Once associated with bland or dreary décor, gray has become the go-to hue of interior designers and do-it-yourselfers alike. This trend, along with a nearly 25 percent increase in sales of gray paint over the past three–and–a–half years, led BEHR Paint to introduce more than 60 new gray paint colors at The Home Depot this summer. From cool steel and moody charcoal to warm clay and rose gray, the new palette allows consumers to find the perfect shade for any project.

“Gray is equally versatile and sophisticated,” said Erika Woelfel, VP of Color and Creative Services at BEHR. “With the right styling, gray can accommodate any decorating style. It plays well with nearly all bold colors, and harmonizes with materials like wood and stone.”

With this expansion, BEHR now offers nearly 200 shades of gray, organized by undertone and value (lightness to darkness) to make color selection and comparison easy. Half of BEHR’s top 20 best-selling colors in 2016 are from the gray family. BEHR’s Color Currents 2017 trend forecast includes four gray hues, all of which are available at The Home Depot now: Close Knit T17-01, Laid Back Gray T17-09, In The Woods T17-13, and Shades On T17-10.

“This expanded offering means our customers can compare selections from the entire gray spectrum—light or dark, cool or warm, muted or bold—and choose the perfect hue for their living spaces. There is so much depth to this new collection and we can’t wait to see how it comes to life in both big and small painting projects,” Woelfel said. Over the last few years, she added, BEHR has watched gray evolve from a seemingly drab hue to the go-to neutral for both interior designers and DIYers.

“I think people have discovered the gray family includes a wide variety of shades and undertones, allowing it to really multitask and adapt for use throughout the home. We’ve seen everything from moody charcoal bedrooms to misty silver bathrooms, two-tone slate cabinets and graphite fireplaces,” she said. 

The versatility of gray in home decor has been seen in everything from rentals to expansive office spaces. Woelfel points out that part of the versatility stems from the range of grays available. 

“Depending on the hue you choose, a gray wall can either be a neutral, understated canvas or a bold, modern statement. For example, BEHR’s 2017 trend forecast includes three grays, each of which can evoke completely different moods. Shades On is deep charcoal that will give spaces significance and complexity without feeling heavy or dull, while Close Knit can create a soft backdrop to highlight unique home decor accents.”