Light gray is a timeless shade when used in interiors, serving as a calming backdrop in many rooms, from living rooms to bathrooms. But when decorating with this cool neutral, the right color pairing can help add more interest and depth.
Since decorating with gray is all about cool tones, you may find that incorporating warmer shades into your scheme creates a more welcoming feel, ensuring gray tones don't feel drab.
To help you on your way, we've rounded up the best color combinations for light gray, as recommended by interior designers. Whether you're decorating with this classic neutral in a bedroom or dining room, these ideas ensure light gray feels intentionally layered and inviting.
1. Black
To add contrast when decorating with light gray, consider adding black. Decorating with black adds boldness and depth, and can work especially well across modern decorating ideas.
'Black is a nice pairing with gray – it creates a clean, modern contrast while allowing the gray to soften the overall look in the space,' explains Los Angeles-based interior designer Jessica Nicastro of Jessica Nicastro Design, who designed this modern dining room.
If your scheme includes light gray walls, add black through smaller decor additions to ensure this dark hue doesn't overwhelm the room.
Add grounding black accents to your light gray scheme with this metal plant pot.
This rattan lamp would make a stylish addition to light gray bedrooms, living rooms, or entryways.
Create a playful look with this curved mirror in black, a great way to add depth to light gray walls.
2. Powder blue
Since gray is a cool color, it can come across as drab if not properly balanced. To ensure a welcoming space, add warmth through color, such as powder blue, which is demonstrated in this child's bedroom.
'To keep a space feeling inviting, we'll play within the warm-cool spectrum of a color. In this space, we brought in soft blues and beige notes to complement the gray-toned walls, keeping the overall room serene but layered,' explain the interior designers, Mallory Robins and Elizabeth Bennett of Kobel + Co.
Decorating with light blues, like the ones in this bedroom, can feel as pared-back as neutrals, achieving a calm feel that's perfect for bedroom color ideas, whereas richer blues will feel more lively.
Perfect for the summer months, this linen tablecloth in a pale shade of blue adds subtle color to your dining space.
This powder blue table lamp is classic and elegant, a stylish choice for living rooms.
Bring soft blue into a gray bedroom with these cotton cushion covers.
3. Warm neutrals
In this neutral bedroom, light gray is teamed with a selection of warm neutrals, from taupe to chocolate brown, resulting in a richly layered space where the coolness of the gray is balanced with the warmth of the richer tones.
'We often layer taupe and light gray to create depth without relying on high contrast alone,' explains the interior designer Lucas Goldbach, partner and design director at En Masse Architecture & Design.
'This cozy bedroom integrates both tones through a headboard upholstered in Zimmer + Rohde fabric, which draws from the rug and drapery. Soft brown details create subtle warmth, while brighter, more collected accents, such as the curtain rod and an art stool, shine in the room. These quiet variations allow the brighter elements, like art and lighting, and the more personal pieces, to stand out while still maintaining a relaxing space,' adds Lucas.
If you're decorating with light gray in a bedroom, add richness with these velvet pillow covers in brown.
This vase allows you to layer warmer neutrals into your light gray scheme, a stylish choice for entryways.
If you prefer lighter neutrals, go for this textured bedspread in a sandy neutral tone.
4. Jewel tones
Don't be afraid of going bolder and decorating with jewel tones in a light gray room if you want to create a richer look. This gray and white living room shows how effective colorful accents in jewel tones can be in adding depth and coziness.
'One of our favorite things to do is layer pale gray with unexpectedly saturated jewel tones,' explains the interior designer Martin Horner of Soucie Horner. 'You can see how the emerald chair and the sapphire, caramel, and ruby pillows give this room a depth that’s in keeping with the richness of the fireplace surround. Gray and white alone would have been beautiful, but would have felt more crisp than nuanced. The saturated accent colors elevate this room and make it more interesting.'
This color pairing is also recommended by New York interior designer Kathy Kuo, who adds: 'I love the look of light gray with darker tones like navy blue, emerald green, and charcoal.'
This teal velvet pouf adds richness and elegance to a light gray living room.
If you prefer warmer jewel tones, go for this mohair pillow in a rich and sophisticated shade of red.
Ground your light gray scheme with jewel tones underfoot with this teal patterned rug.
5. Ochre
Decorating with yellow is another stylish choice for gray rooms. While bright yellows offer vibrancy, a muted ochre offers sophistication and warmth, much like the two armchairs in this bedroom painted in Portola Paints' Piano Room.
While this color pairing works well with gray paints and ochre added through the decor, it can work the other way around, too. Interior designer Jonathan Mergele of Fairfax Dorn Projects suggests a favorite ochre paint to pair with light gray below:
'Light gray is one of the most adaptable and sophisticated neutrals in interior design. Its subtle, cool undertone creates a calm backdrop that highlights other elements of the room. We like pairing mustardy ochre tones like Farrow & Ball's Duster to warmly contrast light gray.'
As recommended by designers, Farrow & Ball's Duster has a muted quality so it won't feel too bold on the walls.
Add ochre to a light gray sofa with this pillow with a classic pattern for added interest.
Another way to add ochre to your walls is through wallpaper, and this striped option adds an on-trend pattern to your space too.
Which of these color pairings for light gray is your favorite? Since light gray serves as a versatile neutral, you'll find that many colors complement it well, whether you want to create a colorful look or keep things understated.
For further guidance with your scheme, take a look at the mistakes to avoid when decorating with gray to ensure a thoughtfully designed space.
