6.07.2010

Off-White or Light Grey?

Lately all I can think about is painting my apartment.
Sometimes I think the builders beige (or whatever colour they put in apartments) isn't so bad, 
but others times I look around and can't stand it.
I know it would look SO much better painted...
but it's an overwhelming thought...
to paint my entire apartment (even though it's small).
But literally, it's all I can think about lately.
"You should really just paint and get it over with," I say to myself.
"Your place would look so much better."
"The care you've taken to decorate and furnish deserves a nice background...not this builders beige shit."
Ugh. I can barely stand it.

And it would be so much easier a decision to make if I knew what colour I wanted to paint it.
That's a WHOLE OTHER ISSUE.
I'm torn between an off-white, like Moonlight White by BM:

As seen above in Anna's home on Door Sixteen

Or a nice soft grey. 
My latest obsession is Dolphin Fin by Behr:
(Yes, I have paint obsessions. I have a whole list of potential paint colours...)

As seen above in Alaina's apartment on Live Creating Yourself 
(a recent blog find of mine..and as such added to my 'On My Radar' section on the sidebar--->)
You simply must check out her blog (and her house tour!)
Can't believe she pulled it all together so quickly!

As seen above in Kristen's super cute home over on the blog KFF Designs

Personally, I think the grey would be more interesting and that's the direction I'm leaning in (and, as you can see, it still works well as a neutral) but off-white seems like the 'safe' choice. 
And because I'm already slightly overwhelmed by the thought of painting my apartment I don't want to do it twice. I'd prefer to get it right the first time.

Your thoughts?
Off-White or Light Grey?

20 comments:

My @ tha Hotness said...

I'm gonna go with grey too!

Jason Hudson Dot Com said...

Grey is nice.
But I hate painting so much.

Diamonds Pearls and Crazy in the world of Barbie Jones said...

GREY!!! we are allowed one accent wall that they paint for us of the color of our choice so we chose to do red in the dining room but i looked around and the rest was bland. so I headed to home depot and got busy! so much better.. we'll paint before we move which isnt anytime soon but in the meantime while Its mine I'm going to do as I please :)

Maggie said...

I am in the process of buying a condo and plan to paint the main living space (living room & hallways) a light grey. Thanks for posting these pics!

ephemerette said...

The grey offsets colourful accesories beautifully, my only concern would be geting enough light to ensure it doesn't feel gloomy in winter?

Anonymous said...

Grey! The white reminds me of an institution. lol

LifeBegins@Thirty said...

I'm voting for grey! Still a neutral but a little warmer and will make the trim etc pop.

Mrs. Limestone said...

I love gray but I think a especially ilght gray can just look like dirty white in the wrong scenarios. You really need to put stark white things up against a light gray wall for it to register as its true color. It looks like you have those stark whites in the fireplace and lamp, etc. so I think you should go for it.

Lisa said...

Grey :)

Kay* said...

Popular choice seems to be grey so far!

@ephemerette - valid point! my windows are south facing and so i get tons of light all year round!

@Mrs. Limeston - very good point. (that pictures isn't my home though - it's anna of door sixteens as per the photo credit :) i only WISH i had that gorgeous fireplace!)

Michelle... said...

I'm totally a fan of the grey. If I could paint my bedroom, it would be grey no doubt...not the yellowy off white it is now.

dagmara said...

Don't even get me started on grey! I bought 10 tester pots at one point and then when I finally decided on two shades - Cornforth White by F&B - and another from BM I can't remember just now but it might have been grey owl - and the gallons have been sitting in the basement since the fall waiting for it to be warm enough to paint with the windows open. And now that it is warm enough I think I like my walls just as they are which is white (aka Sico Alabaster) which actually looks like light grey in the evening and many of my visitors have commented on it.

Also, Sico's Seed Pearl is a great warm but chalky white. Like a farmhouse white. It's not too stark.

Decor I Adore said...

Do the gray, you will not regret it! It makes everything looks lite and airy... We did our bedroom this color and I absolutely love it... so much that I want the same color in other rooms in my house that still need to be painted. do it!!!

Alaina @ Live Creating Yourself said...

Grey! And thank you so much for including a photo from my home!! What an honor. : )

Alaina

Hello Lover... said...

I'm going with the gray (for myself and for you)! I love that Behr color!

Mandy said...

I would be afraid of gray for myself (because I'm completely boring and hate painting) but I have total faith that you would make it look amazing.

So Haute said...

Light grey all the way!!!

Hopeless Chest said...

I went with a grey with a hint of beige... so it wouldn't be too cool.

Loft32 said...

I would hands down say gray! We did our whole house interior in gray-kitchen and all. See my blog for pics. Anyways, in my opinion, gray is warmer and acts as a great accent color to showcase your art, photos and furnishings. Happy painting!

Kristen said...

greygreygrey!! and thanks for showing my living room :)

but seriously, i had these walls white before i painted them grey. the grey is much warmer and homier - though, it's still quite stark and modern. hard to describe, but i do love it, and i have had many color schemes since painting it grey, and love them all with it.

Post a Comment

Thanks for your comment! I do my best to respond to questions/suggestions - so if you leave one don't forget to check back for my response :)