Help finding a shade of gray?

12 years ago

I want to paint out the backs of our living room bookcases and our wet bar walls a medium gray. When I first thought about doing this, I'd had BM Chelsea Gray in mind, which is a bit deeper than what's in my inspiration photo:

Here's another bookcase with a deeper tone:

Maybe somewhere between the two? But I prefer the first photo and keep going back to it. I will be deviating slightly from that photo as our walls (and above the mantle) are BM Revere Pewter and our woodwork/mantle is white, not cream.

On the wet bar, which is across from that wall, we are using leathered black countertops and white cabinetry. So I don't want to go too too dark on the walls within that area/alcove yet I do want some contrast to the Revere Pewter everywhere else.

What gray should I use to achieve a similar tone (or possibly a shade deeper?) than in that first photo above?

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Comments (7)

ttodd
12 years ago
If you like what you have going on now I'd just ask the paint store to mix up the RP and make it darker. I'd also try a different finish than th ewalls and possibly the trim depending on what you have now.
babs711
Original Author
12 years ago
I like the RP but want the shade to be more gray (but not a blue-gray) than the RP. RP is very greige and lighter. I want it more of what's in the photo. I think making RP darker will look brownish instead of the gray I'm trying to achieve. Does that make sense? Maybe I should make Chelsea Gray lighter? Or is there another gray I'm not thinking of? Galveston Gray? Ozark Shadows? Coventry Gray? I used Coventry Gray in my DS's bathroom and next to the brownish gray awesome tiles and black vanity, it's taking on an oddly lavender tone. I'm thinking it's because it's only one thin coat over the primer. But we'll see.
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chispa
12 years ago
The first photo reminds me of BM Silver Fox.
Sueb20
12 years ago
I think Galveston Gray would look nice.

I have Revere Pewter on my bedroom walls, and I painted a piece of furniture in the room Iron Mountain, which looks good against the RP, but is probably too dark for what you're doing.
homeagain
12 years ago
I've used revere pewter, chelsea gray, iron mtn, gray owl and rockport gray in the last year. Rockport is about half way,between rp and chelsea gray. I think it would work well for you.
babs711
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks guys! I was looking at my paint decks today. I actually emailed the designers of that room (after doing some Internet sleuthing) who told me they'd started with SW Agreeable Gray. But it ended up being a custom color in the end.

I think I'm going to have samples made of Chelsea at 50%, Galveston, and of Rockport. I'll start there and see where I end up!
Bobby99
12 years ago
I've been trying to find a shade of gray to paint the inside of a bookshelf in my kitchen/dining room to go with my revere pewter walls, so when you finish, I'd love to see pictures!

Also, I notice that most people are painting just the back of the shelves and not the side walls of the shelves. The PO of my home painted the sides of the shelves as well as the back - does anyone have an opinion on why you would do one or the other??