (this choice was inspired by “How to Choose the Perfect Greige Paint” by Tiny […]
Hi! I just found your blog through Pinterest. I wish I found it about a month ago when our new place was painted. After much deliberation, we were sure we had found our perfect greige. Sadly there is a lot of blue in it. Not the colour we wanted. I’ve made a change in the direction we wanted to take our decor and I’m relatively happy with it, but still.. there is blue. I’m happy to be here now for further endeavours. Thanks!
Hi Cathy. Sorry to hear you aren’t perfectly happy with you color, but it sounds like you are working with it. I’m happy that you found the post helpful for the future and I’m certainly glad you are here too! Hope you are having a great week!
I’ve had strange luck with color matching. A sage-y gray green turned turquoise-y on the walls (despite large samples painted there for almost a year, to be seen in every light.
I’m currently sitting here staring at a pink “natural” I had color matched at BM. No, the swatch and giant sample, again for over a year, didn’t turn pinky, either. I hate pink — or worst yet, flesh-toned colors.
I have found when I get my butt to the actual paint store and have them do their own paints, I have better luck. Why? If I knew that answer, I’d be making blog posts. Needless to say I’m going to repaint, but when you do everything you’re supposed to do to find the right color, it’s frustrating.
I have also found if I ask the paint people what amount of red (or blue) is in the mix, I can determine if it’s actually going to pink or turquoise itself on my walls.
>>Much of my home is done in grey and blue tones and the greige goes perfectly with that too.<<
I laughed out loud on this one. Do you realize almost your entire blog is done in the gray, blue and some chartreuse colors? Every project pic, every link, every staged photo? It's all very soothing, because there isn't a great deal of contrast to jar the eye with the things you post.
Nicely done projects. Thanks for sharing the paint chip thing. Now if I could just get those individual squares into a chip book….
Hi Christine. Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. Paint can be really tricky. The other thing to consider is the surface. Sometimes it absorbs differently and that can change the color. Anyway, I hear your frustration. I do agree that it is always best to buy the color you want directly from the brand that makes it. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you found the info helpful. Let me know if you have any questions. And yes I realize I definitely have a color scheme that flows through my home. What can I say…I’m drawn to those colors. 🙂
Very helpful! Can you tell me what color you used for your baseboards and trim to go along with the greige walls?
Hi Kara. I used Behr Ultra Bright White. Some say you should go a little off white, but I like bright white. I used semi-gloss for the trim too so that it made it really easy to clean.
Thanks! I was considering Dover White by Sherwin Williams, but I’m definitely going to check out the Bher Ultra Bright White. Glad you mentioned the semi-gloss…I was curious about that too. 🙂
I wish I could post a picture to show you what I’m covering up. The previous owner had the dining room walls painted in huge multi-colored textured swirls (deep reds, golds, and browns) with dark brown painted trim and window sills. I’ve sanded the walls smooth and applied 3 coats of primer. Now it’s time for neutral color! My next project will be the living room, which is textured with a mix of reds, tans, and yellow and makes me think of an Italian villa.
Oh my goodness, that sounds like so much work. Typically the things that are that hard to cover up make for the most drastic and amazing changes. Excited to hear how it comes out so keep me posted!
thanks for Sharing this jumping off point. I’m in a new house that’s painted beige and I dont know where to start. There are hardwood floors in bedrooms, (and some wood paneled walls), a grey- blue tint fireplace, white/grayish/ blue/purple carpet. Hand me down, varied colored furniture: green, brown, maroon. Husband and I lean toward warm colors. Do you have any suggestions? 🙂 thanks again for the tips.
How would this look with oak trim? My house is all oak trim and cabinets on lower level and white trim upstairs in bed rooms.
I think that greige is the perfect way to update a space with a lot of wood tones. You will want to take the undertones of your wood into consideration and there are a few ways to do that. I talk more in depth about that in this post. Pretty much you will want to decide if you are going to have contrast or not. I have some visuals for you in that post too that should help, but let me know if you still have questions! I think if I had oak trim, I would go with a light shade of greige with a brown base and then have the contrast be in my accessories.
Great Advice, now how do you pick a complimentary “white” trim/base/door color to go with it?
Ahhhh…. great question Kami. I just recently wrote a follow up post that will walk you through choosing colors for your entire home and the white trim color is one of the colors I have you think about. You can find it in this post (How to Create a Whole Home Color Palette.) Of course if you still have questions, I’m just an email away. Have a great weekend!
Can you give any additional tips on painting greige in a room that has only one large sliding glass door facing NW? The undertones make me change my mind on the color depending on the amount of light that shines in the room, which is usually quite dim/ indirect.
Hi Dawn! Great question. I think that going a bit cooler (more blue/ grey than brown will help bounce light around the room a bit more. But really, I think that it might be a good idea to choose 3 shades/ colors and paint a 2×2 square on the various walls in the room with each sample and see how you like them as the light hits them throughout the day. I think that this post and this post may help you even more if you haven’t already read them. Of course I’m just an email away if you still have more questions.
May I ask where you found your curtains? I would love to find something similar to both curtains in your living room. Thank you!
Hi Kimberly! I actually made them from shower curtains. They are really quite easy to make. You can see the full tutorial right here. http://www.heytherehome.com/diy-grommet-top-curtains/
Hello Corey,
I LOVE your whole house color scheme. I came across your website and another at the same time as I am wanting to repaint my entire house. I have learned so much but I have 3 colors I want to use and I am curious if you could help me pick some to go with them? I am modern and want a analogous color scheme with blues, greens and everything in between! I LOVE SW Passive and it was the ONLY grey that worked in my house (just painted master bedroom) probably due to all the warm yellow/orange undertones in my natural maple cabinets and floors. I want to use SW Nebulous White as my default neutral for all my main areas which have continuos walls (Living, Kitchen, Dining and Family) and I am using SW Extra White for all trim. I am wanting a bold blue, a green and accent colors of either a teal or aqua and maybe a yellow too? Also what is your kitchen countertop and those beautiful grey wooden floors?
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!
Woke up recently and realized all the updating I need to do in our home.
Your blog will help.
It’s fairly overwhelming, yes.
You are welcome! So happy that you are here 🙂
my first chance with gray was in the bathroom; and I tried three times with trial samples before iI got it figured out. it is a challenge, thanks for sharing
Corey, HELP. When we painted our kitchen we fell in love with a “designer paint color” . After we began painting, we realized that we didn’t have enough. When we went back to the shop we were told that it had been discontinued. We did wind up having the color matched @ Home Depot. The problem, the original paint is oil based. We’ve been told that we can paint oil over latex but not latex over oil. Well it’s time to paint again, if not touch up. Do we strip first, if so, what’s the best method as there are SO many layers of paint.(original custom cabinets in house built in 1945) or do we find another compatible paint? You’re advise would be greatly appreciated.
Your article is very helpful. The level of detail you provide in all of your topics is what makes your articles stand out. I don’t have a painting project at the moment, but I will definitely come back to your website to review your details before I select my color.
Since I subscribed a couple of weeks ago I want to tell you I am hooked on your site. The projects and articles you do are always an interesting read. They inspire. Thank you, You do a great job.
Thank you so much for this. It seriously made my day! Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself, so it sure is wonderful to know that what I’m sharing is helping! Thank you, thank you!
Thanks for the advice on greige! Any input on a good white trim color?
Hi Jessica! You are very welcome. You will want to choose a white based on the undertones of the other colors in your home. I think that this post might help you but let me know if you still have questions. Have a fantastic weekend!
Hi, love your post. I do have a question. I am getting ready to paint our great room. It is attached to our kitchen. Our kitchen is retro avacado. (yes it looks like the old appliance from way back, but I love it) I want to use a grey but I am thinking I want a green under tone instead of blue. I am now wondering if I should go with a greige. Most of the samples I have looked at look to green. I do not want it to clash. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks
[…] wrote an entire post on how to use the darkest color on the strip to ensure choosing the right color of greige, but the idea is the same for any color you are choosing. If you haven’t read it yet, […]
What color is your entry way?
[…] with a lot of grey in it, but enough brown to give it some warmth. I guess you could call it a perfect greige. But if say you decorate with a lot of red and wood tones, you would probably go in the […]
I just wanted to say thank you. You’ve taught me a lot today. Using the strips to determine what color dominates? of course! Why don’t we all know this already?
I am a hairstylist/colorist and I would ask the guys at the paint store to tell me what colors went into the paint before buying it. I never knew another way to determine if it was cool, warm or a true neutral.
I also appreciate you sharing the idea about getting Home Depot to match a sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paint, I didn’t realize they’d have access to the exact formula.
Thank you again… can’t pin this though, as much as I’d love to, pinterest has yet to suck me in, ( thankfully and regretfully!)
Have a great day 🙂
You are so very welcome Elizabeth! Paint can be so overwhelming. Just wanted to be sure that you saw this post about neutral colors too. It covers similar points, but is worth the read.
http://www.heytherehome.com/how-to-choose-neutral-paint-colors/ Have a fantastic weekend!
Did anyone else notice that the color sample has a color named perfect Greige? It is the perfect color of gregge I put it on my walls and it beautiful. No need to mix or match it was there the whole time!
My goodness Ana! Thank you so much for letting me know. I’ve removed Infolinks from my site completely so there shouldn’t be a problem in the future. So sorry about that.
We painted our house Analytical Gray and it looks green in places where there is artificial lighting. We are having it repainted and I’m considering Requisite Gray. Are there any undertones that come out with certain lighting?
Great question Terra. Analytical Gray definitely has a lot of green in it. Requisite gray is going to be more brown based and is a good neutral. You definitely won’t be seeing green anymore, but if you want an even more true greige I would go one more step in the direction of grey and do Mindful Gray. I hope that helps. If you have any more questions you can email me directly at [email protected]. Replying to this won’t send me an email. Happy painting!
I can’t believe I missed this when you posted it. So much great information!
Thanks Ashley! I was totally shocked that this was in my top 5 posts last year. Who knew so many people were stumped!
[…] How to Choose the Perfect Greige […]
Will this still apply to trying to find a perfect “cream” wall? I pondered for a month for a cream for the living room, you know, a nice cream like in a good Pottery Barn catalog? And i never knew how hard it would be to find a nice cream. So, i decided, even bought the sample, painted a good piece over the mantle, looked at it for about a week to see all the natural and artificial light during the day and night, painted the room, and i absolutely hate it! It is so yellow! I am planning on repainting but am scared i will pick the wrong color AGAIN.
Hi Melissa! So sorry for the delayed response. I was on break over the holidays. Anyway, this will absolutely work for cream. As long as you always use the darkest color on the strip to identify what undertone it has you should be good. The color you picked probably had a lot of yellow in the darker hues which is why tons of yellow showed up. You might also consider buying the paint from pottery barn. They sell their most popular colors through Sherwin Williams. Here is the link to help you out. http://www.potterybarn.com/design-studio/landing/paint-landing/?cm_src=productsearch Also, you can just find out which color it is using this site and then go to Home Depot and tell them the name of the Sherwin Williams paint and they should be able to look up the formula and color match it for you if you don’t have a Sherwin Williams close by. I sure hope that helps. If you have any more questions you can email me at [email protected] (replying to this email won’t work.)
Great tutorial! Pinned!
This is very helpful. Paint is a tricky thing to pick out but this is a great method! Thanks much!
Oh, how I wish I would have seen this YESTERDAY before I bought 5 gallons of what I hope is Greige paint! The “taupe” I painted the living room 12 years ago is exactly as you described as having too much pink. I’ve hated it for 12 years, but as it was the living room, entry, hallways, I have not had the energy to change it. But, as it would happen,( and as men always do something screwy) my husband got the TWELVE YEAR old paint from the basement to cover some spackling work. Now the paint that I’ve always hated, is two different colors where he painted and he insists that you can’t tell the difference. I can only imagine that HE can’t tell the difference because he is color blind, but I think that he just doesn’t want to admit being wrong. Let’s hope that my first project of 2015 looks as good as I hope!
Thank you so much for your helpful information! Definitely takes the guessing out of choosing a proper color! Truly love your colors you chose in your home.
Thanks Donna Marie! It took me many color mistakes to finally learn this trick and now it works every time!
Best I have read on how to narrow down the right gray.
Wow! Thanks for that amazing compliment. I’m so glad it helped!
Great advice, I am trying to pick a paint color for my family from and kitchen. Based on your tips and the picture I bought a sample of the Requisite Gray. On my wall it looks so dark…it looks nothing like the picture of your entryway. I was wondering if you had the same issue when testing it out. I am so scared to paint and not like it and then end up having to re-do it.
You had me until the color-matching part. I jumped on the bandwagon and tried it after years of being a Benjamin Moore girl, and — not again. The big-box stuff was frothy and had terrible coverage compared with Benjamin Moore. For as long as a paint job lasts, the extra cost is worth it to me.
I didn’t know Home Depot could match a color from another line! I LOVE BM paint colors but they can get expensive. Now I can have the color and save some money! This is the best tip I’ve heard yet!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!!!
We have been trying to pick a color for the master bedroom. We used functional gray which is very pretty but a little darker than we wanted. I think we will try agreeable gray or requisite gray. Thanks so much and love your site!
Thanks for the kind words Connie. Happy painting!
Thank you. So much. Just lucked onto your site, by searching ” greige paints”. Exactly the info I was looking for, , after looking at paint strips, paint strips, and more paint strips.
I’m so glad that my explanation helped! It means so much to me to know I helped out and that I wasn’t just talking to myslef. Hahaha. Thank you!
[…] I love the look of greige and my friend Corey from Tiny Sidekick shared a great way for choosing the perfect greige paint. I chose some colors I thought I’d like and then bought my samples. I cannot […]
[…] How to Choose the Perfect Greige Paint […]
Very interesting. However; I think I missed somewhere the color of your walls?
Hi Kelly. It is Mindful Grey by Sherwin Williams, but I had it mixed at Home Deopt with Glidden paint.
Thanks for all the information…..but I’m still wondering which color YOU used? 🙂 Also, can you tell me what undertone you see in “Anew Gray” and “Amazing Gray?” Both are also by SW. Thank you much!!
[…] How To Choose the Perfect Greige Paint || 5 Simple DIYs for Outside || Knock Off Garden Stool […]
[…] followed Corey’s {from TinySidekick} tips on how to pick the perfect Greige. If you look at this Behr color chart you can see that the darker shades of the color are brown, […]
Brilliant! This is so helpful in picking colors and making sure the undertones are what you want! When we bought our home we painted a lot of the rooms beige so I’m slowly starting to cover up the beige with some more modern colors. This is really going to help me pick the right colors from now on! I’ll be featuring this at the next Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop this Sunday night!
Great tips Corey! We’ve got an entire house full of the peach and 90’s (sponge painted!) beige walls that need to be redone, and I’ve been drowning in a sea of paint chips trying to figure it all out. This will be a HUGE help when I’m trying to convince my husband that my color choice is better than his! 🙂
Super smart, super useful tips, Corey!
This is a great guide. Trying to explain color to people can be really confusing and overwhelming, so I really like how you made sense of all the griege choices. I am featuring your post at this week’s Thursday STYLE. 🙂
I love the greys that people on using on their walls, but I know that won’t work for my home since we painted our walls and ceilings and off white color. I think greige may work though! Thanks for the helpful tips! I may give some samples a try on my walls:) Thanks for linking up to Thursday S.T.Y.L.E.
Great tips Corey! Im obsessed with Grey and have been planning on painting some accent walls in our house so this post helps a lot.
Thanks
Stopping by from the link-up! Thanks for the tips! I’m moving to a new house soon and I’m loving the greige color inspiration! 🙂 xoxo
You are so welcome! Moving is so exciting cause you get to start fresh and sort of make small changes to your style! Good luck with the move.
OMG I love greige! This is such helpful advice! I have lots of ideas for our house…our walls need help 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up at Thursday STYLE!
Excellent choice! Our whole house (except the bedrooms) is painted Mindful Gray! It is the perfect shade of gray to work with our beige-y tiles (that I detest!). I’ve used Gauntlet Gray for updating some tile and kitchen cabinets, and Dovetail in the family room (both colors can be found on that same color card/chip) . That whole paint chip card has perfect greiges.
Hi Corey, found your blog via Monday Funday. I am thinking of trying out gray in a couple of rooms, so I’m glad I checked out your link!
Thank you for the good tips!
Val
Thanks for sharing, these are some good tips. Paint always looks different (and more drastic) up on the wall, doesn’t it!)
I love your colors. I think I will be heading to Home Depot and ordering me some greige Sherwin Williams paint!!!
YAY!
I have been wanting to paint,, and brought home some samples but have not yet been inspired. This is just what i needed today…..
Thanks a ton!!!
Thanks Selene. I’m so glad you found it helpful. Can’t wait to see your bedroom!
Amazing tips! I’ve never heard to look at the bottom color on the swatch… makes so much sense! We have SW Requisite Gray (one of the circled ones thank goodness!) in our main living areas and office and love love it. It’s light and dark and gray and beige and perfect!
That is definitely what makes a perfect greige. When it changes with the light and can be all those things at once! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week!
These are awesome tips, Corey! I’m looking into a grey for our master bedroom and this was so helpful! Thanks!
Pinned!