This post on my favorite interior gray paints first appeared here in 2019.
It came out after the popularity of my favorite interior white paints post, which I’ve also recently updated.
Since then, I’ve discovered so many more fabulous greige and light gray paint colors which I’ve added to my own interior walls…
So, I’m excited to update this post and talk about these popular paint colors here today!
Top All Time Favorite Interior Gray Paints
Finding the right paint color, while not exactly serious business, can be extremely frustrating if you get it wrong (trust me, I know.)
However, these colors mentioned here today are all fairly fool proof.
Starting with what I consider to be the perfect greige paint color, Farrow and Ball’s Elephants Breath.
1. Farrow and Ball Elephant’s Breath: Classic Gray/ Taupe Paint
We have this stunning neutral color paint on our kitchen walls and also in our back hallway and mudroom area.
The top image in this post is the mudroom area/back staircase.
I’m such a HUGE fan of this chic and versatile paint color.
I consider this color to be the perfect neutral.
This would be a great choice for a master bedroom or family room too.
Farrow and Ball is an interior designer favorite for good reason.
Known for gorgeous paint colors and top quality, it’s a great resource of mine for finding beautiful color palettes.
You can find one of my favorite books showcasing this company’s best paints here!
Some of these gray interior paints we’ve used for years and in several different projects.
So, when I say they are a favorite, I’m not understating it!
Pro tip: you can always ask the paint store to add some degree of white paint to soften the look- try experimenting with 25% and 50% or equal parts white.
For example, in the image above we used Farrow and Ball Elephant’s Breath in our back stair case, but when we used it again in our kitchen we added quite a bit of white paint to the mix.
This is great for coordinating rooms which flow into each other.
Because they are different variations of the same color, you know for sure they will work perfectly together.
However, because they are a bit different, you still get the visual interest of different shades, instead of one paint color through out.
Keeping the trim color consistent is also key with these types of color schemes.
Makes sense, right?
SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK PAINT SAMPLE OF ELEPHANT’S BREATH
2. Benjamin Moore Cape Hatteras Sand –a beautiful pale yet true classic gray paint.
This is the beautiful color we have in our living room.
Cape Hatteras Sand, a true gray, is a perfect paint color for any room in your entire house.
Since I first published this post, I’ve gotten so many specific questions in recent years, I ended up writing a whole post all about Cape Hatteras Sand.
You might’ve noticed some blue, cool tones in my living room.
The cool, blue tones you’re seeing is because we’ve complimented the gray wall paint with a beautiful blue ceiling paint -it’s Benjamin Moore’s Morning Sky Blue.
This room gets a lot of natural light, but I’ve seen this combo work perfectly in spaces without much light.
I also wrote a whole post all about the best interior paint colors for ceilings, since I get a lot of questions about this very topic.
3. Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist – a lovely neutral, warm gray color.
For my husband’s home office we wanted something light, bright a bit more modern with some warm undertones.
After trying out several different neutral paint colors, we chose Balboa Mist by Benjamin Moore.
It’s become one of our favorite gray colors, I would use this again and again.
In fact, it’s such a perfect color, I’m currently trying to convince my friend to use this in her dining room, I think it would be stunning!
SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK PAINT SAMPLE OF BALBOA MIST
4. Benjamin Moore Sea Salt – the faintest grayish tint – seen here in natural light.
Number four, is Benjamin Moore’s Sea Salt.
We have this pale gray paint color in my son’s room.
Sea Salt is such a versatile gray.
This neutral gray color truly works for every living space.
It’s such a great neutral wall color – with just a little bit of beige – sort of a light greige,.
I’m sure my son will live happily with this perfect shade for years to come.
Side note: Don’t you just LOVE all the names of these colors?!
See more of my son’s bedroom and it’s recent transformation.
SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK PAINT SAMPLE OF SEA SALT
Favorite Interior Gray Paints Conclusion:
Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this quick round up of my favorite interior gray paints!
I always love to answer you interior design related questions!
In fact, they tend to be the inspiration behind some of my best and most informative posts around here.
For example, I’ve dedicated a whole post to the best white paint trim colors to use, if you’re looking for ideas and inspiration!
A perfect choice for checking out paint colors in your home are these large self stick paint samples!
I’ve used these a few times, they’re brilliant!
If you’re at all curious, you can check them out and order them here!
Samplize – self adhesive non paint paint samples
So which shade of gray and beige is YOUR favorite paint color?
If you do end up using any of these popular greige paint colors in your home, let me know! I’d love to see it.
You can always see more of our current home here.
If you have any other questions, please shoot me an email or leave it in the comments below.
Additional Gray and Greige Paint Color Inspiration:
If you’re looking for even more gray and true greige paint colors, be sure to check out these other posts by clicking on each title below-
- The best cream wall paint colors
- Benjamin Moore White Cumulus Cloud Paint Review
- An expert’s advice on the best kitchen cabinet paint colors
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray Paint Review
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Paint Review
- How to pick the best Benjamin Moore Paint color
- Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan
A few more things…
Design lovers! Have you joined our fun and VERY helpful design Facebook group?
In this group – members share photos with their design questions and dilemmas from their own home.
We all chime in with our best advice!
This is a great group for getting those hard to find pieces and sources and also some fabulous FREE design advice.
If you have any other questions, please shoot me an email or leave it in the comments below.
Also, don’t miss this post on the top wallpaper trends, it’s a good one!
Lastly, to help you even further with your home projects, download my FREE DESIGN CHEAT SHEET, it’s loaded with all sorts of quick tips and handy measurements.
Sign up below to grab this because I know you’re going to find it super helpful!
photos by Nicole Cohen
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Thank you for sharing this amazing post. Hope readers will like it. I really appreciate for putting such efforts.
Balboa Mist is one of my favorite colors to use as well! I’ve also used the 50% white trick before too; as an interior designer I recommend it to clients all the time when they love a color, but are afraid that it will be too dark for their room.
Thank you for sharing this amazing post with us and I really liked all the pro tips shared by you. Keep posting!
Have used Edgecomb Gray all over the house! First in entryway and up the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Then while going crazy selecting a color for the redone master bath, I leaned some samples of tile and flooring against the wall, and there it was! It reads taup-y in the hall, pinkish up the stairs and gray in the bath! Very versatile color!
Balboa Mist is my fall back color. I have used it in both of our own homes as well. It has just enough warmth to keep it from going cold and just enough depth to give it a nice contrast to white trim.
Hi, I love your carpet or stair runner in the first photo. Can you tell me where to find it? Thanks!
Thanks!Its from Stark Carpet! more info is on a post called Frequently Asked Questions!:)
So pretty and sophisticated. Can you give me any info on art piece over fireplace. Thank you. Jill wolder
Yes. Thanks, the artist is Amanda Talley.
Hi! Where is your beautiful coffee table from?
Hi! Thanks, its from Lillian August:)
I also used Elephant's Breath in my project before. It's a great backdrop paint which you can build on and create a scheme unique to your client! Can I just ask? Valspar just entered the UK market . Have you got any experience with this brand? Thanks.
I just used Benjamin Moore's Gray Owl in an office and it looks DIVINE, a perfect neutral but so elegant!
I have elephants breath in the bedroom and it's very calming
I love the elephants breath and have used it in a bath. Great tip for adding more white to it is give it a new look.
I have a sample of Balboa Mist sitting on my non existent counter right now as its in the running with Edgecomb Gray for cabinetry! I love elephant's breath too!