Smoky luxury
The tree has many faces: it is not only light and dark, plain and striped. The tree has many colors, patterns and shades. For example, some types of wood are pink. Others are distinguished by an unusual wavy pattern. Whatever the tree, it always retains its main property - it warms the interior and makes it cozy. We are lucky: the modern market of finishing materials allows you to choose the color and pattern of wood to your liking. And this is not only expensive parquet and solid board, but also cheap laminate. More recently, the range of wood and laminate flooring has been expanded to include gray swatches. Of course, this product aroused consumer interest. And the buyer had questions: how do gray floors look in the interior and what to combine them with? You have questions - we have answers ready.
Gray floors in the interior: basic properties
Dark gray laminate or parquet can visually reduce the room. Light, on the contrary, can add volume. Light gray and medium gray floors create an airy atmosphere. In a room with such a coating, it is fresh and cool.
The environment with gray floors is soothing. There is a state of balance and self-control. There may be a feeling of relaxation, which makes it difficult to concentrate. This is mainly true for grey-beige coatings. Therefore, such a floor is not very suitable for workrooms, but just right for bedrooms and living rooms.
With a cold gray coating, the room can turn out to be “icy” and as if lifeless. If this atmosphere is not to your liking, add the color of warm wood and accents of “sultry” shades (orange, terracotta, etc.) to the interior, and paint the walls in beige.
Gray laminate and parquet for stylish interiors
Let's talk about styles. In which of them will gray wooden and wood-imitating floors be most successful? First of all, this applies to modern styles, such as hi-tech, urban minimalism, loft . Here, the gray color is associated with metal, concrete, asphalt, so it is used in large quantities: in decoration, in furniture, in household appliances, and in accessories.
In recent years, classic cherry or bog oak floors with a hint of red have not been as popular. People are looking for new options that will be in line with current trends. Gray laminate is a good alternative. It can have a characteristic woody pattern, tile texture, or have a glossy sheen. Depending on the style in the room, one or another type of laminated flooring is selected.
Advantages and disadvantages of using gray laminate in the interior
When creating an ideal interior that meets all the requirements of the designer and the owners of the house, great attention is paid to details. However, the primary role is played by walls and floors. They create the basis for the future mood. Textiles and decor can be changed over time, the flooring is laid for years. Therefore, it should be durable, pleasant to the touch and suiting the color palette.
Advantages:
- gray color has a calming effect on people, in such a room a person quickly rebuilds to rest after a hard day;
- light shades will visually expand the space. For small rooms, this is an excellent way to visually increase the area;
- ash laminate fits almost any style - from classic to modern design ideas;
- panels of these shades are a practical material - dust is not visible on it.
Some people think that this color is rather boring and leads to discouragement. With the rest of the decor elements properly selected, the floor will sparkle with new colors and emphasize the beauty of the entire room.
What styles can be used
Laminate in neutral shades harmoniously fits into almost any interior, regardless of the chosen design.
For a Scandinavian style, this flooring will be a great solution. Calm shades of panels along with simple furniture and bright textile accents are ideally combined and create a mood of peace and tranquility.
Modern styles such as modern, minimalism and hi-tech suggest a small amount of furniture, a minimum of floral prints and a bright accent on one wall or small details. Cold gray color will be an excellent base for creating the necessary emotions. This interior is very popular among young people and middle-aged people. The described laminate is an excellent solution for creating an ultra-modern room design.
The classic English interior organically combines luxurious massive furniture, a carved fireplace and deep gray laminate. It is optimal if the shade of the floor is repeated in other parts of the room - walls, furniture or textile materials.
The combination of a gray palette - from light to almost black, with the use of bright details, will create a cozy mood and demonstrate an excellent sense of style. However, a non-professional can overdo it and make the room too dull and uninteresting. In this matter, it is recommended to listen to the expert opinion of the designer.
Interior ideas (with photo)
Some people are skeptical about this color on the floor, believing that it does not go well with furniture and walls of a different color. But when studying examples of how to use such a floor covering, it becomes clear that this opinion is erroneous. Sometimes decorating a room in the desired mood is impossible without a gray-toned laminate.
Living room
Gray laminate floors in the living room are the perfect base for creating a cozy space in which to relax after a hard day's work. Most often they are used in calm modern interiors.
Plain beige walls, no bulky curtains and geometric shapes are in harmony with the neutral laminate, which has a pattern reminiscent of a gray oak cut. Beveled panels will create the feeling of a natural parquet board.
In large rooms, including living rooms combined with a kitchen, a bright floor with a faded wood pattern looks good. If the room focuses on the floor, you should not highlight the walls and the main furniture. The combination of white and black in the rest of the room will make the studio strict and stylish at the same time.
Textured oak on the floor with a characteristic effect of parquet boards looks good with plain light walls. The furniture is also presented in gray. Such a living room definitely needs living plants. They are necessary to give life and mood.
A walnut-patterned laminate is the perfect base for a classic design. Walls, curtains and doors emphasize natural brown. Upholstered furniture and carpet repeat the gray shades of the laminate. Coverage placed diagonally will visually increase the space.
The unusual arrangement of laminated panels in the living room is an interesting design decision. Repeating the palette in the rest of the interior details will make the room harmonious and give it a finished look.
Kitchen
When choosing a laminate in the kitchen, you should remember that moisture-resistant materials must be used for this area. Currently, flooring manufacturers have in their collections a large number of panels with special impregnation, satisfying the most sophisticated buyers in their colors and textures.
Light gray finish goes well with black furniture. In this case, the feeling of impeccably clean floors is created. In this case, small random drops of liquid will not be noticeable.
Laminated panels with an oak cut pattern and deep bevels create an effect of naturalness and environmental friendliness. The repetition of the color and texture of the material in other elements of the interior - an apron for the kitchen, countertops and other details, will provide a complete and harmonious design.
A completely gray kitchen can seem boring and uninteresting. But in combination with white walls and a black countertop, the interior takes on a playful mood. Light shades of laminate, reminiscent of floor tiles, will add light and visually enlarge the space.
In modern design solutions, the effect of a solid canvas is becoming more and more popular. A gray laminate without visible bevels will achieve the desired result. Laying the flooring will not take much time. The only thing to take care of is the early leveling of the floor. Otherwise, over time, grooves will be visible on the surface - the joints of the laminate.
Square gray tiles in the kitchen seem like a great solution. However, the owners are not too fond of this material, as it is uncomfortable to walk on it. Today there is a pleasant laminate in the form of a tile. In combination with milk-colored kitchen furniture and dark countertops, the kitchen will become a favorite place for spending time with all family members.
Bedroom
In the recreation area, you need to create a cozy protected place. Gray color has just such characteristics. But when using it, you should pay attention to other details and observe harmony: apply shades of color in other decorative elements.
The design solution has gained great popularity when the laminate is laid on the central wall at the headboard. This creates the effect of security and tranquility. Bottom lighting directed at a gray wall will make the room more alive. The horizontal arrangement of the panels visually expands the bedroom.
The combination of incompatible things creates a special atmosphere and demonstrates the character of the owner. Classic white walls, a snow-white bed, a large window make the room bright and airy. The central wall, upholstered in gray laminate with a rough wood pattern, indicates that the owner or hostess has a masculine disposition and firm confidence in the future.
Large laminated stripes with a gray oak pattern are best placed in a bedroom with a large area. Different shades of boards and clearly defined bevels will create the effect of natural parquet.
An absolutely gray bedroom will give your eyes a rest from the abundance of bright colors. Classic laminate in this tone will be an excellent basis for creating a recreation area. At the same time, at least one wall should be left white, otherwise it will be possible to “drown” in dullness. A bright picture harmoniously fits on the central wall.
Lovers of elegant black in the bedroom use a dark gray glossy laminate. In this case, it is imperative to dilute the ensemble with a light zone, for example, with a plain white wall opposite the bed.
Children's
For the children's room, preference is given to light gray shades. Babies need special cleanliness, a light floor will contribute to the effect of sterility.
Gray laminate in the form of floor tiles is a non-standard solution for a child's room. Pleasant to the touch and not cold material will allow the child to spend the whole day on it.
A gray floor with a cut of whitish oak blends harmoniously into a Scandinavian-style teenager's room. Light flooring contributes to the visual increase in space.
Light gray bleached oak will make the room fresh and bright. Chamfers at the joints will create the effect of using a parquet board. Natural wooden furniture in combination with a laminate with a woody pattern will emphasize the environmental friendliness that parents aspire to.
The floor covering, which looks like small worn boards, will add enthusiasm to the room. Bright walls and toys placed everywhere will create a playful mood for the child and his guests.
Teenagers love gray not only in clothes, but also in the arrangement of their room. In combination with white color and a bright picture on the wall, this can be an interesting solution. Gray laminate will organically fit into such an interior.
Hallway
Gray color on the floor in the hallway is not the most common design technique. However, every year such solutions become more and more popular.
Lovers of bright colors in the hallway use a glossy gray laminate that will set off the iridescent palette of walls and furniture.
When arranging a corridor in gray tones, small bright decorative elements should be used. A laminate with a rough wood pattern will emphasize the elegance of light gray walls.
The use of laminate in the form of large square panels resembling tiles has become popular due to the pleasant to the touch material. Creating an interior in white, gray and black colors requires a little bright accent.
A bright carrot wall on one side and a dark plum wall on the other seem to be an absolutely incompatible technique. However, the light gray laminate floor perfectly balances the abundance of colors. The hallway looks stylish and modern.
The light gray scale in the corridor emphasizes cleanliness and impeccability. The light color does not attract dust, which means that the hallway will remain immaculate without much effort. Painting one of the walls in a matte purple shade will create an accent color.
You may also be interested in an article with a selection of interior options with white laminate:.
Laminated panels in different shades of gray will allow you to concentrate on other bright interior details. Glossy floor surfaces contribute to the creation of stylish modern glamour. Classic ash or smoky woodgrain laminate can be used in any room, regardless of its purpose.
The combinations of the words gray and boring have long been considered as synonyms. The use of gray laminate with the right approach to interior design and color combinations gives the designer almost limitless possibilities. This is due to the fact that such a shade most favorably emphasizes unexpected color combinations. The main feature of the gray laminate, which most often covers the floors of the premises, is that it focuses on vertical surfaces, on furniture facades and on textiles. Against a gray background, all accessories that define comfort and emphasize the sophistication of a residential or office space will look great.
The gray shade is not as strict and not as easily soiled as black or white, it is able to give the room conciseness and nobility. It "works" as the main color background.
Note that laminated surfaces are good not only for arranging floors. They finish the walls, they make models of tinted entrance or interior doors.
Gray laminate for living room or bedroom
By installing gray laminate floors in light, bleached shades in the living room and skillfully combining it with black, dark blue or dark chocolate color used in furniture upholstery and textiles, you can create an exquisite aristocratic style. Such an interior is complemented by strict sconces, floor lamps and reproductions of great artists (it is desirable that the replicas of the paintings be made in black and white).
Delightfully gray laminate will be combined in the interior of the living room, decorated in warm colors: red, burgundy, lilac, pink.
Modern designers use such floor material for installing floors in bedrooms. But here it is important to know some secrets.
It is pleasant to wake up in a room of neutral tones, so that bright colors do not hurt the eyes and do not create additional tension. Gray floors are perfectly complemented by pale yellow, beige, beige-pink, light lilac or pale green walls and blackout curtains to match. Numerous accessories with a touch of gold leaf or silver will not interfere here.
Gray laminate in the kitchen
Being engaged in the design of the kitchen, it is worth remembering that the gray color can visually change the volume of the room to a large extent. Dark gray color makes the kitchen chamber and reduces space. Light gray - on the contrary, expands it.
With the help of a gray laminate in various shades, it is easy to the total usable area is zoned. The light gray floor covering is suitable for the work area: it is not easily soiled and dirt is less visible on it. Dark gray color is suitable for the dining area: it gives it a certain solemnity.
Speaking of contrasts, I would like to note: when decorating rooms with a gray laminate of one shade or another, you need to use a similar color in other interior details (in wallpaper, textiles, accessories). Bright decorative elements complete the picture. Remember the sense of proportion so as not to make the interior too colorful.
Negative qualities of gray laminate
Despite all the positive properties of the designated color, there are some features that do not work in the best way. It is important to know that gray laminate does not tolerate uniformity in scale. Gray floors, walls and furniture facades will have a depressing effect on the psyche. Especially the negative will manifest itself in the autumn-winter period, when protracted bad weather and annoying precipitation prevail.
Decorating a room with a lot of gray color is quite difficult. Here a special approach is needed. It is enough to decorate the room with only one contrasting thing, for example, a large bright ceiling or a floor lamp, a set of bright dishes or an author's stretch ceiling, a floor covering with a long pile imitating fur, and the interior will acquire a completely different sound.
Living room owners, whose windows face north or northwest, you should know that the gray laminate on the floor and furniture facades will create a feeling of piercing cold and ice space. You can soften such an interior with the help of bright bedspreads, vases with flowers, wood-like wall decoration. Thick curtains with a large graphic or floral print will also look good.
We venture to give advice: If you are planning to decorate the interior of your home with a gray laminate, feel like an artist. The cover will be a canvas on which you will paint the interior of your dreams. Thoughtful coloristic fantasies will look organically against a gray background, bring harmony to the house and help balance the violent play of colors. It is only important to observe the measure so that your home does not look tasteless.
Gray laminate - photo
When you think about how to choose the right wallpaper for laminate, you need to remember that due to the color you can always visually enlarge or expand the room, visually change the parameters of the room and simply create either a very warm or cold atmosphere.
In principle, the rules are quite simple: colorful, cheerful and multi-colored walls do not match the traditional shade of the floor. The atmosphere of disharmony in this case will be oppressive and it will no longer be possible to speak of such a room as comfortable.
Combinations of wallpaper and laminate
How to choose wallpaper for a light laminate? As a rule, such a coating imitates ash, birch, maple or hornbeam, but the most popular option is the color of oak. During the production of lamellas, special paper with a pattern printed on it is used, therefore the color range is wider than offers of natural wood materials.
The floor is white
With the selection of the shade of the walls, problems rarely arise. You should definitely consider the desired style and level of lighting. Want to expand your space? Pick up wallpaper at least three tones darker than the coating, otherwise both the walls and the floor will merge. If the boards are completely white or milky, use more saturated wall tones, because the room may seem hospital, very sterile.
It is better to abandon dark shades, and give preference to pink, turquoise and light green.
Gray floor
Choosing a gray laminate wallpaper is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. In fact, the gray surface is almost universal. Therefore, in this embodiment, any color scheme of the walls will be ideal.
Of course, there are some nuances here. So, for example, you better stick to the same gamut as the floor: if the boards are in a warm shade of gray, then the walls should be warm. Cool shades are better combined with a cold surface. If you want to play on the contrast of cold and warm shades, then you better turn to professionals. It is quite difficult to implement such an idea on your own.
Gray goes well with white and black. The standard option is gray wallpaper a few shades darker or lighter. This room will look stylish but also quite boring. For lovers of bright emotions, yellow walls are suitable.
Floor yellow
If the floor is yellow (birch, ash, pine, maple or oak), then it can also be considered universal. It goes well with a wide range of colors and fits into any interior. Most often, combinations of white and black walls are used. This gives severity, while creating home comfort. Bright yellow walls will add brightness and radiance. Brown shades are for lovers of nobility and rigor, and red ones are for those who like brightness, cheerfulness and originality.
The floor is red
If you choose a mahogany base, then the vertical surfaces can be yellow, green or brown. One of the most successful combinations is autumn shades.
But, in this case, the brighter orange is expressed in the lamellas, the more carefully you need to approach the design. It is better to give preference to discreet tones, maintaining the overall atmosphere with some element of decor (orange lamps, vases, photo frames, etc.).
Also red bases include cherry and milanese. Red wallpapers are suitable for them. If this is a nursery, you can make the walls yellow, the bedroom blue or green.
Dark colored floor
Pay special attention to the difference between horizontal and vertical supports. Under the dark laminate fit light wallpaper. This combination looks the most natural. Such a combination is also quite harmonious when there are horizontal drawings of a dark shade on the walls.
The gray floor in the living room is a vast field for further arrangement. The vintage style design and trendy throwback to the 50s and 60s are some of the most attractive choices with this floor. The gray floor will be in fashion for many years. This color is versatile and provides a variety of room design options.
With a simple change in additives, you can easily introduce an aura of warm, cozy atmosphere, or vice versa - cool and minimalistic. How can you play with gray laminate in the interior of a living room, kitchen or bedroom in different styles? How to choose furniture for flooring - this will be discussed below.
Gray laminate in various interior styles
Color psychologists believe that a person whose home is dominated by smoky shades, trying to prove that he is independent, on his own, successfully copes with problems. Gray is the favorite color of timid people who prefer not to stand out. Consider how gray affects the interior, how to create an impression of classic elegance without overwhelming the atmosphere.
The gray floor is a hit in interior design. It is ideal for minimalistic stylizations, creating a raw effect and aesthetic style.
The effect of a gray floor can be provided by various materials:
- classic plank parquet,
- laminate,
- wood,
- tile,
- porcelain stoneware,
- cement strainer.
Depending on the desired effect and style of the interior, decide on the material.
Gray is a great option for those who can't choose between dark and light floor colors. The rise in popularity of smoky floors is due to the huge interest in Scandinavian-style interior design and the ubiquitous grayish hues in fashion magazines. It provides the perfect backdrop for bold colors and conservative solutions. A light smoky or bleached floor is associated with the fashion for old, antique interiors. It is suitable for a room where you need to present beautiful furniture in retro, vintage styles.
The gray floor is a versatile solution suitable for various styles:
- modern,
- Scandinavian minimalist arrangements,
- will provide the perfect backdrop for vintage furniture,
- decorate retro styles,
- provence, shabby chic.
A smoky floor looks spectacular when placed throughout the apartment, from the entrance to the living room, kitchen, bedroom, and other rooms. Once you decide on an AC4 abrasion class laminate (which uses a high density HDF board, the surface is scratch resistant), you can place it all over your house, apartment, even in the hallway without worry.
In a classic interior
The classic interior looks great in the company of wooden floors. However, wood can successfully replace a modern light gray oak laminate, it will add elegance and chic to a classic-type room, especially if you can choose an option that accurately imitates the texture of natural wood.
Light oak laminate in the interior of the bedroom - photo
Modern styles - loft and eclecticism
Laminate in a harsh loft interior looks beautiful if you use a gray version with an aging effect that imitates a natural board, panels of different shades. In interiors in eclectic design, combining different styles, any option will do. It is important to demonstrate ingenuity, imagination.
Loft style and smoky floor - photo
Scandinavian classics and Provence
Light Scandinavian-style laminate will become a real decoration of the room, giving the atmosphere a feeling of spaciousness, airiness. In combination with white, beige walls, wooden furniture, such a base creates a noble atmosphere with a modest Scandinavian charm. This space invites you to relax, there are no saturated colors, dominating accents. In the arrangement, a carpet with white fur will come in handy, warming up the raw, minimalist interior.
Scandinavian style in the living room - photo
White-gray slightly aged Provence-style laminate will emphasize the climate of the French province, imitating aged painted boards.
Shabby chic style
A light gray floor is an integral part of the shabby chic style, including deliberately aged furniture, household items, finishes, giving an effect full of charm. Additives will be pastel accents in the room:
- light blue table on thin legs,
- pale pink chest of drawers.
English style
This flooring is perfect for cottage style, reminiscent of the rural houses of England - elegant, full of charm.
What furniture goes with gray floors?
Floors in gray are successfully used in high-tech, minimalist interiors, equipped with simple furniture. The gray floor is a great starting point for most arrangements, a fairly neutral base. Any details can be placed on it - textiles, furniture, giving the room style, tone, expression.
Furniture suitable for this floor:
- from dark wood (for example, wenge);
- pine wood of light natural color;
- from light, dark oak;
- black, anthracite cabinets, shelves;
- in the colors of walnut, ash;
- dark, light, colored sofas, armchairs.
It is important that the room does not look gloomy with dark furniture. You can revive the interior with colorful additions:
- colored pillows,
- bright chair,
- graphic wallpaper pattern on one of the walls, for example, behind the sofa.
An interesting solution is a graphic, bright carpet. In the monochrome company of a smoky floor and anthracite furniture, it looks phenomenal, giving chic to the arrangement. Gray to gray is always suitable, regardless of the shade, do not be afraid to play with this color in the same space.
Gray panels in the kitchen can be a neutral background for further variations with kitchen furniture:
- on it you can place kitchen furniture with a veneered facade in walnut colors, a warm, nutmeg shade of beige - this is an excellent combination for arranging a warm, cozy kitchen;
- the floor can decorate a modern kitchen with glossy lacquered MDF kitchen cabinets in graphite black;
- the aluminum color facade is perfect;
- natural stone looks harmonious on the walls, for example, slate stone with an interesting texture;
- a white kitchen is elegantly presented, reflecting from the gray floor surface, sparkling with cleanliness, freshness;
- red, green, pink, brown facades of kitchen furniture are harmoniously combined with a gray base.
Gray floor: warm or cold?
Light gray as a base in the interior can be interpreted in two polarized versions - cold and warm. The color of the furniture, additions bordering the floor will determine the nature of the arrangement.
The following colors of furniture and accessories will help make the interior with a gray base warmer:
- White,
- beige,
- Brown,
- nut,
- shades of nutmeg
- cinnamon,
- vanilla,
- accessories made of copper or gold.
A photo. The presence of wood, accessories in warm colors (yellow, pale pink, vanilla) create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort against a cold background.
The following colors will help to make the interior with such a base cooler:
- dark grey,
- the black,
- White,
- cold cobalt,
- intense blue,
- blue,
- ashen.
Cold colors of walls and furniture give volume to the interior, make the atmosphere cool.
The end result depends on:
- interior,
- room shape,
- ceiling height,
- amount of natural and artificial light.
In a poorly lit room, a snow-white, light background is absolutely necessary.
If you choose dark, black furniture for a gray floor, in order to get the effect of a light, cozy space, you need to complement the arrangement with warm light shades:
- light beige,
- coffee with milk,
- pastel.
Using various interior elements, additions, you can create a warm, cozy atmosphere or a cold fresh space. The choice depends on the desired effect. In some designs, the floor and walls merge into gray to create the effect of a room bathed in smoke. Interiors look better if they are animated by beautiful contrasts - strong or fuzzy. Bright elements are especially visible against a smoky background. For example, a stylish miniature yellow table in a gray interior looks like a gem.
Conclusion
Interior designers underestimated gray tones associated with elegance and class. Now, this color is back in fashion, harmoniously combined with intense, bright colors. Gray tones, due to their neutrality, go well with many colors, and are the best hues for displaying against their background of houseplants. The fashion for a universal smoky color is reflected in the new products of many flooring manufacturers. Gray laminate is produced by many manufacturers: Balterio, Quickstep, Berryfloor, Tarkett.
This finishing material is great for modern interiors, often combined with white plinth, lacquered doors. It is practical, easy to keep clean, and can successfully mask signs of wear. Elegance, aesthetic appearance, ease of maintenance - that's why gray laminate flooring is popular and often found in modern interiors.