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Choosing What Color Floor for Grey Walls

Choosing What Color Floor for Grey Walls

Choosing the right floor color can make or break your room’s aesthetic.

As you decide what color floor for a grey wall you choose, keep in mind how your décor and furniture will look with it.

How to Choose What Color Floor for Grey Walls

Grey walls are popular for interior design because they create a perfect, subtle background that pairs well with most furniture and décor.

However, when it comes to floors, it is common to forget how much they add to a room. Because grey comes in various tones and shades, many flooring options will look stylish with a grey wall. 

Some examples include:

  • Wood Flooring
  • Patterned Tiles
  • Neutral Tiles
  • Marble

Although you can pair cool and warm tones together, it is easier to stick to one or the other. For example, if your wall is a warm grey, opt for a warm floor color.

What Color Floor for Grey Wall

Image depicting what color flooring goes with grey walls

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Grey walls provide the perfect neutral canvas to choose from a variety of flooring options.

Whether you want something light, dark, modern, or rustic, there is something that will pair with your grey wall.

1. Light Brown

Living room with gray walls and light brown wood flooring

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Light brown flooring is a common choice for those who have grey walls. With so many types of soft brown wood, you can easily find a shade that compliments your wall. Using light brown wood flooring works great for anyone who wants a rustic interior.

Light brown can also match modern decor and furnishings with the proper styling. If your space is more on the small side, a light brown floor can help open it up.

Light colors, such as soft brown, create an illusion that makes the room look larger. For pet owners, having a light brown floor can also be beneficial. Unlike dark brown wood, scratches from dogs or cats running around will be hard to see.

2. Medium Brown or Beige

Featured image for a piece titled what color rugs go with grey floors featuring a grey tiled floor and a light brown rug

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Beige and grey have been a trendy pairing for years. Because both grey and beige are neutral colors, it is easy to style any room, regardless of your preferred design.

Many homeowners opt for beige tile because it does an excellent job of hiding both light and dark pet hair, dirt, and dust. Beige tile looks clean and elegant without being overly flashy.

Though a light beige has been popular for carpets, it is uncommon for homeowners to add carpeting to a home. Carpet can be harder to clean, especially if children or pets are running around.

There is a wide variety of medium brown flooring options for hardwood floors. Whether you want a warm medium brown, a cool medium brown, or even brown with a hint of grey, there is something for everyone.

3. Dark Brown

living room with dark brown wooden flooring and light gray walls

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Dark wood flooring looks gorgeous when paired with a light-grey wall. However, dark wood flooring can be overwhelming if the wall is on the darker side.

Unlike light-colored wood, dark wood floors absorb sunlight, making them fade less over time. Even in a room with plenty of natural sunlight, your dark wood floors will look better for a longer time.

In addition to their functionality, dark hardwood floors have a rich look that adds a bit of a luxurious feeling to a home. 

In color psychology, brown is known as an earthy color that is commonly associated with resilience, safety, and security. Many homeowners with dark floors also like that their bright green plants pop in contrast to their flooring. 

4. White Wood or Tile

Stylish living room interior with gray walls and white wood flooring

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Whitewash wood flooring has become a big trend as of late. Some white wood flooring is more on the all-white side, while other types of whitewash flooring have a more distressed look.

Natural wood can be somewhat pricey, but luckily, plenty of tiles mimic the appearance of white wood flooring. Unlike natural wood, you can use vinyl planks in any home area, and tile doesn’t scratch or discolor as easily.

White flooring paired with a grey wall sets you up with the perfect canvas to experiment with décor and design styles. Whether you have a farmhouse, contemporary, or industrial home, you can easily use décor and furniture to make it what you like.

Many homeowners like that white flooring add a clean, open feeling to their room. Because of this, it makes one of the best color options for a more minimalistic style. 

Since white reflects light, you can use a white floor to maximize sunlight. Because white floors are reflective, they can make a smaller room feel more spacious and open. 

5. Grey

Gray sofa with gray wall color combination and a light gray floor

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Just because you have grey walls doesn’t mean you can’t have grey flooring as well. However, you want to choose flooring that contrasts with the wall so it doesn’t end up looking dull.

Like white flooring, grey is a neutral color that gives you a lot of room to change your décor. There are very few colors that pair poorly with grey, so you are free to create the style of your home as you wish.

If you have a light or medium grey-colored wall, choose dark flooring to provide a good amount of contrast. Go with a lighter grey to open the room up more for a dark grey wall. 

In general, it is best to keep your wall and floor either warm or cool. However, with some experimentation, you may find a floor shade that perfectly compliments the warmness or coolness of the wall. 

6. Cherry Wood

Gray wall with tv on, and cherry wooden flooring

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Cherry wood flooring has been popular for years and hasn’t gone out of style. It has bright, warm color tones that complement grey walls without clashing.

If choosing authentic cherry wood flooring, opt for a color slightly lighter than you like as it may darken over time.

With so many shades to choose from, you can easily find a style that you love with your grey walls. Because cherry wood has such a warm color, it pairs best with warm grey walls.

7. Grey-Patterned Vinyl Tile

Living room with gray patterned vinyl flooring and gray walls

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An easy way to match your floor to your wall is to find a tile that has a similar grey within it. When choosing a pattern, it is important to ensure any grey is close to the wall to avoid clashing.

Neutral colors, such as white, are an excellent choice for someone who likes patterns but doesn’t want anything too bold or excessive.

For a small pop of color that isn’t too intense, a soft blue paired with grey and white makes a great option. 

Before deciding on your tile pattern, consider any furnishings you would like to include in your room. If you plan to add pops of red to your room, consider a tile with small pops of red. 

There are plenty of tiles that feature multiple colors, so be sure to use a couple of colors within your décor so the floor doesn’t seem misplaced. 

8. White Marble

Silver furniture as a color of furniture that goes with gray walls

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Marble has been associated with luxury and refined taste for years, even dating back to its common use with Greek and Roman sculptors and architects.

With the gorgeous texture marble offers, you can instantly add a sense of beauty and natural elegance. A grey wall will complement the small grey designs that you find throughout white marble.

Though marble is known for its regal look, this doesn’t mean you can’t use other interior styles.

One thing to note about marble flooring is its tendency to be slippery when wet. While this may be a great flooring option for a master bathroom, it is best to use different flooring for a child’s bathroom. 

9. Black Marble

Dark flooring with gray walls living room

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Black marble is another flooring style that adds a rich, elegant look to just about any room in your home. A black marble floor will add some depth and character if you have light grey walls.

As with other dark flooring options, black marble works best for rooms where you would like to have a more cozy atmosphere.

The last thing you want to do is add black marble to your floor, only to feel like you’re in a tight, uncomfortable space.

In addition to its slippery nature, marble is known to stain. However, you will see less staining with black marble than with its white counterpart.

Things to Consider

Before choosing what floor color for grey walls you will select for your home, keep the following in mind:

  • Because flooring can be hard to change, be sure you can easily pair décor and furniture with any pops of color within the floor.
  • Most home experts agree that you should aim to choose a floor color darker than your walls to make the area feel more spacious.
  • Consider the mood you would like to create. For example, Boho rooms will have a different color and style floor than a modern style.
  • For a room without any natural light, a light-colored floor can brighten it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding what floor color for grey walls.

Should floors be darker or lighter than walls?

In general, it is recommended that you choose a floor color darker than your walls. Light walls and a dark floor make a room seem more prominent.

So it’s common for homeowners to follow this rule of thumb. If the room in question has a good amount of natural light, the light flooring can help open it up.

How do I choose a floor color?

When choosing a floor color, consider the size of the room, décor you plan to add, the style you want, and the color of your wall.

If you plan to add new flooring in a large room, a dark floor color can make the ample space feel smaller and cozier. On the other side, light-colored floors and walls can create an illusion of space.

Should walls and floors be the same color?

Each person will have varying tastes; some may prefer the same color while others prefer contrast.

However, it is easier to match flooring to your walls if you opt for the same color temperature. For example, a cool grey wall will look best with a floor that has a cool hue.

What are neutral floor colors?

White, black, cream, and grey are examples of popular neutral wall colors. Choosing a neutral color floor can help make decorating your space easier in the future.

Are dark floors out of style?

You may remember growing up with dark brown hardwood floors and wondering if they are out of style. However, dark floors seem to keep up with the times. Even as trendy interiors change, it is hard to find a type that a dark wood floor doesn’t complement.

So, What Color Floor for Grey Walls Is Best?

You can pair just about any floor color with a grey wall, as long as you match the color temperature between them both.

Light colors, such as white, cream, or light grey, can help open up a dark room. Dark colors, such as dark grey, dark brown, or black, can add a cozy vibe to your room.