We all know gray is an important color now….

but the question is which one. I added tumbled light gray squares

to my limestone kitchen floor years ago to add a little accent

and roughness to their buff colored satin smoothness.

I love gray. I wear gray. I want gray.

Almost three years ago we covered over the dark wood paneling in our

living room with a thin layer of sheetrock and plaster.  This was to mollify

my husband’s concerns, and protect the wood if we wanted to go back to it.

It was thick, wide planked, un-knotted. So I couldn’t rip it out, didn’t want to

paint, bleach or sand it. We’re both thrilled with the consummate light that

fills the room now. Photo above from earlier Timeless in Provence here

I’ve eyed the almost 10 foot tall, built-in book cases on either side of one wall

for several years now. They are paint grade wood that has been stained

a “wood brown”. And I’m in the process of painting them gray…

So many grays…

Just picked up Coté Ouest and Coté Paris Dec/Jan ’10 issues

and they are flooded with grays…

With that now requisite touch of lavender or mauve…

I bought flat paint…for it’s chalkiness…

love the tremulous glow of Astier de Villate

emoting from the dark…and that gorgeous stone

curb that the glasses drain in…

What I’m conscious of now is the balance in the room

between an open beam wood ceiling that rises up to meet

the second floor, stone fireplace, several wood antiques that

I can’t just replace with painted French or Swedish …

Six photos above all from Coté Ouest

Grays mixing it up with sister neutrals…

from my Architectural Remnants post here

From left to right: Benjamin Moore “Storm”, C2 Paints “Pavement”,  “Stomp”,  “Carbon Dust”

I intend to paint the inside of the cabinets a darker gray…

I’m veering away from grays that are too plummy, or blue…

“Pavement” is a favorite so far….

Asli Tunca…a treasure trove of gray tones…

from earlier post Atelier in Istanbul

here

Aiden Gray photo

Masterful mix of neutral…

and strong pop of aged black graphics…

“An 18th century sculpted wooden Italian lantern is suspended

within an industrial mold made of wooden marquetry…”

The New Eighteenth Century Style

From my Strong and Silent post here

The photo on first flip through that caused me to buy the issue…

Liquid metal on French…

Coté Paris

Got a “go to” gray?

Please name it and describe it fondly to me…

always looking for a few good grays

*

Oh…and yes…loving all the lanterns, too