I am such a sucker for dark and moody paint colors. Among my favorites are dark blue gray paint colors. Today I am sharing the best of the best and the most popular!
Dark and moody has become the thing to do especially in bedrooms and dining rooms. Accent walls are also a great place to add the drama! My go-to dark and moody paint colors are dark blue grays. I used a one of these colors in my master bedroom renovation and two years later still love it!
What is a Dark Blue Gray Paint Color?
This wording can get very confusing when you start mixing different colors together! I hear ya! So what does blue gray mean?
When you are talking about gray paint colors they tend to have blue, green, yellow, or purple undertones. Gray paint colors that have very strong blue undertones are called blue gray paint colors. These paint colors are considered cool grays because of these undertones.
These paint colors have very strong blue undertones and you can see that easily. These colors are very popular in many different home decorating styles.
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How to know if a paint color is right for you?
The best way to judge if a color is good for you then you will want to put a swatch on the wall and look at it over a few days. Look at it in different lights and decide if you really like it.
You can do this by getting a sample from the paint store and using a brush to put it up on the walls, but then you are left with a can that you can’t do anything with. Those samples are used with poor-quality paint and aren’t meant for use on your walls permanently.
I recommend going with Samplize. They are a company that will send you a 12X12 peel-and-stick swatch of a paint color that you can stick to the wall. When you are done just peel it off and throw it away.
It’s easy and much less messy!
Where is the best place to use dark blue gray paint colors?
It’s important to keep in mind that using dark colors means you need ample natural light from windows or skylights to keep the room from becoming too much of a cave. Having ample artificial light is also important.
I used a dark color in my bedroom but I have a huge window. I also wanted the feel of a more cozy room. You may not like this in a family room or a basement rec room.
So other than using dark blue gray on all the walls here are some other suggestions of where you can use them:
- Exterior of the home
- Accent Walls
- Kitchen or bathroom cabinets
- Furniture
Best Dark Blue Gray Paint Colors
Benjamin Moore Dior Gray
Oh Dior Gray, how I love thee! This dark cool-toned gray is stunning and perfect for an accent wall or even a piece of furniture.
This color screams for a man cave too! But make sure you have lots of windows if you plan to use this color on all the walls so it doesn’t actually feel like a cave.
Get a sample of Dior Gray from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Comet
Comet has an LRV of 35 so it’s not as light of a color as one would think when just looking at the paint swatch. Just make sure that the room you plan to use it in does get a decent amount of natural light.
Get a sample of Comet from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Bachelor Blue
Bachelor Blue is part of the Classic Collection which completely makes sense when you look at the color. It pairs really well with classic paint colors such as reds, yellows, and greens.
I really like these mid-toned blue gray colors. This one is a perfect balance of both blue and gray for the perfect color!
Get a sample of Bachelor Blue from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Stillwater
Stillwater is a lot like Bachelor Blue and has many of the same traits. However, this color has an LRV of 17.55 which makes it darker. But isn’t it just gorgeous?!
Get a sample of Stillwater from Samplize!
Benjamin Moore Mineral Alloy
Quite a bit darker than Water’s Edge is Mineral Alloy. It’s also a neutral but on the darker side, still firmly in the mid-toned range.
Mineral Alloy is one of those colors that pairs really well with just about any wood tone. It also pops so nicely off the white trim and doorways.
Get a sample of Mineral Alloy from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Software
This color is so dramatic I just love it. If you have a room with tons of natural light then this color with lots of white accents would be stunning!
If you are looking for a dark room, such as a theater room, but don’t want to go charcoal or black then this is the way to go. I love the steely blue nature of this color, perfect for an accent wall on a headboard wall in a bedroom!
Get a sample of Software from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Morning Fog
Morning fog is a beautiful silvery blue and has an LRV of 42. It reflects a ton of light but is a great accent color to the whites in the room.
Get a sample of Morning Fog from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Steely Gray
Steely Gray is the perfect name for this color. Its pull towards blue is apparent in this dark color.
This is my favorite of the darker colors mentioned here. It’s not too dark to overwhelm a room. You could use this on all the walls or just as an accent wall.
Get a sample of Steely Gray from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Serious Gray
This is one of Sherwin Williams’s darker gray colors. It has an LRV of 23 so it doesn’t reflect much light at all. This is a great color for accent walls, cabinets, or furniture makeovers.
I used this color in my modern coastal powder room paired with a ton of white and it turned out amazing!
Get a sample of Serious Gray from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Distance
Distance can vary its look in different lights. It’s a dark blue gray but when used in a room with tons of natural light really brightens up.
Get a sample of Distance from Samplize!
Sherwin Williams Granite Peak
Granite Peak is a lot like Distance but it has more gray in it. Both are very dark colors and are best used on focal walls, furniture, and cabinetry.
Get a sample of Granite Peak from Samplize!
Behr Adirondack Blue
Adirondack Blue is in the gray color family but it has a gorgeous dusting of blue that I simply love. It has an LRV of 23 so it’s definitely a dark color.
Behr Teton Blue
Teton Blue is one of my favorites here. It has the look of the sky right before a big storm! Its gorgeous depth of color makes it a great color for accent walls or furniture/cabinets.
The LRV of Teton Blue is 31 which makes it on the darker end of the mid-toned range colors. It’s still light enough but dark enough that if you plan to use it on all the walls of a room make sure you have plenty of natural light.
Behr French Colony
French Colony is a gorgeous blue color that has significant gray undertones. These gray undertones really mute the blue but not so much that it distorts the color. This one is one of my favorites!
French Colony has an LRV of 34 so it’s definitely on the darker side of the spectrum.
Behr Norwegian Blue
This color is so gorgeous! I love that it’s a little darker, LRV of 24, but it’s calming and would be a great color for any home.
Because Norwegian Blue has such a low LRV I don’t recommend using this on all the walls of a room unless you are going for dark and moody. I would stick with accent walls or furniture for this color.
You could use this on the exterior of a home and it would be gorgeous!
Behr Charcoal Blue
I do really love the darker blue gray colors and this one is another one of my fav’s! The name says it all, it’s a charcoal mixed with a blue.
This color has an LRV of 19 so it’s definitely dark. I would use this on accent walls, cabinets/furniture, and exteriors. If you really want a dark and moody bedroom or dining room this would be a great choice.
Behr Dark Pewter
This stunning color definitely sits on the darker side of things with an LRV of 29 but its so gorgeous! I love that Dark Pewter is a gray color with hints of blue.
This color might be too overpowering in a room with little natural light but in a well-lit room, it would be stunning. It’s also great for furniture/cabinetry and accent walls.
What accent colors go well with dark blue gray paint colors?
Hands down I would stay away from other dark colors. I would go with light colors such as:
- whites
- creams
- light to medium tone grays
Other great colors to pair with dark blue gray paint colors are blush colors, light yellows, sage greens, and blue greens.
If you are planning to paint a room yourself then you will want to check out these DIY paint posts to help you get started and not make any mistakes:
- 11 Must-Have Supplies for Painting a Room Like a Pro
- The Best Paint Brushes for Latex Paint
- The Right Way to Test Paint Samples in Your Home
Other posts you might like:
- The Absolute Best Blue Gray Paint Colors
- The 14 Best Light Blue Gray Paint Colors
- The Best Greige Paint Colors
- The Best Wall Colors for Gray Floors
- The Best Blue Gray Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore
- The Best Blue Gray Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
- The Best Blue Gray Paint Colors from Behr
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.