Editor’s Note: To keep up with color trends and product launches, we’ve updated this article to enhance the conversation around what makes the “perfect” gray.
Neutrals are the foundation on which we build every palette. If I were to thumb through my closet right now, I’d find nothing but shades of gray (except for that “brown is the new black” shawl I bought on a whim last year).
Gray is the great equalizer of color and it’s always trending. Gray evolves with each season: from “cool” to “warm” to our current state of “true” gray, its versatility knows no bounds.
Gray—the perfect neutral
Saturated, bright colors reflect our overly connected and networked culture. They leaves us searching for essential basics and deeper intention. Gray, on the other hand, is balanced. It’s timeless, elegant and industrial; neither feminine nor masculine in nature.
It’s also notoriously complex and finicky.
Tonal grays create simplified and mindful interiors that resonate with humans on a primitive level. Being entirely devoid of color, gray allows us to leave behind our inhibitions about color, see past the noise and embrace all the nuance it can offer. Light, color and environment can influence and migrate our perception of gray, adding complexity to finding that perfectly balanced neutral (a struggle every designer has come to know intimately).
Getting gray right
When it comes to flooring, gray is the ideal neutral. And thanks to the recent launch of 5th Ave Collab, you have a really beautiful selection of “little black dress” products to come back to over and over again. With its mix of light and dark value grays in both warm and cool tones, 5th Ave Collab provides eight different perspectives on the perfect shade of gray (plus black and navy). In spaces where you want to highlight an interesting architectural detail or focus on beautiful upholstery or showcase an art installation, 5th Ave Collab provides seamless floors that can add visual interest through texture and pattern without taking over.
Product Shown: HN810
Product Shown: Darning
Product Shown: Striation
Getting neutrals just right is a challenge. Leave behind those dirty, muddy, pinky grays and settle into your perfect gray with 5th Ave Collab.