Decorative finishing of the floor surface participates in the formation of the overall appearance of the interior along with walls and furnishings. Therefore, the choice of flooring should be approached carefully.. Any correctly selected non-standard solution that differs from the traditional one evokes positive emotions. Thus, gray laminate in the interior looks unusual in comparison with the accepted analogues of all shades of wood. A coating of this color is practical and durable. For those looking for alternative flooring shades, gray laminate is a common choice - the material comes in a variety of finishes (wood grain, tile texture or gloss). Today’s material is about the features of using gray laminate in the interior.
Gray laminate in the interior
Features of modern trends
In the modern world, changes in fashion, which also affect interior solutions, occur rapidly. Nowadays, the traditional design of an apartment, where the floor must be made in a brown shade, has become unpopular.
In search of a fresh and extraordinary solution, many designers paid attention to the gray color, which in no case should be associated with boredom, depression and melancholy. This color has a lot of shades and, when properly combined with other shades in the interior, allows you to create an original and at the same time cozy atmosphere.
Laminate “Oak silver-gray” Ter Hurne (Germany)
Gray color is noble and versatile - it can be organically fit into most popular styles.
Prices for Tarkett laminate
Tarquette laminate
Advantages of gray flooring
The main advantage of a gray floor covering is its neutrality - it does not attract attention, which is especially important if there are defects on the surface or dirt.
Laminate flooring Ter Huerne City Line “Oak Mix contrast gray”
Walls and floors in the interior are the main accent elements and the basis for the interior. Against their background, you can create any atmosphere by selecting the texture and shade of textiles, furnishings and decorative accessories.
The advantages of gray flooring include the following:
- The impact of gray color on a person’s emotional state can be considered positive - a room with a gray floor creates a peaceful atmosphere, setting the mood for rest and relaxation.
- Light gray shades can make the room visually more spacious. This is especially true for small areas.
- The gray color of the floor is universal and can be used, depending on the tone, in any interior style.
- On the practical side, dust, dirt and scratches are not so noticeable on a gray surface.
Laminate Balterio “Titanium Oak”
Don’t think that gray color is boring and dull – in company with other shades, it allows you to create a special atmosphere, becoming a backdrop for brighter accents.
PVC laminate is environmentally friendly and safe for humans and the environment. In one of our articles you can find a detailed list of the advantages of PVC panels.
How does gray laminate affect the human psyche?
Often people are afraid to use gray laminate in the interior because they are sure that it will negatively affect the nervous system and psychological state of a person, suppressing the psyche and giving a bad mood. This opinion is erroneous, as leading European psychologists have already repeatedly said.
In fact, almost all gray shades will not only not have a negative impact on a person, but will also help in calming the nervous system, relieving tension and stressful conditions.
Under normal conditions, a gray floor will have a calming effect on a person, which will allow the owner of the house to achieve a state of mental balance and self-control. That is why it is recommended to install such laminate flooring in kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, and passive recreation rooms.
At the same time, it is noted that you should not overdo it with gray color. Otherwise, it will be quite difficult to concentrate in the room.
Application nuances
When choosing a gray floor covering, you should remember that it requires compliance with certain rules of use.
Laminate KRONOTEX Mammut “Everest Oak grey”
The main features include the following:
- Gray flooring is especially relevant for rooms located on the south side and filled with sunlight. Or in an interior where warm shades predominate. Cool gray color allows you to achieve temperature balance.
- Rooms with gray floors must have high-quality lighting, otherwise the interior will be perceived as dull and dull.
- To prevent the interior from becoming depressive and boring due to an excess of gray color, warm and bright shades are introduced into it in the form of accessories and textiles.
- The gray floor in the interior is a background surface that favorably emphasizes other elements - furniture, wallpaper, decor.
- With the help of gray it is possible to balance and calm an overly bright, dynamic interior, oversaturated with shades.
Laminate Kaiser (Kaiser) in the kitchen
Color Features
If there is a gray floor in the interior, you should be especially careful when choosing the shade of the wall decoration - this will allow you to choose a material that will harmoniously combine with the laminate. So, you can choose gray wallpaper in a tone lighter or darker than the floor. A related blue shade, close to blue, will look laconic with a gray floor.
Matte laminate in the living room
When decorating walls with brown and beige wallpaper, choosing a solid gray color for the floor is not recommended. It is better to use laminate with a “gray oak” texture, which forms a smooth transition between the shades of the floor and walls.
Gray color is monochrome and is located between white and black, therefore it organically combines with both, as it reduces and smoothes out the contrast. This allows it to be used in minimalist modern interiors.
Living room interior in minimalist style
Among the shades that go well with gray laminate are: cream, beige, yellow, blue and purple. The last three will create a bright accent and enliven the interior.
Note! Furniture with black, gray or white upholstery, made from wood in cool shades (wenge, zebrawood, vanilla) blends seamlessly with gray laminate or parquet.
Laminate Kronotex “Mammut Oak white”
When properly integrated into a modern interior, gray laminate flooring can be brought to the fore and become the main focus that attracts attention. You should remember the ability of gray color to influence the visual perception of the dimensions of a space and use it to your advantage - with the help of dark shades, a spacious room can be made more compact and comfortable, and with the help of light colors, you can visually expand the boundaries.
Ter Hurne laminate “Oak pearl gray” in the living room interior
In a room with a lot of furnishings, a light gray floor is simply necessary - visually it will make the room lighter, “unload” it, and create a fresh overall perception of the interior. On the contrary, gray laminate can add dynamism to a calm monochrome space.
A dark gray coating against the background of light walls does not “burden” the living room
In the living room or bedroom, using gray laminate flooring, you can create a calming atmosphere that sets you up for relaxation and restful rest. The advantage of such a floor covering is its neutrality and the ability to blend organically with any furniture; even black or white furnishings do not look provocative against its background.
Features and properties of gray laminate
Dark gray laminate in the interior of a city apartment or country house will visually reduce the size of the room. If you choose lighter shades, a light and airy atmosphere will reign in the room, which, coupled with large windows and natural light, will give a feeling of coolness and freshness. For the sunny side of the house this will be just the perfect solution.
Care should be taken when choosing and using laminate flooring in cool gray shades in residential areas. Such floor coverings will make the room “icy” and lifeless. You can correct the situation by adding shades of warm wood to the interior (for example, wooden furniture or characteristic decoration of walls and ceilings). In addition, in this case, it is recommended to make zones with bright colors (orange, purple, gold, etc.).
Choosing an interior style
As previously noted, gray laminate goes well with many popular interior styles that are used to decorate residential premises.
If you choose a neutral gray coating with a calm texture, it will fit into many style solutions.
Table 1. Interior styles
| Features of using gray laminate | |
Scandinavian interior | Gray laminate is especially relevant in Scandinavian interiors, where a light, calm color palette is welcome. Against the background of such a covering, simple furniture decorated with bright textile elements will look elegant. |
Minimalist interior | Minimalist interiors are distinguished by the fact that the decoration of the main surfaces in them should not attract attention. Therefore, a light gray neutral floor is the best solution that will support the basic concept of the style: a minimum number of accent details and a lot of free space. This design will be appropriate in any room - in the bedroom, living room and even in the kitchen. |
Interior in high-tech style | The industrial style looks especially organic with flooring in a cool dark gray color, which echoes the metallic sheen of decorative elements and furniture. |
Loft style interior | In modern urban loft styles, gray laminate flooring will naturally highlight brick walls or bare concrete surfaces. Cool gray shades give the interior atmosphere austerity and a restrained sense of proportion. |
Interior in kitsch style | A bright and flashy kitsch style, combining the most unimaginable combinations, needs a background surface, which can be served by a gray laminate. |
Interior in neoclassical style | Shiny metal furniture fittings in neoclassical interiors are organically combined with gray flooring, especially when using gray-blue tones in decoration and decor. |
Vintage interior | Gray flooring with aged elements, imitating wood, is relevant for Provence, shabby chic and other vintage styles. It will organically fit into country style and retro classics, emphasizing the beauty of natural stone, whitewashed or red-brown brickwork, stucco molding and the aged surface of furnishings. |
Classic interior | In a classic interior with luxurious massive furniture and a carved fireplace, a deep dark gray shade of laminate flooring, repeated in wall decoration, upholstery and textiles on the windows, will look great. |
Do you want to know what tools will help you lay laminate flooring quickly and with minimal effort? Read the article “Tools for laying laminate flooring.”
Gray laminate
Features of gray laminate in the interior
The combinations of the words gray and boring have long been considered as synonyms. The use of gray laminate with the right approach to interior design and color combinations gives the designer almost limitless possibilities. This is due to the fact that such a shade most advantageously emphasizes unexpected color combinations. The main feature of gray laminate, which is most often used to cover room floors, is that it focuses attention on vertical surfaces, on furniture facades and textiles. All accessories that define comfort and emphasize the sophistication of a residential or office space will look great against a gray background.
The gray shade is not as strict and not as easily soiled as black or white; it can give the room laconicism and nobility. It “works” as the main color background.
Please note that laminated surfaces are good not only for arranging floors. They are used to decorate walls, and models of tinted entrance or interior doors are made from them.
Gray laminate for living room or bedroom
By installing gray laminate floors in light, bleached shades in the living room and skillfully combining it with black, dark blue or dark chocolate, used in upholstery and textiles, you can create a sophisticated aristocratic style. This interior is complemented by strict sconces, floor lamps and reproductions of great artists (it is advisable that replicas of paintings be made in black and white).
Delightfully gray laminate will be combined in the interior of a living room decorated in warm colors: red, burgundy, lilac, pink. Modern designers use this flooring material for installing floors in bedrooms. But here it is important to know some secrets. It’s nice to wake up in a room with neutral tones, so that bright colors don’t hurt your eyes or create additional tension. Gray floors will perfectly complement pale yellow, beige, beige-pink, light lilac or soft green walls and thick curtains to match. Numerous accessories with a touch of gold or silver leaf will not hurt here.
Gray laminate in the kitchen
When decorating a kitchen, it is worth remembering that gray color can visually change the volume of the room to a significant extent. Dark gray color makes the kitchen feel intimate and reduces space. Light gray, on the contrary, expands it.
Using gray laminate in various shades, the total usable area can be easily zoned. Light gray flooring is suitable for the work area: it is not easily soiled and dirt is less noticeable on it. Dark gray color is suitable for the dining area: it gives it a certain solemnity.
Speaking of contrasts, I would like to note: when decorating rooms with gray laminate of one shade or another, you need to use a similar color in other interior details (wallpaper, textiles, accessories). Bright decorative elements will complete the picture. Remember to use a sense of proportion so as not to make the interior too colorful.
Negative qualities of gray laminate
Despite all the positive properties of the designated color, there are some features that do not work the best way. It is important to know that gray laminate does not tolerate uniformity in color scheme. Gray floors, walls and furniture facades will have a depressing effect on the psyche. The negative will be especially evident in the autumn-winter period, when prolonged bad weather and annoying precipitation prevail.
Decorating a room with a lot of gray colors is quite difficult. This requires a special approach. It is enough to decorate the room with only one contrasting thing, for example, a large bright lampshade or floor lamp, a set of bright dishes or a designer stretch ceiling, floor covering with long pile that imitates fur, and the interior will take on a completely different sound.
Owners of living rooms whose windows face north or northwest should know that gray laminate on the floor and furniture fronts will create a feeling of piercing cold and icy space. You can soften such an interior with the help of bright bedspreads, vases with flowers, and wood-like wall decoration. Thick curtains with large graphic or floral prints will also look good.
Let us venture to give advice: when planning to decorate the interior of your home with gray laminate, feel like an artist. The covering will be a canvas on which you will paint the interior of your dreams. Thoughtful color ideas will look organic on a gray background, bring harmony to the house and help balance the riotous play of colors. It is only important to take precautions so that your home does not look tasteless.
Application in different rooms
Gray laminate is appropriate not only in rooms decorated in different styles, but also with different purposes.
In the living room
The living room is the main room in the house. Here they spend evenings with family and welcome guests. Gray laminate will be an excellent backdrop for creating a cozy atmosphere in a modern, minimalist interior.
Bright living room in Scandinavian style
The dark gray surface of the laminate, imitating a pronounced wood texture, despite the deep, almost black shade, would look quite appropriate in a small living room with beige walls and snow-white glossy furniture.
Small living room
In an open-plan room, where the kitchen is often combined with the living room, an aged wood texture is appropriate, which will become the main accent emphasizing the spaciousness of the room. In this case, the furniture design and wall decoration should not attract attention. Such an interior will look strict and stylish if a combination of black and white is used in the design and furnishings.
Open plan apartment
A light warm gray shade will enliven and make a cozy living room with a predominance of dark shades in the design of the walls.
Warm colors of a spacious living room
The interior can be given dynamism using a special design technique, when the slats are placed not along or across the room, but diagonally or in a herringbone pattern.
The diagonal arrangement of the lamellas will emphasize and enhance the dynamism of the contrasting interior
In the kitchen
One of the conditions for choosing laminate for the kitchen is its moisture resistance and shade, on which dirt will not be too noticeable. Many modern laminate manufacturers are ready to offer material with characteristics that meet the operational requirements of the kitchen.
The coating in the kitchen should be durable and easy to clean
The light gray coating harmonizes perfectly with dark facades, creating the feeling of an always clean floor. There will be no noticeable spilled liquid or dirt on such a surface.
Warm shades in the kitchen interior will make the atmosphere more comfortable
When decorating a kitchen in a minimalist style, choose a gray laminate with a warm tint, and green plants will add life and freshness to the atmosphere of the room.
Kitchen in a minimalist style
Note! When the kitchen interior is made exclusively in gray, it is perceived as boring and uninteresting. If you choose a light or white finishing material for the walls, and make the countertop dark gray or black, the interior will sound new. As an option, you can use a light laminate that imitates tiles, which will visually make the kitchen space more spacious and brighter.
Combining gray shades of different tones
To add coziness to a kitchen with a gray floor, choose furniture fronts made of light wood with a honey tint.
Calculating the required amount of material is one of the most important stages in preparation for laying it on subfloors. In a special article we will tell you how to calculate laminate flooring for a room.
Bright kitchen interior with wood-effect facades
In the bedroom
The bedroom is a place for rest and relaxation; here a person should feel calm and protected. It is the gray color, in harmonious combination with other interior elements, that can give this palette of sensations. Gray tones must be present in the surrounding details.
The shade of the laminate in the bedroom is supported by textiles, decorative elements and furnishings in which there is an ash color
One winning solution is to install laminate not only on the floor, but also as an accent element on the wall at the head of the bed. This technique creates a special atmosphere of comfort and security. Lighting directed along the wall from bottom to top allows you to revive and emphasize the texture of the material.
The advantage of this technique is the ability to influence the visual change in the geometry of the space - lamellas located horizontally expand the room, and vertically - make it taller.
Warm shades of gray are supported by ocher and mustard tones of textiles
Eclectic interiors never cease to be relevant - they combine incompatible things, resulting in an atmosphere that emphasizes the individual style and character of the owner.
A light gray, almost white floor in a bedroom with large windows allows you to achieve lightness and transparency of the bedroom interior
Note! Large-width slats with a pronounced wood grain pattern are recommended for use on floors in large areas. Due to the presence of pronounced chamfers and different shades of the panels, the coating resembles natural parquet.
Dark shades are best used in rooms with sufficient natural light
One of the benefits of gray in the bedroom is its ability to rest the eyes. As an option, in a gray bedroom you can make one wall gray, and at the head of the bed hang a bright poster or painting with an abstraction that will enliven the interior.
Attic bedroom
Elegant black in the bedroom can be replaced by a graphite gray finish with a glossy sheen. In this case, it is recommended to make one of the walls plain white.
You will find detailed step-by-step instructions for laying laminate flooring in the article “How to lay laminate flooring.” We talk about the nuances, choosing a substrate and its types, the installation process and how to cut holes.
In the nursery
The interior of a children's room should be light and joyful, and therefore light gray shades are used here. A light gray floor does not get dirty so quickly and at the same time maintains a feeling of cleanliness.
To prevent the gray coating from looking dull, place a light rug on it
It is worth considering that laminate itself is not a very comfortable material to the touch - it is not natural wood, its surface temperature is not very comfortable, and children, especially younger ones, spend most of their time playing on the floor. Therefore, it is imperative to provide high-quality carpeting in the play area or multifunctional collapsible mats with a bright pattern. As an option, install a “warm floor” system.
Warm floors are a serious cost item during renovation, so it is important to accurately calculate how much and what materials will be needed. To ease your labor costs, we have prepared special instructions telling you how to calculate a heated floor - water or electric. Online calculators included. And in the article “What is needed for a heated floor?” you will find a complete list of everything that may be needed during installation.
Teenager's room
A gray floor would be an excellent choice for a teenager's room in a modern minimalist or Scandinavian style. With the help of a light coating you can visually increase the space.
Girl's room in the attic
There are a lot of bright toys in a child’s room, sometimes they literally dazzle the eyes, and a gray floor covering can smooth out this effect and make the color palette of the room calmer. This is especially true for children who are too mobile.
Bright elements on a gray background are perceived calmer
Children perceive contrast in the interior more easily than some adults. Saturated colors add dynamics and encourage the child to engage in cognitive activity.
In a room with bright accents and clear colors, a bright, calm spot is needed - a white wall that will brighten the space
In the hall
The hallway usually does not have a large area, so the best solution would be to choose a light floor covering with a glossy sheen, and a pronounced texture that imitates wood grain will allow you to hide dirt to a certain extent and not have to resort to frequent cleaning during the day.
The ceiling and floor are light surfaces that reflect light and make the narrow corridor feel more spacious.
If you focus on light walls and ceiling, as well as a small number of bright accents, then the floor in the hallway can be darker, which is much more practical than a light coating.
Bright hallway
If the interior is made in cool light colors, then you can make it more welcoming with the help of a door mat in a warm shade.
A mustard-colored rug will “warm” the interior of the hallway
Using laminate in the hallway, you can get an aesthetically attractive, strong, reliable and durable floor covering. We will tell you how to choose this material correctly in a special article.
Wall finishing options
You can create a harmonious interior if the walls and floor match each other. So, if you plan to wallpaper the walls, then it is desirable that their design contains a gray color - it may be slightly lighter than that of the floor covering, made in the form of stripes or a plain wall material.
Bright accents in the form of paintings in warm colors enliven the interior
Since gray color is combined with other cool tones, the wallpaper in the room can be light blue or dark blue.
The warm-hued laminate is supported by plain walls of the same color - against their background, cool gray-blue textiles and furniture upholstery look natural
Close shades to the gray tone are beige or brown mixed in with it, which create a smooth transition between the walls and the floor. To “link” poly walls with each other, create an accent laminate surface on the wall at the head of the bed or in the living room area.
The combined floor covering is visually connected by the combined wall decoration
Choosing doors
Doors in the interior of the room should be organically combined with the chosen color scheme and style of the room. Often it is a neutral element that does not draw attention to itself. In a room with gray flooring, white or gray doors will look best.
White doors are a win-win option
When choosing a door shade, the material and color of the furnishings are also taken into account. So, in a room with wenge-colored furniture, you can choose a door leaf of the same color. In this case, the shade of the floor covering does not matter at all, since it does not participate in tying the color of the door leaf.
White matte door-partition in the interior
To avoid making a mistake in choosing the shade of the door leaf, you can choose a universal white color, which can be repainted at any time. An original and bold solution would be dark gray, almost black, doors with a light floor covering.
A dark gray front door against a light floor is a practical solution for a hallway
Prices for Kronospan laminate
Laminate Kronospan
How relevant is the use of gray laminate in residential premises?
For many years, gray laminate flooring in the interior was considered irrelevant, unacceptable, and unsuitable for residential and commercial spaces.
Today the situation has changed dramatically - professional designers use laminated coatings of this type in a variety of projects, which can significantly expand the possibilities of interior design. Of course, gray shades are quite difficult to identify with natural wood. But this is precisely what allows, after the laminate has been laid, to concentrate on furniture, accessories, and decorative elements. After all, the floor in this case will act as a background. Dark gray or light gray laminate will be an excellent solution for decorating a living space in an apartment, country house or cottage.
Many people are convinced that gray shades are very complex and ambiguous for the domestic sphere, so not everyone can decide to use such a coating in their home. But with the right choice of shade, proper arrangement of furniture and decor, and additional lighting, you can get a comfortable and cozy interior with a distinct aristocratic style.
