Rather than painting your living room or bedroom walls traditional white or beige, the latest trend is a shade of gray as a gorgeous contemporary undertone that goes with many furniture colors.
Although some people think gray walls may look a little bland, we can prove to you that it’s actually the opposite. With the right arrangement and design, your room with gray walls can turn into a cozy and comfortable space. This color acts as a neutral backdrop to bold color furnishings so you can easily blend them for a cohesive design.
To find out what color furniture goes with gray walls, we have put together some great ideas for matching and contrasting colors based on light gray and dark gray walls. Let’s browse through each idea now!
Furniture Colors that Work with Light Gray Walls
Charcoal Gray
When you have light gray walls, using dark gray furniture can create a tone-on-tone effect. Charcoal gray is one of those shades that brings a more elegant style to your room.
Just be sure to include plenty of light-colored layers to avoid a monotonous feel. White or cream textures do a great job of brightening up a room with dark gray furniture and light gray walls as per the example shown here.
Navy Blue
For an even more stylish space, why not try pairing your light gray walls with a bold shade of blue. Navy is one such color that brings a rich and relaxing vibe to a modern space.
For a cohesive design, add natural elements like rattan, wood, or bamboo furniture to warm up your interior. The navy furniture will make the room appear seamless with natural materials and neutral walls.
Black and Yellow Combination
Why not add a little twist to your light gray walls by using a combination of sunny yellow and black furniture. This approach will prevent your light gray walls from making your room look bland as yellow and black spark some excitement.
Yellow is a vibrant and bold color that can be incorporated into your living space moderately for significant impact. Add black metal furniture to the mix and what you’ll have is a chic interior as shown in this example.
Black and Red
For an even more of dramatic look, opt for a combination of black and blood-red furniture. This color scheme can add a sophisticated vibe to any living space and is perfect for pairing with light gray walls.
Jet black brings a strong contrast against light gray, while a rich shade of red stands out even more as you can see in this modern living room example.
Furniture Colors that Work with Dark Gray Walls
Yellow
With dark gray walls, you need a color that stands out and makes a strong statement without overwhelming the space. In this case, we recommend a bright shade of yellow as the opposite color to gray.
Just like the example here, the elegant dark gray walls look beautiful with the bright yellow accent chairs.
Light Brown
Since gray is often seen as a cold-toned color, it makes sense to use light brown furniture to create warmth and coziness. The reason we recommend light brown with dark gray is to avoid your space from looking too dark or overwhelming.
Both brown and gray are neutral colors that bring a rustic and inviting feel to the living room. You may include lighter colors for the flooring and accessories depending on your desired design scheme.
White
For those who want a risk-free furniture color to pair with dark gray walls, white would be the no-brainer choice. When you include white furniture with your dark gray interior, your space will evoke a calm and luxurious vibe just like the photo here.
The two neutral colors look elegant and smooth as they blend beautifully in this art deco-style living room. What we most love in this dark gray and white setting are the dark gray rug and warm-toned throw pillows, which have elevated the luxury feel of the space.
Light Gray
A monochromatic color scheme may not be to everyone’s taste, but in recent years, it is fast becoming popular. This style creates a modern aesthetic as long as you use different shades of gray for your furniture.
This approach brings a seamless look as though the light gray furniture is integrated with the dark gray walls. However, you can break up the monochromatic design by adding natural wood or accent colors to liven up the space a little.
Cream
For a warmer version of white, opt for cream furniture instead. The beautiful combination of warm-toned cream with dark gray walls provides perfectly balanced living space. As both gray and cream are neutral colors, it makes sense to pair them together for an earthy ambiance.
We love this gorgeous setting featuring cream furnishings with a dark gray backdrop that flawlessly blends in with the rest of the decor.
Dark Emerald Green
You might not have considered green as the furniture color to pair with your dark gray walls, but incorporating a rich shade of this earthy color into a vintage or modern living room can be just the missing link. We recommend dark emerald green paired with bright white accessories to brighten up your living space as shown in this example. This color scheme is perfect for both traditional and contemporary interiors.
How to Brighten Up a Room with Gray Walls
A room with gray walls may not always appear bright and airy, especially if it lacks natural lighting or has north-facing windows. To avoid a gloomy gray interior, you must counteract the effect of dreary gray walls by brightening up your space. Here are some effective ways to create a brighter interior:
Add Colorful Accessories
Colorful abstract art, velvet throw pillows, and ottomans can all brighten up a room with gray walls. Any accessory you add to your space can help bring a relaxed and cheery vibe.
Combine Neutrals with Natural Elements
Gray is a neutral palette, so you can mix it with cream, white, and other neutrals to evoke a sense of calm. Add natural elements to this neutral color scheme and what you’ll get is a bright and restful space. The balance between neutral colors and natural materials like wood, rattan, or stone creates a relaxing and bright ambiance.
Layer the Gray with Different Tones
Using a single shade of gray for all the walls in your room can look dull or flat. It’s better to layer the gray shades instead in order to add texture to the room.
Start with a base layer of your favorite gray shade (preferably a light tone) and add different shades of gray (from mid-toned to darker hues) for the furniture, accessories, and decor. Different shades of gray for the cushions and throw blankets add extra texture to an all-gray room as well as help brighten up the space.
Do Light Gray Walls Make My Room Appear Bigger?
In small or poorly lit rooms, using light colors can make the space seem bigger than it is. Light gray is the preferred color over a dark shade as the latter can make a small or dark room feel dreary.
But it’s not just light gray that can make your room appear bigger. There are other ways to expand your room visually without changing from light gray to other wall colors. They include:
- Using less contrast in colors: in a room with gray walls, the less contrast in colors you use the bigger the space will appear. For example, dark red curtains and rugs paired with light gray walls can shrink the space, so it’s better to either tone down the color or stick to neutrals only.
- Adding mirrors: a mirror reflects lights and visually expands the room. When you have light gray walls in a small room, consider layering the space with a large mirror in order to give the perception of dimension.
- Minimizing clutter: reduce the amount of furniture in a small room with gray walls. Decorating with the most essential pieces and minimizing clutter will ensure your small room won’t appear even smaller.
- Painting the wood floor or using patterned rugs: if you have light gray walls and your room still appears small, the best bet is to keep the floors light by adding light-colored rugs. Alternatively, you may paint your hardwood flooring a soft, light gray shade to match the walls.
