Paint Debate: Grey vs. Brown

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An expertly decorated room always has a neutral base colour tone in the colour palette. The most common of the neutral base colours are brown and grey, but how do you choose what’s right for your room?

Neutrals are beige, ivory, brown, black, taupe, grey and varying shades of white. Neutrals bring warmth, depth, and anchor a room pending on there hue and undertones. For this blog we are going to focus on greys and browns.

So…What Should You Choose?

When choosing a wall colour, it is always best to take inventory of the natural light, furniture, woodwork, and accessories in the room.

Natural Light

  • The direction of the natural light in the room will further affect the colour choice. North or west facing rooms tend to be cooler so warmer colours are recommended. South or east facing rooms tend to be brighter and thus can handle a cooler colour.

Furniture and Accessories

  • If you see more red and/or yellow accents then using a warm grey or brown is recommended. If you see more blue and/or green then a grey tone may work best.

Wood and Metal

  • Along with accent colours and lighting, wood and metal furniture play a big role in the completion of the space. Brown and Grey rooms both benefit from metal or wood furniture pieces, don’t omit one just because its not the same colour family as the walls as they will help provide depth to a space. (Don’t ditch grandma’s brass side table just yet)

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Grey

Grey, a happy mix of white and black has been on trend for a while now. It can be cool and crisp, even warm in colour. It can make a space feel clean, fresh, modern, or warm and cozy. Like most colours, grey’s tend to have an under tone of yellow or blue which can either enhance or detract a space. Warm grey (yellow) is typically used if the room is north facing or gets little natural light as cool grey (blue) can make a room feel cold.

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Brown

Brown, a classic colour that works with just about any style trend is making a comeback in 2020. Brown creates great depth and impact in a space while not overpowering other colours. Similar to grey, the tone of brown you choose can change a space from muddy to elegant. Red browns have a rustic quality and work well in north facing rooms with cooler light source. Lighter browns create a crisp airy feeling that can showcase other accent colours in your space. The trick with browns is to use a shade that complements your existing wood tones. The most common browns are, putty browns which has a green mid-tone, and taupe tends to have a pink undertone.

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Something In Between

Just to make things a more confusing there are also the colours taupe and greige. Greige is beige and grey mix where taupe is a brown grey mix. These are great colours for those who are wanting to blend the grey and brown colours already expressed in your home more naturally. If you choose to use greige or taupe, always anchor the space with a darker colour and a white tone, this helps create dimension and interest in a space without it looking muddy.

Final Thoughts

  • There are no hard and fast rules on what colour to choose, just guidelines and recommendations.

  • Sticking to one or two colours throughout a room can make a space look dull if there isn’t enough contrast, so don’t forget to add those fun accent colours.

  • There are many trends out there, but you will have to live and work in the space so always design for you and those using the space.

If you are still having a hard time choosing or just simply want to talk to professional Interior Designer, Bella Bruve Interiors is always there to help you.

Heather Bruveslaitis