Hi Donna,

I came across your site while searching the internet…yet again…for color ideas to paint the small rooms in my Idaho home.  I know the style I like but don’t intend to change the flooring or fixtures at this time.  I have made numerous trips to the local building stores, have drawers full of color samples and still can’t seem to get the right shades or colors.  Is this something you do?

I am currently repainting my master bed/bath.  I have dark tile/wood flooring and very light (comparable to maple) cabinets with granite top and oil rubbed bronze fixtures.  Not a lot of natural light…just one window in each room. No vaulted ceilings…just 8 feet.   I would like to incorporate my love of the ocean and have created some of my own artwork out of dark stained wood and shells, etc.  I am thinking of painting a shade of grey but I’m struggling to find the right one.

With so many grays out there, how do we know which is the right one for our room? Well there are a few things to consider when you’re thinking about gray.

• Lighting. Do you have a lot of light, a little light or a North facing room?
• What color is your flooring? Some grays look horrible with warm undertones
• Some cool grays look lavender
• Some muted grays switch from looking like blue back to gray again.
• Green grays look “sickly”

Oh the list can go on and on. Here I have an email from a client who wants a gray for her bedroom. Well you can read the email above and see exactly what her requests are.

I chose Light French Gray because she wants to work the Behr. Also keeping in with the coastal them, this “gray” will sometimes look blue (good for the coastal appeal) and is light enough for her light restrictions.

I also try to keep bedding and decor in mind in my virtual consults. This color looks pretty darn good with the bedding she has and will contrast well with her dark floors.

Like this gray? Sample it out before commenting to painting.

Donna