Top 12 Behr Gray Paint Colors for a Modern Home Makeover

From pale to moody, here are the best Behr gray paint colors to help you achieve a fresh, modern look in your home.

I was surprised to learn that gray seldom features in studies of favorite colors, with only around 2% of people listing it as their choice.

Working in a creative field such as fashion and interior design, gray is everywhere, the mainstay of professional attire and minimalist spaces.

Is it perhaps because gray is so ubiquitous that we don’t consider it a favorite — it’s always present and reliable? Let’s look at some gray paint colors by Behr and see which are the most popular.

The best Behr pale gray paint colors are Irish Mist, White Metals, Chic Gray, Platinum, Dolphin Fin, and Silver Feather. Medium gray colors include French Silver, Fashion Gray, and Shark Fin. Dark, dramatic charcoals include Greyhound, Astronomical, and Cracked Pepper.

Along with white, gray remains one of the most chosen paint colors, particularly lighter shades. I love gray for its versatility, elegance, and quiet sophistication. Top paint producer, Behr feels the same and has created a gorgeous range of grays, from the palest silver to the richest charcoal.

12 Best Gray Paint Colors from Behr

Selecting the best Behr gray paints is a delight, as there are so many variations of this neutral. Take care when choosing your ideal gray that you match the undertone to the rest of your interior, especially considering its sensitivity to light and chameleon nature, leaning green, brown, or blue.

Light gray is an interior design stalwart, forming the backdrop to decor of all colors and aesthetics. Medium grays are as elegant as their paler sisters but add more intensity to your interiors. Dark gray paints are less versatile than lighter options, but they add much-needed drama and depth to your interiors.

#1. Irish Mist 790C-1

As the name suggests, Irish Mist is an airy, barely-there gray paint with a slight warmth.

Choose this color to brighten a sun-starved bedroom, pairing it with gentle blues and a dash of yellow in a Scandi delight. It’s also gorgeous contrasted with crisp white for minimalist elegance.

#2. White Metal N520-1

One of Behr’s top sellers, White Metal is loved for its ability to make even the tiniest room feel larger and airier. This light gray is refined and sophisticated, working well as a foundation color for an open-plan interior where it leads you from room to room.

I love this gray with pink accents in a cozy living room full of textured throws and chrome accessories.

#3. Chic Gray PPU26-10

With a cool, silvery tone, Chic Gray is an elegant choice.

While it works beautifully in an Art Deco interior, with silver décor and wallpaper, it’s also an excellent choice for more organic spaces, with plenty of greenery, warm wood, and deep green accents.

#4. Platinum PPU26-11

This soothing, classic gray is perfect for a tranquil interior, whether a spa-like bathroom or a relaxed bedroom.

It’s a lovely choice for a contemporary living room, softening hard edges and crisp black and charcoal. Choose Platinum if you want to harness gray’s lightening and brightening effect.

#5. Dolphin Fin 790C-3

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is the color of a dolphin’s actual fin — rather, think dolphin belly and the pearly beauty of these engaging sea creatures. This soft, warm gray is your perfect neutral, working well with off-whites, ivory, and beige.

I also love it with darker grays, layered like you’d see on a wild dolphin leaping through the waves.

#6. Silver Feather BWC-29

The charmingly named Silver Feather is an elegant, dreamy gray with a soft green undertone. This makes Silver Feather the ideal anchor for an interior filled with rich emerald greens and silver touches.

It highlights architectural molding beautifully and looks gorgeous on wooden paneling.

#7. French Silver PPU18-5

This magnificent cool, blue-toned silver gray evokes images of heavy gray candlesticks and gorgeous chandeliers.

I love it in a traditional living room, with velvety drapes and pale gray plushy couches. It would also work well in a tranquil bedroom, paired with midnight blue and warm wood tones.

#8. Fashion Gray PPU18-15

The color of my husband’s favorite suit, Fashion Gray, defines quiet luxury. Brown undertones soften and warm this elegant gray, making it a great option for neutral color palettes.

It pairs perfectly with earthy beiges and browns. Choose this color for a luxurious living room or a peaceful bedroom.

#9. Shark Fin PPU24-19

Another paint color inspired by the ocean, Shark Fin is a bold gray with a blue undertone. This is an ideal choice for kitchens, whether walls or cabinetry, and brightened with white or blue accents and trim.

I also love touches of red with this paint color — or is that my imagination and images of a feeding frenzy?

#10. Greyhound PPU24-21

One of the words color psychologists associate with gray is dependable, rather like a much-beloved dog. Greyhound has that reliable, inviting quality but speeds up to date with a warm, earthy undertone.

Update your much-loved gray interiors with accents of deeper gray, along with taupe and greige, for warmth and interest. I’d throw in some jewel tones, but that’s just me.

#11. Astronomical N450-7

Astronomical moves you right over to the dark side, with the requisite hissing voice and Star Wars allure. It’s very dark indeed, with an LRV of 7, making it a dramatic choice for interiors.

It’s gorgeous for a masculine, minimalist bedroom, so long as the room has some natural or artificial light. You don’t genuinely want to be Darth Vader.

#12. Cracked Pepper PPU18-1

Behr’s Color of the Year for 2024, Cracked Pepper is a deep, powerful, and intense charcoal shade. It has luscious blue undertones that make it a beautiful accent color.

Use Cracked Pepper as a backdrop for golden wood tones or rich terracottas.

Final Thoughts

Much like love, gray is all around us: dependable, reliable, elegant, and luxurious. Behr’s range of gray paints has been updated to include this season’s earthier, deeper colors, but it also includes the lightest, silveriest, and dolphin-iest colors that will make your interiors shine.

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