Colin and Justin: Is grey still hot?


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This week, Colin and Justin put a colourful spin on a grey area in décor

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For several years now, the grey palette, in its various iterations, has dominated the global design landscape.  And with that observation (for the most part, certainly) we don’t have a problem.

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We, after all, have been championing the grey scale design ethos since Raquel Welsh was fighting dinosaurs on the beach…

The thing that does bother us, however, is the fact that grey is so frequently used as a default mechanism (“Hmm – not sure what do to with this room.  Wait: I know. I’ll paint it grey…”) when another colour might actually have been better suited to the project. In short – grey is great, but it’s not always the answer.

Colouring our own schemes, we take into consideration myriad factors that inflect upon final results.  Room scale, for example, can effectively darken or lighten a colour choice.

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Similarly, furniture position and the ‘layered’ results achieved therein (when wall tone, floor finishes and accessories are viewed as one entity) can alter perceived shade.  Also natural light: that which seems the perfect shade by day can appear significantly darker as the evening settles.

We recommend selecting colours very carefully.  Before investing in quantity, buy a tester pot for a few bucks, cover a large piece of cardboard in the shade you’re considering, and observe at various points throughout the day and evening to see how it darkens, or indeed lightens.

Dark grey, without doubt, can seem austere and uninviting lest countered by ample lighter shades such as white or cream.  Similarly, a bright primary shade – such as yellow – will invigorate a significantly grey scale scene by adding a dramatic ‘pop’.

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It’s worth noting that the popping aspect doesn’t have to be paint, it can just as easily be an upholstery detail, a piece of artwork or a stridently coloured accessory that makes everything else ‘sing’.

Grey was originally the chi chi preserve of architects and designers (long before it became the cross demo joyride it is today) but come on: just because it’s now ‘embraced’, it doesn’t mean grey should be dismissed as yesterday’s news.

Learn to embrace, develop and amend it – like the colour palette in today’s room.  Sure, it’s still an undeniably grey affair, but the shading is earthier – and less steely – than before.  It’s progress.

Don’t be put off by naysayers who suggest it’s time to move on.  Remember that colour choice is subjective – if you like it, why should anyone else’s opinion really matter?

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We’re certainly not ready to banish grey scale from our commercial endeavors, nor its application in our own spaces.  We’re just specifying it ever more carefully to ensure it remains fresh.  To that end – here are a couple of grey shades we recommend…

For principal wall coverage, we love the warm tones of ‘Revere Pewter’ by Benjamin Moore, an earthy shade that looks chic in both modern and traditional application.

For a dramatic accent, we suggest ‘Kendall Charcoal’, again by BM: its moody elegance makes it perfect for a feature zone, or to enliven built-ins. Not sure which colour to use for baseboards and door surrounds?

Take a tip: the aforementioned tones perfectly compliment ‘Chantilly Lace’, our go to Benny Moore trim paint.

As is so often the case, the most successful schemes are those that emerge after careful planning and nurturing.  And indeed those that follow the heart, rather than trends.  However you decide to decorate, don’t rush it.

Take your time.  Let grey days brighten (if that isn’t a contradiction in terms) your soul.  With just enough splashes of colour to make you sing…

Watch for Colin and Justin on Cabin Pressure and Great Canadian Cottages
(Cottage Life TV) and on Cityline (CityTV). Find the Colin and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv

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