Want to add a little color to your home? I have a list of the top gray green paint colors for you to use to add a little of your personality to your home.
I am so excited to talk about these colors because I have been using them in my home for years! We used Sea Salt in our bathroom renovation in our previous home. In this home, we used a Behr green gray in my daughter’s bedroom.
Neutrals have been kind for a long time. First, it was beige then we swung over to grays and whites, then back to greiges. I am even seeing beiges making a comeback.
One thing I am thrilled to see coming back into the design world is color! I mean, I love the feel of a neutral space as much as the next gal but color is where the personality is.
Do you want vibrance or calm? Color can make that happen in your home.
Gray green paint colors are a fabulous way to bring nature indoors which gives a feel of calm and tranquility. Let’s be honest, we could all use a little of that in our lives!
*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.
What is a gray green color?
Green is a great color to have in your home. It is like bringing nature into your space. What is gray green? Well it’s like having a green paint color with gray undertones.
These undertones are strong and can really alter the way the green comes through.
What does a muted paint color mean?
Gray undertones can make a color more muted. That means that the color lacks the common vibrance it normally has. It’s sort of toned down.
Undertones
When you look at a color and decide what color it is, purple, green blue, etc, that is considered the overtone. The subtle differences between blue colors and green colors that make then distinct are the undertones.
In gray green you will typically see yellow, blue, or brown undertones. Lighting is a huge factor in how colors look.
Lighting
I mentioned how lighting affects colors. Here is a basic rule of thumb then we will go into what that means for gray green colors.
- North-facing rooms have a light that tends to be a little cooler in nature and will come off slightly blue. Light colors will be a bit more muted or washed out while darker colors will be stunning.
- East-facing rooms will have brighter light in the morning and less in the evenings. The evening light will be a bit cooler. In the morning with sunrise, the bright sun will be warm. Warm color palettes are great for these spaces because they will help balance the cool feel of the evenings.
- South-facing rooms have consistent warm light throughout the day. The light really shows off the colors, dark will be very bright, and light colors will shine. Both warm and cool color palettes look good in a south-facing room.
- West-facing rooms have warm light in the evening and cooler light in the morning. Basically, it’s the opposite of east-facing.
How to know which paint color is right for your home?
You can purchase paint samples at the store and paint a swatch on your wall. But then you are left with a jar of paint that you can’t use for anything else (the paint quality of the samples is not good). Another option is Samplize.
Samplize is a company that will send you a peel and stick 12×12 inch vinyl sticker you can put on your wall. You can look at it over the course of a couple of days and even try it in different rooms. Then when you are done you can just throw it in the trash.
There is no mess and no waste! I highly recommend Samplize.
Where to use gray green paint colors.
This honestly is totally up to you. These paint colors will work in just about any space. Because of the calming effect there are some great places to use them to help you feel more relaxed.
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Family rooms
- cabinets or furniture
- accent walls (especially the darker colors)
- basements
- laundry rooms
- mudrooms
What colors go with gray green?
I love pairing gray green paint colors with whites. They look great with warm whites as well as crisp whites.
They also look amazing with paint colors that have blue undertones or are navy blue. And conversely, they look good with greige paint colors.
Top Gray Green Paint Colors
Here are the most popular gray green paint colors from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.
Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
Sea Salt is a very popular paint color and one that I have used in my previous home in my kid’s bathroom renovation. It’s wonderful and calming but also light and bright with an LRV of 63.
Get a sample of Sea Salt from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Pewter Green
This color has a very earthy and serene feel. It’s very dark with an LRV of 12! It leans a little more cool, doesn’t have the brown in it like some of the other more earth dark green gray colors.
Get a sample of Pewter Green from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog
Evergreen Fog was named Sherwin Williams color of the year for 2022!
It is a gorgeous sage that is a bit on the darker side with an LRV of 30. This color has the perfect blend of green and gray!
Get a sample of Evergreen Fog from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Retreat
Retreat is the darkest color we will discuss today but it’s probably one of my favorites! It has the perfect blend of green and gray but with it’s depth of color it is one of the best sage colors you will find.
Retreat has an LRV of 21.
Get a sample of Retreat from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Oyster Bay
Oyster Bay is closely related to Sea Salt but is darker. It’s just a bit darker than Comfort Gray. It has an LRV of 44. Just like the other two its a green gray paint color with hints of blue making it cooler and so very relaxing.
Get a sample of Oyster Bay from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray
Comfort Gray is everything that it’s name suggests, a blend of green, gray, and a touch of blue. It’s very closely related to the very popular Sea Salt but is a little darker. It’s also related to Oyster Bay but a tad lighter. It has an LRV of 54.
Get a sample of Comfort Gray from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Rosemary
I just love these dark gray green colors. Rosemary is more of a hunter green with gray undertones and a touch of brown. It’s a dark color with an LRV of 14. This color is very earthy and gives such a nature inspired vibe.
Get a sample of Rosemary from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Escape Gray
Escape Gray is a gray with green in it. That’s why it’s listed here. I definitely consider it a sage but it has more gray than green in it. I love it and feel like this is the perfect color for a bedroom, especially a nursery.
Escape Gray has an LRV of 41.
Get a sample of Escape Gray from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze
Acacia Haze is a tad greener than gray and as you can see really lightens up in a room with ample natural light. It has an LRV of 32.
Get a sample of Acacia Haze from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Silver Strand
Silver Strand is a gorgeous mix of blue, green, and gray that will have the most beautiful look on your walls. It has an LRV of 59 which puts it right on the edge between light and mid-toned.
This color can change immensely depending on the light and other furnishings in the rooms so I highly recommend getting a sample of it.
Get a sample of Silver Strand from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Filmy Green
Filmy Green is a lighter gray green paint color with an LRV of 64. It has a very calming feel and is great for any room in your home that you need a little more relaxation in.
Get a sample of Filmy Green from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Dried Thyme
Dried Thyme is one of my favorites! It has an earthy feel that really grounds a space. It’s a mid-toned color with an LRV of 21.
Get a sample of Dried Thyme from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Oakmoss
Oakmoss is a vibrant green that really brings the outdoors in and will give you a wonderful calming feel. It has a touch of brown in the undertones and an LRV of 13.
Get a sample of Oakmoss from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Thunderous
Thunderous is quite unique from the others in that it has almost equal parts of gray, green, and brown. It looks particularly well when paired with light neutrals. It’s a very dark color with an LRV of15.
Get a sample of Thunderous from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Studio Blue Green
Studio Blue Green has an LRV of 20 which makes it pretty dark. I used this color in my dining room on the top third of the walls over board and batten. It’s a blue green with a healthy does of gray which gives it a more muted although nature inspiring look and feel.
Get a sample of Studio Blue Green from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Oil Cloth
Oil Cloth to me is a gorgeous mid-toned color that is reminiscent of an old farmhouse. It’s the perfect color to promote the feeling of age and maturity. It has an LRV of 35.31.
Get a sample of Oil Cloth from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore October Mist
October Mist was Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year for 2022! So it’s only fitting that I include it here in the list of best sage paint colors. Honestly, it’s probably one of my favorite sage green colors.
This color is the perfect blend of green and gray. It’s a mid-toned sage with an LRV of 46.54. This color not only brings the feel of nature into your home but it uplifts your home and makes you feel happy.
Get a sample of October Mist from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Storm Cloud Gray
This color might be more gray than green but it’s simply stunning. It has more moss green in it than a bright green. It’s a dark color with an LRV of 28.88.
Get a sample of Storm Cloud Gray from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore High Park
This color is so beautiful! It’s definitely darker with an LRV of 30.43 so if you plan to use this one make sure you use it in a room with lots of natural light.
Get a sample of High Park from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Night Train
Night Train is also darker with an LRV of 22.8. This color is more gray than green but still has that calming effect.
Get a sample of Night Train from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Beach Glass
Beach Glass is another that is more blue than green but has the gray undertones. The combination of these three gives it the feel of the ocean, hence the name. This color is more mid-toned with an LRV of 49.7.
Get a sample of Beach Glass from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Healing Aloe
Healing Aloe has a lot of blue with green and gray undertones. It makes me think of the ocean and the color of sea glass. It’s a very bright color with an LRV of 68.25.
Get a sample of Healing Aloe from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Rosepine
Rosepine looks more mid-toned but its considered a dark color with an LRV of 20.82. It’s more of a mossy green with a more muted feel.
Get a sample of Rosepine from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Millstone Gray
This is a very dark color with an LRV of 16.96. It’s a deep green that is very grounding with enough charcoal to give it this dark color.
Get a sample of Millstone Gray from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Silver Crest
Silver Crest is unique because it is actually more of a blue but has strong green and gray undertones which makes it a very muted color. It has a sort of elegance and is quick light and bright with an LRV of 70.25.
Get a sample of Silver Crest from Samplize!
Things to consider when choosing a gray green paint color.
There are three things I want you to think about before you choose a gray green paint color.
- What is the mood I want to achieve in my home? Do I want a calm feel or an energetic one? If you follow color psychology then you know that different colors can invoke different moods.
- How much natural light does the room receive? Rooms with lots of natural light make paint colors more washed out. Consequently, rooms without lots of natural light might feel darker. This will make a difference between choosing a lighter or darker color.
- Consider what direction the room faces. As discussed earlier the direction a room faces can alter the type of light the room receives making paint colors look a little different.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does grayish green symbolize?
Green symbolizes nature and harmony. Gray symbolizes experience, wisdom, and balance.
Combine these two colors together and you have all of these things. A gorgeous harmony of nature, experience, and balance. You can’t go wrong.
What is the best gray green paint color?
This is a very subjective question. What I think is the best green gray color is different than what you might think is the best green gray color.
That being said, I will refer you to the two green gray paint colors that were paint colors of the year 2022 for both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.
Other green paint colors you might like:
- The Best Hunter Green Paint Colors
- The Best Forest Green Paint Colors
- The Difference Between Hunter Green and Forest Green
- The Best Benjamin Moore Green Paint Colors
- The Best Sherwin Williams Green Paint Colors
- The Best Behr Green Paint Colors
- The Best Sage Green Paint Colors
As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.