Dark Gray is always stunning and it is trending very heavily this year. I thought I would share a few of my designer favorites. I hope you enjoy my top five dark gray paint color choices.
Kendall Charcoal HC-166 is part of Benjamin Moore’s gorgeous Historical Collection.
BM says “With its rich, varied undertones, this dark neutral works beautifully with a wide spectrum of colors.”
Kendall Charcoal has an LRV value of 14.61. It is a deep, stunning, and sophisticated color. The beautiful Nina Nash library above is exquisite. She utilizes the color on walls, shelving, and trim. Kendall Charcoal is done in a satin finish except on the upper edge done in an elegant high gloss. I usually don’t love a white ceiling but it was the perfect color pairing with all the dark gray. The varying shades of gray in the upholstery along with the pop of color in the vibrant pillows make an absolutely stunning room!
Benjamin Moore describes their hue “Like a well-dressed gentleman, this gracefully urbane shade of gray adds a sophisticated, scholarly quality to a den or library.“ BM HC-168 is part of their beautiful historical collection. They also describe it as having “rich brown-violet undertones”.
The beautiful living room above was featured in Architectural Digest. It is Brooke Shields’s living room in her NYC apartment. I love the color on the walls paired with the deep white trim. It works beautifully with eclectic furniture and whimsical artwork.
Urbane Bronze SW 7048 was Sherwin Williams’ color of the year in 2021. It has an LRV of 8, meaning it is dark but still far enough from black. It is a true gray but has beautiful brown undertones.
Sherwin Williams describes it as “grounded, meditative, and serene.”
The living-dining area featured on Sherwin Williams’ blog is a gorgeous space. The walls are a satin finish giving it a little more light and reflection of all of the natural light in the room. The light rug and light gray ceiling (SW 7632) are the perfect pairings for the dark walls.
Farrow and Ball describe their paint color in fun detail! “Down Pipe, a dark lead grey, has definite blue undertones, which deepen the finish’s complexity. Originally inspired by the color used to paint downpipes and guttering, it has been embraced for use inside the home with fanatical zeal! This daringly dark hue is fabulous as a background to art and extremely effective for use in halls to create a deeply dramatic entrance to the home.”
FB No. 26 Down Pipe works wonderfully with dark blacks such as the marble fireplace and charming round mirror in the above dining area. It also bounces off the white ceiling perfectly! It is a color that works well with extremes yet also is a perfect pairing with caramel-colored chairs. It is such a lovely and versatile color.
Sherwin Williams Peppercorn Gray SW 7674 is a wonderful “go-to” dark gray for any space, The hue is dark gray with charcoal undertones. It is incredibly striking as an accent wall. Allison Campbell used it on this architectural back wall in a model room master bedroom. The light headboard and lamp shades are a beautiful pop off the dark wall. The lighter grays around the room are a great balance in this scrumptious space.
The Creativity Exchange had the best description for this rich color:
“Peppercorn is a very dark transitional warm gray. Because it transitions with about a 50-50 balance of warm and cool undertones, it will complement other colors in a space beautifully. This is another reason why Peppercorn has been one of Sherwin Williams’s most popular paint colors.”
I hope you enjoyed these fine examples of dark grays. What are some of your favorites? Please share your finished projects in the comments!