FOR AND AGAINST – COULD GREY REALLY BE OVER?

YES

Grey is the choice of fear. People go for grey when they don’t know what else to do, because they think it’s a safe bet; it’s inoffensive. It was trendy and new 10 years ago when we were all tauped out, and although it’s become quite classic, it’s no longer on-trend. People feel secure in the hands of grey, but in terms of interiors that are more of the moment, it’s not hitting that button any more. The mood has changed.

I understand that grey is quite calming, and it has associations of looking quite sophisticated, but I think it’s losing that allure, and starting to look quite flat. It’s basically the colour of a rainy day, and with these incredibly strange times we’ve had, I think people want their homes to be a bit more uplifting and positive, so we’re going to continue to see grey losing favour. The pendulum is swinging back towards warm neutrals such as cream and ecru, which just feel softer and inherently more cosy. I think people want their homes to give them a big hug right now, and grey just doesn’t deliver on that. Interior designer Sophie Robinson (sophierobinson.co.uk)