Like many things in our lives, we often find ourselves judging colours before we've explored them further. Grey would more often than not be thought of as a dull colour that has no place in a vibrant space in the home like the kitchen. And, like most times we judge things, we'd all be completely wrong. 

Our most popular colour this year, and in fact last, is clearly grey. You may ask yourself why? Why is a colour that reminds us of gloomy skies, manmade metals, and murky waters being chosen as a primary kitchen cabinet colour? Well, as you will see from our customer's kitchens in the images here, it's clear why. Grey offers many benefits that no other colour (other than possibly white), can offer.

Versatility

Firstly, it offers versatility. It can be matched with a host of other colour palettes in the kitchen. This isn't limited to just décor and furnishings. An extremely popular choice is to have a two-tone kitchen. Now that be done in several ways. As you can see from the photo below, you can have one colour for the wall cabinets and another for your island. You can also split colours on walls. One wall is a pale grey, the other a bolder or plain colour. The grey manages to make bold colours pop and stand out as in the kitchen here, but in others, if you choose white to go with the grey cabinets, then the grey colour is the feature. 

Durability

Simply put, it's the new and better white. White has forever been the go-to neutral colour as many believe it offers a blank canvas and a clean look. They aren't wrong. It does have an ease to it. However, we sell our kitchens to last a lifetime. A lifetime of white would cause constant cleaning issues. Unfortunately, dirt stands out very clearly on white so you may be forever wiping down and cleaning your cabinetry. Grey, whilst having the same abilities as white, offers an ease that would need less maintenance.

5 Shades of Grey

We have picked 5 kitchen colours from projects we've worked with over the past twelve months. All have a certain grey shade and each offers its own inspiration. We explain their origin and what that particular shade offers. Please note, these shades have been colour-matched as requested by our customer. We can do this for any Little Greene, Farrow & Ball or Zoffany colour.

Farrow & Ball - Railings

A gentler version of black, Railings gets its name from ironworks and gates used in London in the early 20th century. It makes a handsome and imposing entrance when applied to cabinets and islands like the kitchen above. Kitchen spaces are transformed into dramatic and engulfing interior spaces by the darker hue's bluer undertones. This kitchen is painted in Farrow & Ball Railings on the island and Drop Cloth for the wall units. The units, as with all our cabinetry, are made from solid wood and are hand painted. The worktop is Silestone 'Lagoon'.

Farrow & Ball - Charleston Grey

Charleston Grey, a cosy and subdued grey, is named for the cherished East Sussex residence of the equally creative and intelligent Bloomsbury Group. Its brown undertones, which are quite popular for usage in contemporary homes, produce a cosy, engulfing, and quiet mood. For all the Contemporary Neutrals, it is the ideal accent colour. Here, in this Surrey home, you have our Shaker units combined with a neutral colour palette; Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth for the main units, whilst Charleston Grey is featured on the island.

Little Greene - French Grey

This original Victorian colour, part of the French Grey family, is one of the most popular paint colours at Little Greene. A classic, timeless, and extremely versatile shade, French Grey is equally valuable in the traditional home and the modern interior - calm living spaces, kitchens, boot, and utility rooms. Here, in this fabulously extended mid-century kitchen, they used French Grey for 80% of the space. You explore the whole project here.

Farrow & Ball - Purbeck Stone

Farrow & Ball search far and wide to achieve unique and vibrant colours. They didn't have to go far for this one. The colour of stone found on the Isle of Purbeck, close to their Dorset home, is similar to that of Purbeck Stone, a crisp, understated mid-grey. The most powerful of our Relaxed Neutrals, Purbeck Stone sits contentedly alongside any colour, relaxing schemes in both old and new homes. Here, in our client David & Stella's renovated home, they used wall Purbeck Stone for the wall units, both tall, wall, and base. The island is a different colour which can be found in the project details here.

Zoffany - Chateau

Pink paint can take numerous forms, from delicate and subtle to rich and jewel-like. The new pinks offer a diverse palette for every type of space, with grown-up, greyed-out tints, and are no longer just for nurseries and kid's rooms.  Conjuring up the dreamy turrets of French country houses this cool pink grey adds an air of sophistication. Painted in Zoffany's Chateau, this Cheshire kitchen oozes warmth in a modern space.