Modern Gray Inspirations: 60+ Trendy Palette Combos

  • Gray is one of the most modern and minimalist colors out there 
  • But as gray is so versatile, it can be tricky to decide what color to pair with it
  • Here are some gorgeous gray color palettes for you to use! 

Gray is the ultimate neutral you can pair with any rainbow color. Technically, it’s a tint and what you’ll get if you desaturate black. But in practice, gray is a versatile color that makes an excellent background. So, here are some gray color palettes for your inspiration. 

You can use gray in art, graphic design, or even in your home. It can create very different moods depending on the shade of gray you choose. For example, a soft, pale gray is gentle and minimalist. In contrast, dark charcoal is bold and a little moody. 

And how it looks will also vary, depending on which colors you pair with it. So, let’s look at some different modern gray color palettes. Browse these carefully constructed color palettes, and let me know which one(s) you prefer! 

10+ Gray Color Palettes with Hex Codes

So, you know you want to use a modern gray color palette. But what shades of gray should you choose? Gray can range a lot in saturation, tone, and warmth, so which shade you go for will make a big difference. You can create different looks by pairing gray with bright or more muted colors. 

gray color palette

Here are more than 10 gray color palettes for you to peruse. Look through them and see which ones jump out at you! 

Light to Dark Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Onyx: #393A3F

Gray: #8C8C8C

Iron: #DADADB

Platinum: #E7E7E7

Isabelline: #F2F2EE

Here you go if you’re looking for a pure gray color palette! This modern gray color palette contains shades from the lightest gray to the darkest. It has a nice range and contrast, so the colors won’t all blend together. This color scheme is ideal if you want to keep it simple and monochrome without looking boring. And it shows the true range of the color gray! 

Gray & Red Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Silver Sand: #C1C1C3

Silver Chalice: #B2ABA5

Spanish Gray: #969291

Liver: #634A4D

Fire Opal: #ED554F

Red and gray is a bold color combination. As gray is such a neutral color, red stands out even more against it. So, it’s ideal if you want an eye-catching color scheme that grabs attention. 

Using red and gray together is sure to make an impact! And the good news is that you can pair any shade of gray with red, and they will look amazing. ‘

Cool grays will provide greater contrast as red is a warmer shade. But you can create a warm and inviting color palette if you opt for warmer gray shades. So, it depends on the look you want to create.

Pastel Gray & Teal Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Pastel Blue: #A5CCD1

Cadet Blue: #A0B9BF

Metallic Silver: #9DACB2

Spanish Gray: #949BA0

Chinese White: #DEF0E2

Teal is the perfect complement to gray if you want to create a calm, soothing aesthetic. Teals and blues are cool colors on the color wheel and work well with gray. 

These colors are proven to be relaxing, creating a tranquil vibe. So, they’re ideal for calm artwork like a seascape or even an abstract. And they work wonders in the home, making them a popular interior design choice. 

Olive & Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Olivetone: #746412

Green Smoke: #B7B77C

Sand Dune: #81725E

Oslo Gray: #959797

Loblolly: #B8C3CA

This color palette has earthy tones, from brown to olive and gray. It’s ideal if you want to channel natural vibes and create a subdued color scheme. The olive shade is the boldest color of this palette, standing out against more neutral tones. 

Pink & Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Isabelline: #F2EFF0

Light Silver: #D8D8D8

Black Shadows: #BFB3B8

Opera Mauve: #BC8BA0

Deep Blush: #E36397

When you pair pink with gray, you create an effective color palette. The pink makes it soft and feminine or bold and bright, depending on the shade you choose. Either way, the gray color tones it down and creates balance. As a result, you’ll have a harmonious color scheme blending cool and warm, feminine and masculine. 

Yellow & Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Bright Gray: #EEEEEE

Orange-Yellow: #FFD369

Arsenic: #393E46

Charleston Green #222831

Muted Blues & Grays

Hex Codes:

Blue-Gray: #6D99CE

Casper: #A6BAD0

Mischka: #CCD1DA

Shuttle Gray: #5F6B7A

Davy’s Gray: #4B5056

The colors blue and gray have a lot of similarities and look great together. Blue often has a gray undertone, so these colors complement each other rather than clash. These shades work especially well if you want a muted, soothing color palette. It’s neither too bold nor bright, making it calm with just a little edge. 

Purple & Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes: 

Gray: #7F7C82

Wisteria: #BFA2DB

Lavender: #F0D9FF

Anti-Flash White: #F3F1F5

Similar to blue, purple is often a cooler color on the color wheel. These pastel purples look beautiful when combined with a light and dark gray. There’s so much contrast in this color scheme. So, the pale lilac and lavender shades stand out nicely against the charcoal gray tone. 

Orange & Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes: 

Hot Cinnamon: #E3571A

Buttercup: #F39F1B

French Gray: #C9CACF

Gray Chateau: #9CA3A9

Ironside Gray: #64635E

Orange is a bold and vibrant color that’s full of energy. So, you could say that it’s the opposite of gray. But even so, these colors work well together. That’s because there’s so much contrast between orange and gray. As a result, they balance each other out. And the rich orange tones stand out even more against the neutral grays.

Neutral Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes: 

Titan White: #EEEEFF

French Gray: #B7B6C1

Champagne Pink: #EAD7D1

Philippine Gray: #94958B

Sometimes, you want bold colors, and other times call for a more neutral color palette. In that case, this one ticks all the right boxes. It combines the palest grays, sand, and muted greens. This color palette is ideal for a minimalist look.

Modern Black & Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes:

Gainsboro: #DCDCDC

Davy’s Gray: #5C5C5C

Gray: #7E7E7E

Vampire Black: #0B0B0B

I mentioned above that gray is a desaturated shade of black. You probably know that you can make gray by mixing black and white paint together. So, it is no surprise that gray can look amazing combined with black. 

This color palette is modern, edgy, and stylish. Depending on how you use the colors, it can look moody and dark or simple and minimalist. So, there’s a lot of potential for what you can do with this monochrome color palette! 

Warm Pastels & Grays

Hex Codes: 

Ivory: #EEEDE7

Pewter: #B9B7BD

Gray: #868B8E

Scallop Seashell: #E7D2CC

This color palette is simple and minimalist yet sophisticated. It pairs shades of gray with warm neutrals to create a calm and soothing effect. This color scheme is ideal if you don’t want anything too bright or in your face. And these colors would look gorgeous together on the canvas, too. 

Dark Gray Color Palette

Hex Codes: 

Black Olive: #3D3D3D

Davy’s Gray: #565656

Dove Gray: #666666

Gray: #818181

Are you looking for a dark, moody color scheme? Then, these strong gray tones fit the bill. These are some of the darkest gray shades out there. So, naturally, there’s not a lot of variation between the shades. But if you want dark grays, here you go! 

modern gray color palette inspiration

The Wrap Up 

There you have lots of modern gray color palettes to choose from for inspiration. And they come with names and hex codes, so you can use these color schemes any way you like. 

I’d love to know which of these color palettes appeals most to you – share in the comments below! 

Follow Proactive Creative on Pinterest for more arty inspiration, color guides, reviews, and more.

Author

Outmane is the founder of Proactive Creative. He is an artist/designer.


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