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Boring, dull, dull. Or noble, restrained, strict. Surely you immediately understood what color we are talking about. But conflicting associations do not prevent it from being one of the most popular and versatile finishing solutions. In this article, we tell and show examples of how to fit gray wallpapers into the interior, as well as ideas on what to combine with and how to choose furnishings for them.

All about gray wallpaper

Color Features
Combination options
— With pastel colors
— With black and white
— With yellow and green
— With orange and red
— With blue and purple
Combination with other elements
Ideas for every room
— Kitchen
— Living room
— Bedroom
— Children’s
— Hallway

Color Features

Association with nondescript today is nothing more than a stereotype. Pearls, silver, wet asphalt, pigeon wing — achromat has dozens of dissimilar shades that look completely different both on their own and depending on the environment.

He generally «lives» in combination with other colors, shading them and getting his own depth from this or that combination. At the same time, it does not have any active effect on the psyche: it can be safely used in the kitchen and bathroom, in the living room and in the nursery. The main thing is to choose the right textures and other elements so that the interior does not seem flat and monotonous.

Dark or light gray wallpapers in the interior have different properties: light variations visually expand the space, dark ones narrow it down. Warm colors make the atmosphere more comfortable, and cold colors lower the temperature, which is why they are actively used in rooms where windows face south and there is always a lot of direct sunlight.

And the main plus is that such a neutral palette allows you to update and transform the interior at any time by adding bright shades and any colors.

What to combine

With pastel colors

Pink, mint, blue, lavender, cream — any pastel colors bloom against a neutral gray background. Such combinations are often used for private rooms: bedroom, nursery, boudoir, dressing room. They have to rest, create a feeling of comfort and at the same time look very elegant.

The color of the wallpaper is selected depending on the other colors. Mouse, asphalt, steel go well with shades of blue and green. With pink and beige — warm variations: biscuit, mother-of-pearl, taupe, verdigri or dove.

With black and white

A win-win combination involving three achromats. Depending on the textures, shades and other elements of the interior, the combination is perceived in completely different ways: from light and airy light design to brutal dark. The smaller the room, the more white should be in the palette. Black is well suited for accents and emphasizes lines.

With yellow and green

A pair with yellow is considered a classic due to the perfect balance: sunny paint adds liveliness and brightness to the interior, while gray sets off and balances this active color. Successful combinations are obtained with any variation of green, because it is found in nature. For example, the texture of stone, earth or cloudy sky complements the rich colors of greenery, moss, and pine needles.

With orange and red

Like yellow, these colors enliven the environment and are usually used as accent colors. Most often, these are individual pieces of furniture, textiles or decor, and plain wallpaper in a neutral gray shade acts as a soothing background.

With blue and purple

With these colors, elegant, intimate and slightly mysterious combinations are obtained. Although, unlike orange, red or yellow, blue and purple are considered calm tones, they should also be used in doses. Otherwise, in excess, they can evoke longing, and the gray background will only enhance this gloomy mood.

Combination with other interior elements

Floor and ceiling

The floor and ceiling, as a rule, are made several tones darker and lighter. If there are other wall coverings in the room, they can be combined with achromat according to any principle. But in the presence of a bright accent wall, gray will be an excellent neutral background. As a contrasting colorful finish, canvases with an active print, wall panels or just plain painting can act.

Furniture

Furniture is selected depending on the style and overall palette, since the coating in this case plays the role of a calm background. Only the balance of tones should be observed: if warm colors and wooden furniture predominate in the decor of the room, then the shade of the wallpaper should be diluted to match the main range. But against the background of chrome parts and dark furniture, the finish in cold temperatures will look good.

Curtains

Choosing curtains for gray wallpaper is easy due to the versatility of color. What to consider?

• The shade of the wall covering. If it is dark, then it is better to take curtains 1-2 tones lighter. For a small room with windows to the north or northwest, it is better to choose a light tulle made of translucent airy fabrics so that, together with the gray walls, the room does not turn into a gloomy box.
• If the wallpaper is without a pattern, everything is simple: the curtains can be anything. You can choose curtains with a pattern that will visually connect all the elements of the color scheme and resonate with the rest of the textiles. It can be a multi-layer composition of several colors or with an emphasis on the texture of the fabric.
• If there is an ornament on the canvases, especially a contrasting one, it should either be combined with the pattern on the curtains, or the latter should be plain.

Ideas for different rooms

Kitchen

Mother-of-pearl or slate wall covering is a good option for the kitchen due to its non-staining and versatility. As a result, it can be both a backdrop for bright furniture, and a full-fledged participant in a monochrome or nude palette. A combination with blue, light blue, dark chocolate, mint and other cool shades works well, since it is often hot in the cooking area, and such a palette will refresh the room.

What is important to consider: the kitchen is a wet area with high pollution and constant temperature changes. Therefore, for finishing, choose canvases with the appropriate characteristics: they must be durable, water-repellent, and easy to clean. According to these parameters, vinyl, non-woven fabrics, compact vinyl and fiberglass are suitable.

Living room

As in the kitchen, the color scheme in the hall can be composed according to two schemes: bright accents on a calm monophonic background; the whole palette is neutral, and attention is paid to the forms, textures and geometry of space.

It is better if the ceiling is lighter than the walls, and the ceiling is darker. This will create a logical gradient transition. To revive the plain gray wallpaper in the interior of the living room, you can use decor or wall panels. Parquet and natural wood furniture, stucco molding on the ceiling and any brass, gold or silver elements will add luxury to the interior.

If you want to place art objects in the hall — for example, a picture above the sofa — choose a light coating. It will work on the principle of white in an art gallery: it will not distract attention and will not affect the perception of colors, emphasizing the beauty of the work.

Gray wallpaper in the bedroom

In the bedroom, you often want two things: comfort and tranquility, and gray copes with both tasks. In order not to look gloomy, choose shades with warm undertones, and also combine finishes with natural textures: wood, cotton, wool, etc. For small rooms, the lightest options are suitable: mother-of-pearl, chalky, biscuit — so visually the space will seem more spacious.

If you want to add interesting details to the decor, but do without bright colors, pay attention to canvases with a pattern — they can be glued to all walls or to one accent, for example, behind the headboard, as in the photo. The pattern can be any in size and content, but remember an important rule: the more spacious the room, the larger the details should be — and vice versa.

Children’s

Special requirements are imposed on the interior of a child’s room: it must be cheerful, but at the same time take into account the peculiarities of the child’s psyche. That is why it is recommended to choose a calm base for walls, and saturate the space with color using accent areas and local details.

So that the design is not too boring and strict, gray wallpaper in the children’s room can be made with a low-contrast pattern.

• Abstract pattern — polka dots, stripes, geometry.
• Suitable for age and interests print — images of animals, plants, fairy-tale characters.
• A full-fledged picture printed on photo wallpaper — for example, a drawing of some kind of transport, a planetary diagram, a fairy forest, etc.

Hallway

In the hallway, mouse shades should be used carefully: this is a room with a lack of natural light, most often small in size, so it is very easy to turn it into a cramped dark corner.

• If the hallway is small, choose a covering of light, diluted beige or yellow tones.
• Better plain canvases or with a small pattern — a large one can visually make the corridor cramped.
• Make as many light elements as possible: furniture, fittings, baseboards, white ceiling.
• Think over a lighting system with a main source and local lights.