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Simple Ways to Liven Up a Grey Hallway
Make sure your hall offers a warm welcome with these perky partners for sophisticated grey
If you’re looking for a calm shade for your hallway, you can’t go wrong with grey. But if you think it lacks a little vitality, take a look at these ideas for brightening up this popular neutral.
Dress the walls
Add depth to a neutral grey backdrop by using it to frame an eclectic display. In this scheme by HCC Interiors, the surfaces are covered with a curated collection of round wooden hooks, artwork and even a floating console.
The interesting selection of pieces adds character to the space, and the grey walls behind give a harmonious softness to the display.
Add depth to a neutral grey backdrop by using it to frame an eclectic display. In this scheme by HCC Interiors, the surfaces are covered with a curated collection of round wooden hooks, artwork and even a floating console.
The interesting selection of pieces adds character to the space, and the grey walls behind give a harmonious softness to the display.
Team with timber
If you want to warm up any room, it’s a good idea to incorporate wooden surfaces. The colour and texture of timber adds a natural depth to a space, and this works particularly well against the cool tones of grey.
In this hallway by Kia Designs, for example, the pebble coloured walls and stair carpet are clean and elegant against the cosier feel of the wooden surfaces.
Need help with your room’s scheme? Find an interior designer in your area.
If you want to warm up any room, it’s a good idea to incorporate wooden surfaces. The colour and texture of timber adds a natural depth to a space, and this works particularly well against the cool tones of grey.
In this hallway by Kia Designs, for example, the pebble coloured walls and stair carpet are clean and elegant against the cosier feel of the wooden surfaces.
Need help with your room’s scheme? Find an interior designer in your area.
Make everything rosy
If timber surfaces aren’t quite enough to cosy up your grey hallway, add some blush tones as well. Here, the team at Chic Living have popped in just enough pink accessories to make the grey walls appear warmer.
The pink and coral accents add yet another layer to the wooden joinery, and tone beautifully with the smoky walls. If you don’t want – or don’t have room for – accessories, try introducing rosy tones through artwork.
If timber surfaces aren’t quite enough to cosy up your grey hallway, add some blush tones as well. Here, the team at Chic Living have popped in just enough pink accessories to make the grey walls appear warmer.
The pink and coral accents add yet another layer to the wooden joinery, and tone beautifully with the smoky walls. If you don’t want – or don’t have room for – accessories, try introducing rosy tones through artwork.
Whiten up
An effective way to bring a lighter feel to a room is to use paler shades towards the ceiling. Here, for example, the designers at Hyve Architects have grounded the hallway with a dark grey floor, and painted most of the walls in a mid-grey shade. Then at the top is a canopy of white, which helps to lift the eyes upwards and brighten the space.
To maintain a balanced feel in the room, add white to other surfaces, as they’ve done here with the woodwork.
An effective way to bring a lighter feel to a room is to use paler shades towards the ceiling. Here, for example, the designers at Hyve Architects have grounded the hallway with a dark grey floor, and painted most of the walls in a mid-grey shade. Then at the top is a canopy of white, which helps to lift the eyes upwards and brighten the space.
To maintain a balanced feel in the room, add white to other surfaces, as they’ve done here with the woodwork.
Draw the line
Bring out grey’s darker tones by pairing it with black. Here, bellabunce has punctuated a silver wall colour with strong black lines in the form of frames and furniture legs.
The slim edges add interesting geometric shapes to the soft surfaces around them.
Bring out grey’s darker tones by pairing it with black. Here, bellabunce has punctuated a silver wall colour with strong black lines in the form of frames and furniture legs.
The slim edges add interesting geometric shapes to the soft surfaces around them.
Play the blues
Teal is a bold shade that tones well with a grey scheme, as both colours are at the cool end of the spectrum.
Here, the lamps and artwork lift the pale grey walls behind and bring extra personality into the room. However, as both colours have underlying blue tones, the space feels balanced.
Teal is a bold shade that tones well with a grey scheme, as both colours are at the cool end of the spectrum.
Here, the lamps and artwork lift the pale grey walls behind and bring extra personality into the room. However, as both colours have underlying blue tones, the space feels balanced.
Punctuate with pattern
In this hallway, the designers at Born & Bred Studio have combined a uniform, two-tone look with a more decorative element.
Solid grey panelling combines with pale grey walls above to give a classic feel to the Victorian hallway. The grey on grey paint could have made the space feel a little flat, though, so the patterned floor was a smart move.
The design on the tiles is a pretty contrast to the sombre walls and helps to lift the whole scheme.
Tell us…
Are you thinking of using grey in your hallway? Would you perk it up with any of these ideas? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
In this hallway, the designers at Born & Bred Studio have combined a uniform, two-tone look with a more decorative element.
Solid grey panelling combines with pale grey walls above to give a classic feel to the Victorian hallway. The grey on grey paint could have made the space feel a little flat, though, so the patterned floor was a smart move.
The design on the tiles is a pretty contrast to the sombre walls and helps to lift the whole scheme.
Tell us…
Are you thinking of using grey in your hallway? Would you perk it up with any of these ideas? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
For a hallway that boosts your mood as soon as you enter, yellow is a great choice – and a good shade to team with grey.
Here, the sunny upholstery on the bench seat by Furnished by Anna is the ideal lift to a neutral space. The two colours work harmoniously together, as the yellow perks up the grey and the grey tones down the yellow.