Gray and I have spent a great deal of time together lately.

We recently completed a project where we used a lot of gray. Like, almost the whole house. We've had so many questions about the colors we used, so I thought it was high time to share some of our experiences and give some tips about our new friend, Gray.

Gray is becoming an increasingly popular color. It's neutral without being beige. It's extremely calming. And, depending on the shade, you can create a million different looks.

So this was my inspiration for Lincoln Avenue, although i never actually figured out what colors were used. I just spent a LOT of money on sample quarts to try to match it.

Gray or Grey?

Just to nip this in the bud once and for all: In the US, we spell it GRAY whereas in England, they prefer the spelling of GREY.

A Gray overview

So once you start down the gray rabbit hole, you may just be slightly overwhelmed by the many, many options you have. Grays go from the cooler, greenish tones, to the warmer, taupe-ish tones.

And, to make matters more difficult, gray is a bit of a Chameleon. Meaning, it changes with the light throughout the day. So, whatever samples you decide on, make sure you look at them during different times of day.

Here are some of the more popular Warm Grays. Otherwise known as "Greige".

Cooler, Greenish Grays

Of all these, Wickham Gray is my fave!

The last plug for Wickham gray is that it goes beautifully with Carrera Marble tiles!

A special shout out for Chelsea Gray

I discovered Chelsea Gray when I decided that I was looking for the perfect gray kitchen cabinet. And fell in love...

Spruce and Pine: Elm Street

...so much so that I chose Chelsea Gray for the exterior trim at Lincoln Avenue.

So, what did I decide for the interior of Lincoln Ave?
Here are the contenders.

Here's the final, final color choice for wall and wainscoting at Lincoln Ave. Drum roll, please.

Sherwin Williams Aloof Gray and Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray

And here it is.

As a designer, I am never perfectly pleased with anything after it's done. I pick it apart and kick myself for not doing this or that. In this case, I have to say I am so very pleased. I wouldn't do a thing different. And you probably won't hear that for quite some time!