Gray is the perfect color for bedrooms because it is peaceful and relaxing, and the perfect canvas for expressing any style. No matter what statement you want to make, or mood you want to evoke, there is a gray that will help you do it.
For a neutral, gray has a lot of personality — or personalities. Dark, charcoal gray feels warm and enveloping. It also pairs well with bold and bright colors, and can be used to create great drama. Greiges (grays that lean toward brown) can help give a room warmth.
Light greiges impart a sunny, cheerful feeling. Light, cool grays can make a room feel spacious and airy, or stylish and sophisticated. Also, grays often have undertones, including blue, purple and green. When these come out — triggered by light or an element of color added to the décor — entirely new personalities appear.
With more than 100 shades of gray paint available, choosing just one can be daunting. To help you get started, our list includes some major brands’ most popular grays. Also, remember: choosing furnishings and textiles first makes the task of matching much easier!
Benjamin Moore
Edgecomb Gray (HC-173)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Edgecomb Gray is a great primary bedroom color because it’s warm and creamy, light and uplifting. In a well-lit space, the effect is almost beige. In darker rooms, it looks slightly more gray. A white trim against this color looks fresh and clean in any light. A light color scheme overall — with a few dark accents — works well in rooms painted this color.
For sophistication and glamour, try Edgecomb Gray walls, white trim, and black accents. For an earthy and grounded look, pair walls this color with white trim and dark wood floors. Edgecomb Gray, one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular gray shades, has very few undertones, so what you see is what you get. (It’s not one of those grays that turns purple or green when paired with certain other colors.)
Wish (AF-680)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Like Edgecomb Gray, Wish is a greige, but a slightly darker and cooler one. Whites and off-whites go well with walls this color. For a bedroom look that’s equal parts luxe and cozy, combine Wish walls with bedding, carpet, curtains and tufted velvet furniture in various shades of cream and beige, and hang a crystal chandelier in the middle of it.
This is just one of many looks that can be created using this color as a backdrop. Wish is part of Benjamin Moore’s Affinity palette — a collection of 144 coordinating paint colors, including slate blues and brick reds — so it’s exceptionally versatile.
Silver Satin (OC-26)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Another excellent choice for a primary bedroom decorated primarily in light colors is Silver Satin, a warm gray that looks almost white during the day and nearly taupe at night. One of Silver Satin’s many virtues is that it goes with just about every color. Designers favorite it for creating peaceful, serene spaces. On the other hand, they love using it to create drama.
It’s strong enough to handle bright and saturated hues, yet quiet enough to not compete with them. This is a good choice for a primary bedroom that’s on the smaller side because it brings an airiness that tends to make any space look larger. It’s also a smart one for people who like to change their décor periodically.
Metropolitan (AF-690)
Source: Benjamin Moore
“Sophisticated” is the word used most often to describe Metropolitan, Benjamin Moore’s 2019 Color of the Year. A light gray with cool undertones, it looks like it belongs in a high-ceilinged apartment on New York’s Fifth Avenue. At the same time, it brings a quiet serenity that’s perfect for the walls of a primary bedroom. In terms of coordinating colors, Metropolitan looks best with other cool shades or neutrals.
When it comes to décor, it works equally well with minimalist, modern styles and opulent, traditional ones. When used in reserved, nearly monochromatic gray/white decorating schemes, Metropolitan can make a room feel quite serious. A few unexpected, carefully chosen pieces that bring other colors such as red into space as accents can lighten the mood and add personality.
Stonington Gray (HC-170)
Source: Benjamin Moore
This color is fairly close to Metropolitan, but with a tiny bit more yellow in it. One of Benjamin Moore’s most popular grays, it’s also one of their most versatile. It works well with any design style and many color schemes. It’s a bit more relaxed and casual than Metropolitan, and a little more classic than modern. With cool bluish undertones, Stonington Gray can help balance the heat of a south-facing bedroom.
Kendall Charcoal (HC-166)
Source: Benjamin Moore
At last, a dark gray! Dark grays are wonderful for creating a warm, private-feeling primary bedroom. They’re also great at evoking night, lending them especially well to bedrooms. A tried-and-true decorating trick is to pair a deep, dark gray like Kendall Charcoal with a large piece of art, hung behind the bed perhaps.
The effect is dramatic and sophisticated. Like Metropolitan and Stonington Gray, Kendall Charcoal is in the green-yellow hue family, which means it can look a bit green or brown in certain lights and when paired with some colors.
Silver Half Dollar (2121-40)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Silver Half Dollar is the first gray on our list that has blue undertones. Many associate the word gray with blue-gray and consider colors like Silver Half Dollar’s “true” grays. Blue grays are ideal for south-facing rooms, where the abundance of light can wash out warmer tones.
The blue balances the bright light and allows the walls to retain some color. A favorite way to use Silver Half Dollar is with white trim, lots of medium to dark natural wood and dark blue accents.
Stormy Monday (2112-50)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Stormy Monday is a great gray for fans of the color purple. With red and blue undertones, it brings a hint of the grapey shade to a room without overwhelming. A medium gray, Stormy Monday pairs beautifully with white trim, cooler grays, and browns with red undertones. This is a good choice for anyone who wants gray, not greige, but doesn’t want their room to feel cold.
Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore (OC-52)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl is a perfect match for bedrooms with very little natural light. A light warm gray, it’s luminous all on its own and can look too white in bright light. It’s no wonder this is one of Benjamin Moore’s best-selling colors: designers love using this color as a base for pale, monochromatic decorating schemes.
A true, dependable neutral, Gary Owl has a way of highlighting the textures and patterns of materials used in a room. Like most grays, it pairs well with white trim. Dark wood floors and black accents also go well with this color.
Coventry Gray (HC-169)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Coventry Gray is a true gray with blue undertones, in the middle of the light-dark spectrum. It’s a clean, fresh color, and pairing it with white makes it even more so. Coventry Gray is often considered similar to Stonington Gray but darker. In rooms with little light, it can look quite dark.
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray (SW 7029)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
The greige Agreeable Gray is a favorite of designers because it’s got substance but doesn’t fight with other design elements — which is another way of saying it’s a perfect neutral. The fact that it balances warm and cool undertones makes it even more versatile. Agreeable’s undertones are beige and brown, which give it an extra softness.
Repose Gray (SW 7015)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
One of Repose Gray’s greatest virtues is that it looks great in all types of light — natural, artificial, bright and dark. Warm and light, the color has a yellow undertone that helps create coziness, making it a perfect choice for the primary bedroom. Pair it with deep warm colors and dark hardwood floors.
Mindful Gray (SW 7016)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Another designer favorite, Mindful Gray is a light greige, just a shade darker than Repose Gray. In full light, it’s a warm grayish beige. In darker environments, it gets dark enough to feel downright cozy. Pair it with white, dark browns (especially hardwood) and dark blue accents. It also contrasts beautifully with Repose Gray!
Worldly Gray (SW 7043)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
There is debate as to whether Worldly Gray is a greige, but, if it is, it’s a decidedly less warm one. With very few undertones, it’s close to a true gray.
Light French Gray (SW 0055)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Though it’s got the word “light” in its name, Light French Gray isn’t what most would call a light gray. It’s more of a medium gray. Use a flat paint in this color for bedroom walls, and the same color in a matte/satin for trim for a contrasting yet coordinated look. Light French Gray looks great paired with silver, mirrors, and white.
Sea Salt (SW 6204)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Sea Salt is a pale green-gray. In 2020, this feels more modern than the greiges that have been so popular in recent years (and still are). However, it’s not as warm. Another potential downside to Sea Salt is how chameleon-like it is. Depending on the light in a room, the color can change dramatically. In low light, it may look very green, while bright light can make it seem quite blue. Still, it is one of Sherwin-Williams’ best-selling colors right now.
Anew Gray (SW 7030)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Like Agreeable Gray, this is a nearly perfect greige neutral. It’s a shade darker than Agreeable, but otherwise very similar.
Dorian Gray (SW 7017)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
This is a dark greige, similar to Mindful Gray but darker. It pairs well with light beige, medium beige, and sage green.
On the Rocks (SW 7671)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
It’s easy to see where On the Rocks got its name. It’s cool, even icy. A light true gray, this color is one of Sherwin-Williams’ most popular right now. It’s so light, it’s almost white, and its undertones are blue. Walls painted this color make an elegant backdrop for furnishings of many kinds and colors.
Peppercorn (SW 7674)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
This dark, almost charcoal gray looks luxe with light-colored furnishings and accents. Light grays, beiges, and greens are particularly stunning, as are all shades of pink.
Behr
Light Drizzle (N480-1)
Source: Behr
Part of the Behr 2020 Color Trends palette, Light Drizzle is a peaceful, soothing color designed to bring the beauty of nature indoors. Pair it with other colors from the 2020 collection for a room that’s not only a meditative retreat but up-to-the-minute in terms of popular styles.
Aster (PPU 16-09)
Source: Behr
Aster is a lilac gray that looks great paired with purples and whites for a primary bedroom that’s luxurious, pampered, and maybe even a little self-indulgent! Accents of the complementary color yellow are unexpected, gorgeous and thoroughly modern.
White Pepper (PPU24-13)
Source: Behr
White Pepper is one of those grays that looks almost like an off-white. It’s similar to Benjamin Moore’s Silver Satin in that it’s a dependable, modern neutral that goes well with most colors. The big difference is it’s considerably warmer. White Pepper is particularly stunning paired with dark, charcoal grays.
Riverdale (N410-3)
Source: Behr
There’s no getting around it: Riverdale is a green-gray. Not a gray with green undertones that may or may not emerge depending on what it’s paired with, but a true green-gray. It’s light and looks fresh with blues and natural woods. Pair it with beige to add warmth.
Limousine Leather (MQ5-5)
Source: Behr
Limousine Leather is the color of the night sky, making it an ideal choice for primary bedroom walls. Similar to Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal in this respect, it’s great for creating a cozy, private cocoon-like room.
