If you’re wondering what color carpet goes with gray walls, we can help.
Below, we explain the key to picking the carpet that works with whatever unique shade of gray covers the walls of your home.
What Color Carpet Goes With Gray Walls?
When it comes to gray walls, some contain gold or reddish undertones, making them appear warm
Others look more like the sky on a cloudy day and contain plenty of blue hues. Gray is neutral overall, but the color of your carpet needs to jive with the undertone of your walls.
The Best Carpet Colors for Gray Walls
Below, we list the best carpet colors for gray walls, with specific suggestions based on color tone.
Because grays sit on a broad spectrum from warm to cool, the easiest way to determine the tone of your walls is with a paint chip.
Place a paint chip that matches your wall color on a piece of white computer paper in direct sunlight. You should be able to tell whether your gray paint is warm or cool because the undertones will stand out next to the pure white paper.
From there, you can narrow down a carpet color choice. We like whites, greys, blues, or mints best, but the only rule with grey walls is to match the undertone.
After you meet that requirement, gray is technically neutral and will go with any color from brown to purple!
Pristine White Or Softer Ivory
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A white or ivory carpet is a classic choice. It always looks clean (unless you step on it in muddy shoes), and it will go with any other color you have in the room.
If your gray walls have a cool undertone, you’ll need a true white carpet for this look to work.
It needs to be bright with bluish undertones. The effect will be clean and bold. You should go with a soft ivory carpet for gray walls that have a warmer, beige-like undertone.
If you’re having trouble picturing this, think of how lovely an elephant’s tusks look next to its skin. Mother nature was really onto something!
Keeping It Monochromatic
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Gray on gray might sound boring, but it’s not a bad look when we’re talking about carpet and walls. The key is to use contrasting shades of gray that have matching undertones.
With light gray walls, consider carpet in a darker hue. Charcoal gray might look sleek and is ideal in high-traffic areas where you don’t want dirt to show. With dark gray walls, try a lighter gray to open the room up.
If you’re going for a monochromatic look on your walls and floors, you should consider adding accent colors to the room in other ways.
In artwork, pillows, or throws, reds, greens, or blues will keep the room from looking too industrial.
Bold Blues
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Blue carpet can make a statement, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid it. On the contrary, a dark, bold blue looks lovely beside light gray walls, as long as the walls have bluish undertones.
With greige or gray that contains warmer undertones, consider a blue carpet that’s a lighter, brighter shade.
Blue, by definition, is a cool color, but you can find blues that have warmth to them. Caribbean blue or light teals are an excellent choice, while cobalt and cerulean are less likely to work.
Tasteful Mints
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Mint tends to go in and out of fashion, so you may be hesitant to use it for your carpet.
However, if you’re up for something a little different, mint is in-style right now, and it happens to play very well with gray.
Mint is a shade of green that has a lot of yellow in it, so you’ll want to use it with warmer gray-toned walls. Add in a few pops of gold or ivory to complete the look.
If you love the thought of green in your carpet but have cooler gray walls, mint might not be the best choice.
You could, however, try a seafoam green instead. Seafoam looks especially delightful with beach-themed décor, like gray-stained driftwood.
Things to Consider Before Choosing a Carpet
Picking carpet color is one of the most challenging design decisions homeowners face.
Carpet can make a huge impact, and it’s not cheap to replace! So, it’s usually a long-term decision that can make or break the look of your room.
If you’re having trouble deciding on carpet to go with your gray walls, we understand. Consider the following tips before you make your final decision:
- Neutrals are always a safe bet. That’s why we suggest using a gray carpet with your gray walls. It keeps things perfectly neutral, and you can add color in other ways, like with your artwork or furniture choices.
- Consider flecked rather than solid colors. Flecked carpet, sometimes called Berber carpet, is usually light-colored with dark flecks. You can get it in gray, ivories, or blues to go with your gray walls. We like it because it’s durable, visually appealing, and hides bits of dirt between vacuuming!
- Consider the size of the room. A small room with dark or bold colored carpet can end up looking even smaller, or worse, cave-like. So save dark carpets for larger spaces and in smaller rooms, keep things light.
- Consider the room’s lighting. If a room gets plenty of light thanks to big windows, your carpet color will look close to how it is presented in the store or showroom.
However, in darker spaces, like north-facing rooms, your carpet will look a few shades darker than it actually is. So, pick something a few shades lighter to make up for the extra darkness.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Before we go, we want to make sure we address a few of your most frequently asked questions surrounding carpet for gray walls.
Should Your Carpet Be Lighter Or Darker Than Your Walls?
As a general rule, your carpet should be a few shades darker than your walls. But like all decorating edicts, this is a rule you have full permission to break.
If your walls are already dark, lighter carpet might work best, so don’t feel tied to so-called “rules” that are more like decorating opinions.
Can You Have Gray Walls With Beige Carpet?
Yes, you can absolutely have gray walls with beige carpets. Beige and gray are both neutrals, and you can always pair them together.
However, this look works best when your gray walls have warm undertones. If your gray walls are cooler, you might want to pick a different beige-like neutral, like taupe or stone.
Do Cream And Gray Work Together?
Cream and gray can work together, depending on the shades. With a warmer gray, or “greige” as it’s sometimes called, the cream will work well.
Both colors have yellow undertones, so they won’t be out of sync. Avoid cream with cool grays, though, as that can look a bit jarring.
So, What Color Carpet Goes With Gray Walls?
Finding carpet that works with your gray walls has everything to do with their tone.
Figure out whether your walls sit on the cool or the warm end of the gray spectrum, and then find a carpet color that’s in the same spot.
That way, whether you want blue, white, or green floors, it’ll be sure to work with the walls.