color post: which pinks love grey

For so many years beige, or some form of warm neutral,

was the go-to backdrop for every space.

Now, with grey at the forefront of design,

many of us are trying to make the switch from warm neutrals to cool ones...

Concerned about creating a space that feels "cold", 

my clients usually want to incorporate some colorful accents when using grey on the walls.

 A question I am constantly asked is what colors work with grey.

If you read my post on clean color,

you'll know that almost any hue works with grey, 

what's important is that it is a pure hue that has been mixed only with white, black, or grey.

but one of my favourite combinations is grey mixed up with pink and it's cohorts...

and when I saw this living room, I swooned, because the color mix is exactly right.

 grey wall and sofa + with fresh garden hues - how about that lush emerald?

(and note how the pillow on the right, sconce art and side table 

pick up the the warm tones found in the wood floor and allow for a harmonious mix.)

Black adds glam to the combo, 

and although I may have chosen a slightly cooler tone for the walls,

those chairs are showstoppers, aren't they?

Turquoise plays well with fuchsia against a serene dove grey backdrop, 

because they are equal in saturation.

Just as the palest of pinks pairs perfectly with the palest of greys to create this tranquil space.

The pink is fairly dominant in these living/dining rooms at first glance,

 but it's actually only the sofa and flowers that are pink.

So much impact from one piece of furniture!

Look how differently the paint and sofa color appear in the different photos.

This is why you should never choose a paint color based solely on a photo!!!

(hmm... I smell a future post :)

and some pretty bits of high contrast...

so want that painting, top left.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

What do you think?

Would you ever use this combination?

Since they are so popular right now,

I think I'll do a few posts exploring grey based color schemes...

any particular one you'd like to see explored next?