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At John Lewis of Hungerford, we have been at the forefront of painted kitchens for over 50 years, leading the way in beautifully finished bespoke cabinetry. Our award-winning, hard-wearing paint is designed to stand the test of time, making it the perfect foundation for one of the UK’s most enduring design choices: the grey kitchen. From soft greige tones to dramatic charcoal hues, grey kitchens offer a timeless balance of sophistication and versatility.
If you are considering investing in a luxurious bespoke kitchen and think that grey could be a good colour choice for your home, read on to learn how to take that colour scheme a step further. Here, we’ll offer you a guide to choosing the best accent colours that work alongside different shades of grey and inject a sense of personality into your kitchen design.
Grey kitchens have remained one of the most requested colour schemes in the UK for over a decade and for good reason. Unlike trend-led colours that fade with the seasons, grey sits firmly in the realm of architectural neutrals. It adapts effortlessly to modern, classic, Shaker and contemporary kitchen designs.
From warm greige tones to dramatic charcoal hues, grey provides the perfect foundation for layered design.
Ideal for smaller spaces
Reflect natural light
Pair beautifully with warm neutrals, sage greens and soft blues
Create an airy, calming feel
Strong architectural presence
Perfect for open-plan layouts
Pair beautifully with brass, marble and deep navy
Create depth and drama
There are plenty of opportunities to experiment with colour when designing your kitchen, from your choice of flooring, work surfaces and backsplashes to the kitchen accessories you have on display. More exciting still, these choices give you the chance to add aesthetic accent colours to each, letting you put your own personal touch on a grey kitchen.
On the whole, solid wood or wood-effect flooring pair beautifully with a grey colour scheme. While grey has a reputation for being cold and clinical, turning up the heat with oak, teak or maple materials underfoot is a great way to balance the colour palette of your kitchen. At John Lewis of Hungerford, our clients are spoilt for choice and have options including solid timber, laminate, parquet, engineered wood and parquet.
If the colour scheme of your kitchen features earthy, natural colours like granite grey, chalky white and sandy beige, laying a natural stone floor works beautifully to complement the arrangement. Bright and textured natural stones such as limestone flags also make for a wonderfully grounding choice.
Larger kitchens can typically get away with darker colour schemes, as they don’t rely on a light and airy colour palette to make the space seem bigger. In these situations, dark porcelain tiles make a striking impression and look great arranged as planks or in a herringbone fashion. Similarly, polished concrete floors offer a dramatic, functional and eye-catching flooring option for an industrial warehouse-style kitchen.
When it comes to selecting the colour combination for your kitchen, there are two main avenues of thought: selecting complementary colours and contrasting colours.
By choosing complementary colours that sit closely to one another on the colour wheel, you can create a seamless and calming effect. Creating a close colour match between your kitchen cabinets and wall paint is a fantastic way for a smaller kitchen to give the illusion space. Alternatively, contrasting colours like pinks and reds can be used to energise a space, allowing you the freedom to express your sense of style.
There are many shades of grey, ranging from greige tones at the warmer end of the spectrum to cooler shades of grey tinged with blue. These tonal differences are important to keep in mind when it comes to selecting complementary colours. White is a popular choice, and looks great with grey units. However, even white can be a considerably variable shade, so it’s always a good idea to compare swatches at different times of the day, under both natural and artificial lighting. Our designers are happy to help with these colour comparisons should you need guidance.
Here are our top 10 accent colours to complement a grey colour scheme, all taken from our carefully curated colour palette of hard-wearing paints.
Fortune favours the bold, and this colour combination will guarantee you a striking home interior. Our stunning Easy Pink Egg Shell paint colour pops against the dark grey wall and Easy Graphite wall units, and is the perfect way to inject a sense of fun and vibrancy into your kitchen design.
Grey is a somewhat industrial colour, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t look at home in a domestic setting. Pastel blue shades like our gorgeous Forget-Me-Not Satin Eggshell pair wonderfully with warmer tones of grey, giving the room a lighthearted feeling. This wonderful pastel colour looks particularly welcoming on our Shaker cabinetry in a rural cottage setting.
Grey and white kitchens remain one of the most timeless and elegant colour combinations. An excellent choice if you favour neutral interior design, this colour combination uses shade and light to create interest rather than vibrant colours. Pictured below is a beautiful white, light filled kitchen with a striking grey kitchen island painted in Easy Graphite to create a focal point for the room. The off white Satin Eggshell used on the wall cabinetry gives this kitchen a spacious feel.
Natural light floods in through the large windows, enhancing the White Satin Eggshell cabinetry and emphasising the delicate veining of the marble surfaces. Pale herringbone timber flooring softens the overall palette, adding warmth and preventing the neutral tones from feeling clinical.
Organic interiors are all the rage, and our updated colour palette now includes a host of dusky green hard-wearing paints like Kew, Sage, Malthouse and Eucalyptus. These hues look beautiful in a kitchen that uses warmer pale grey tones, creating an earthy atmosphere. Complete the look with pots of kitchen herbs and you’re guaranteed a beautiful botanical brasserie.
Add a sense of depth and quiet drama to your kitchen by layering charcoal grey cabinetry with warm metallic accents. This striking Shaker kitchen, finished in a Easy Graphite, creates a confident architectural backdrop that feels both contemporary and timeless. Rather than relying on stark black contrasts, the design introduces brushed brass hardware and a sculptural pendant light to soften the scheme and add a refined warmth.
The monochromatic cabinetry is beautifully balanced by a crisp white quartz island worktop, which reflects natural light from the large skylight above, preventing the darker tones from feeling heavy. Pale herringbone wood flooring introduces contrast, texture and warmth underfoot.
Deep inky blues create an air of sophistication for your kitchen cabinetry, and look gorgeous in a wide range of kitchen styles. The Heron Grey units on the back wall of this kitchen contrast well with the gorgeous Marina Blue island, creating a subtle nautical theme. The maritime feel of this contemporary kitchen is further accentuated with the chrome fisherman pendant lights, while a striking grey and white veined quartz worktop and backsplash creates a rippling effect like waves washing ashore.
Grey kitchen units provide a beautifully blank canvas when it comes to selecting kitchen accessories and hardware. Virtually all metallic tones, from silver and gold to copper and bronze, complement grey. Using metallic accents like handles, pendant lights and mixer taps can help you add interest to the room. This calming Shaker-style kitchen in Putty is finished with elegant gold bar style handles.
These stately Easy Graphite kitchen units look impeccable against the grey porcelain tile floor, while the stainless-steel fridge freezer, mixer tap and bar stools add extra polish to this grey-on-grey colour scheme. The wall cabinets above the stove are finished in Pearl Satin Eggshell, blending in with the colour of the wall to reduce the risk of creating a top-heavy feel.
Grey kitchens can benefit from the addition of natural timber elements in order to warm up the colour palette and create a homely environment. Timber worktops are long-lasting and practical, and are an easy way to introduce wood into your kitchen. We offer subtle options of visible wood trim in our Pure range of cabinets, which are available in Walnut or Oak.
If you’re looking for a bold kitchen design, look no further than this retro-inspired kitchen from our Crème-de-la-Crème range. The steely grey walls and chequered tile floor of this kitchen are brought to life with a fiery red quartz worktop. The piano gloss Sugar Almond Cream cabinet paint and the classic curved design is the epitome of a showcase 1950’s American diner-style kitchen.
Our award-winning paint comes in a huge range of colours, and is resistant to wet and dry heat and marking by liquids, oils and solvents. Take a look at our Satin Eggshell colour palette with 89 beautiful colours, or choose from our selection of 14 High Gloss colours. We offer a bespoke colour matching service, so our expert designers won’t have any trouble bringing the right colours into the heart of your home. We’d love to hear from you if you need guidance.
Book an appointment with our experts, who have years of experience helping clients like you find the perfect colour combination for your kitchen furniture. All of our hand-sprayed paint finishes add character to your surroundings and include a 10-year product and workmanship guarantee.
Yes. Grey remains one of the most enduring kitchen colour choices because it works across traditional and contemporary designs and pairs effortlessly with changing accent trends.
Mid-tone greys and warm greige shades are currently the most requested.
Well-designed neutral kitchens tend to have broad buyer appeal, making grey a safe and sophisticated choice.
Natural timber, parquet flooring, porcelain tiles and polished concrete all complement different grey tones beautifully.
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