Dreaming in Gray - a BIG 2014 Color!

Shade of Gray - A BIG color for 2014!

source via my pinterest board

Today is a cold, rainy, snowy-mix day in Atlanta and it has inspired me to look for the brighter side of this color choice.  Gray, in all its permutations, is one of the big colors for 2014.  It is a color with surprising range from dark and "calm/cold" to lighter and livelier. It is a neutral that works with almost any other color - particularly with splashes of brighter colors.

A mix between black and white, gray is by definition a neutral. But its varying shades, from light dove to dark charcoal, make gray as versatile as any color. article on Better Home and Gardens website - source 

The color grey doesn't have to be dull, cold, and boring. It can actually be quite hip and romantic. Depending on the shade, it also matches and coordinates with about any color in the rainbow. link to eHow article - source

love the addition of yellow - see source above

A splash of orange - see source above

I have a client in the area who is renovating a wonderful late 30's house in the historic Marietta area - a northwestern suburb of Atlanta. Her primary color choice is gray and she and her husband have created the most amazing kitchen primarily using various shades of gray and other neutrals (great expanses of marble). She has purchased almost a dozen chairs and other upholstered pieces from me in various shades of neutral - all to go into this wonderful setting. Her only two color exceptions have been a deep blue velvet wingback chair and a patina-rich green caned accent chair.  She is convinced and has convinced me that all shades of neutral work well with gray but also that an insertion of a key other color can be wonderful. She has promised me that I can come back into her setting once it is all finished to do some photography - so with any luck, there will be one or more postings on this subject in the future.

Select a third color to bring interest into your room. Depending on the shades of grey you're using and your décor, you may want to choose a third color to liven things up. If you have a modern décor, this color could be black. If you have a formal look, you may want to incorporate silver or blue. A splash of red or green will bring excitement to your rooms. Source

Here's a great color palette with various shades of gray and golds - see source above