50 Shades of Grey… FinFloors

Choosing the right shade of Grey laminate or vinyl flooring.

“Greige” – Grey is the new beige and the most commonly requested colour at the moment within interior design. Grey has not only replaced beige as being the “It” neutral, but greys are now synonymous with style, sophistication and glamour.

Read on for some hints on picking a great grey flooring for your space, from the experts at Finfloor. When choosing the right shade of grey there are two important considerations to take into account:

1. the undertones that it contains
2. the lightness/darkness of the shade.

Undertones: Grey contains one of three undertones, namely purple, green or blue. Green-based greys generally appear the most neutral, are easy to live with and complement a wide range of wood tones and other colours.

Nordic Grey, is a very textured natural looking grey floor that comes with a painted v-groove.

Blue-based greys are the coolest, and almost have a steel-like appearance to them. Most people go to these first. We recommend that you prevent your room from becoming too cold, with the addition of warm and natural woods, warm metals, and additional warm colours.

Picture of cool steel grey Black forest Silver Elm laminate flooring

Purple based greys are the ones most difficult to work with as most furnishings and woods contain orange or red tones, and they clash with the purple.

Cool or warm?

The most common way to classify grey is by cool and warm. Cool greys work best in a room that receives direct sunlight during the period you will be using it. The lighter cool greys are more forgiving than the darker cool greys.

Mojave cool grey vinyl flooring with warm grey higlights.

Warm grey is a grey with a little brown in it. Warm greys are welcoming and cosy – emitting a sense of heat and depth in a space.

Kahlua Oak bedroom warms up with wood highlighted and accented furniture.

White Elder, is a light natural looking warm greige floor that comes with a painted v-groove.

So, before you go all-in with your next grey selection, consider if the tone emits a sense of cool or warmth. Choose a grey tone to compliment your personality, and the personality of your home. This may help you make the best decision for the space you will be decorating.

Finfloor are the leading importers of laminate flooring and vinyl flooring through Africa. Find out more about these and other trends from Finfloor.