Get into grey!

Grey is the new king of neutrals and if your idea of grey is cold and drab, look again. Designers have long known that grey is a workhorse. It works with all other shades but only recently has it been crowned the ultimate of neutrals. Grey, like taupe, can lean towards the cool side with under tones of blue and purple or it can go warm with under tones of yellow or red. Warm or cool, it is the new neutral de jour and we are lovingly greying up our rooms. 2009-2010 Grey tints are variable and come in dark pavement hues, earthy-grey tints and light grey tones. We also see lots of metallic grey which is cold but sparkling and looks interesting in combination with other colors and various shades of grey.

What do we marry grey with for a fab space? Colour palettes for 2010 truly are a collection of sophisticated pairings. Try pairing grey concrete walls (concrete walls are a hot look at the moment and you can easily turn your ordinary drywalled walls in concrete walls with a skim coat of concrete) with chocolate or caramel and a light peacock blue or canary yellow, midnight blue and a hot fusia or coral accent.

Not grabbing you yet? Try charcoal, black, chrome and an electric royal blue. A deep rich purple, handsome ebony, mustard green and darker grey are also three of my new favorites pulled together. Scarlett, grey and charcoal and gilded gold are also top of list for colour palettes and I could go on with more.....like I said, grey is a versatile workhorse, there is no shortage of great colour palettes available to us employing this shade. When planning a colour palette do not just think about paint; consider one or more of the fabulous oversized wallpapers that are available with a grey base. Still can't decide on an accent shade to pair with your grey offerings? Don't - stick with a classic black. Charcoal, a warm based grey, chrome and crisp white palette is fabulous and if you get bored you can at any time throw in a little punch of colour-anything from an electric yellow to a soft mauve. Grey moves elegantly from a modern space, to a traditional space, there's that workhorse thing again, not only does grey work with every other colour but it also works with every style.

The colour grey signifies a steadiness, a sense of resignation, stability, negotiability, and a strong sense of dignity. Grey is a guarded colour, which makes one who is in its presence feel protected and guarded. A disciplined colour gives the impression of compromise and a cool attitude. Who wouldn't want a room that emits a cool attitude? There's always a grey in great.