Gray has dominated the world of interiors for decades. Color trends come and go, but gray has remained a perennial favorite for as long as many interior designers can remember. However, in recent years, there's been a slow shift in color trends. Our penchant for decorating with gray became a love-hate relationship as many homeowners replaced gray with beige. In 2025, gray is heading for a comeback – but in a more sophisticated and nuanced way than ever before.

So why is gray having a mini resurgance? This sultry shade goes with every color and can be used to add depth and sophistication to any room. The key is to use it in all its variations. The home of the actor-producers, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, designed by Los Angeles-based interior designer Michaela Cadiz, is a wonderful example of how to make a gray living room look anything but boring.

Grey is a color that has its own weather system of light levels and hues. From the gentle grey morning rain of a bright wide sky to the breathtaking drama of dark storm clouds, the scope for creating beautiful interiors is endless. It is a shade with myriad subtle color notes that draws inspiration from beach pebbles and clay, as well as from slate and charcoal. So you see, gray room ideas can be every bit as captivating as any other 'color' in the spectrum. Of all the neutrals, grey is one that instantly brings gravitas.

Gray harmonizes well with almost every other hue, making it a most adaptable neutral and giving good reason for its popularity, says Helen Shaw, director at Benjamin Moore.

She says there are three approaches to take when using gray as a base. ‘Tonal greys are perfect for anyone looking to add an accent color, as a complementary gray with a matching warm or cool undertone can be chosen for a harmonious look.’ Alternatively, she suggests layering a gray paint with a green undertone: this is a fool-proof choice, as green grays sit at the center of the color wheel and flatter both warm and cool colors.'

Darker gray tones tend to work particularly well when combined with pops of strong colors. To make more of a statement, pair with cobalt blues and zingy yellows to pack a decorative punch. They work beautifully as an accent to a grey scheme and stop it from feeling too cold.

It truly is all in the detail when perfecting a gray color scheme. ‘I love using this sort of color on walls as it allows paintings and portraits to really sing out,' explains Anna Haines, founder, of Anna Haines Design. 'It feels both calming and quiet and also works as the ideal backdrop for a range of rich textiles, decorative antique rugs, and furniture.’

My favorite detail in Davis and Tennon's living room is the Barnaba Fornasetti cloud wallpaper. Ever popular among designers, the beloved pattern instills tranquility and calm. From a distance, the cloudscape is pillowy and dreamlike – a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood.

Shop the look

A stunning home covered in climbing ivy immediately signals classic luxury. The timeless plant gives a stylishly wild, yet manicured feel, and it contrasts beautifully with a neutral painted home. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's house perfectly embodies the allure of the look. According to experts, there's more than meets the eye.

An initial look at the home's garden idea shows greenery integrated with the exterior of the acting power couple's Spanish-revival style home. Short bushes surround the path to the door, and an olive tree backs to the left-most wall. Most notably, stunning English Ivy snakes across the entire facade of the home. The effect is absolutely beautiful, elegant, and striking.

'The exterior of Viola Davis's home shows the importance of gardening vertically,' says Thom Rutter, master gardener and content editor at Homes & Gardens. He continues: 'By growing some of the best evergreen climbers, such as English ivy, exterior walls, fences, and structures can be softened, acting as a living vertical garden.' Rather than subscribing to a strict separation between home and garden, Davis and Tennon's planting technique blends the two for an inviting look.

Beyond aesthetics, this planting secret has huge benefits for the actors' yard. Thom states: 'Climbing plants - including English ivy - are ideal if you want to encourage birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. These plants can be excellent plants for pollinators, providing shelter and food for wildlife in your local area.' This attraction will make the entire yard more beautiful.

Furthermore, Davis's vertical planting technique is a great way to make the most of a small garden. Thom says: 'While adding greenery to our walls and homes is attractive from an aesthetic point of view, it is also a clever way to maximize growing space in smaller yards. Using climbers and vining plants to adorn walls can dramatically increase the amounts of plantlife that can be grown in your space.'

If you are interested in adding this type of plant to your own home, there are several considerations to take into account. Thom advises: 'Ivy might have a bad reputation, but with a little care and maintenance, it can be kept in check. When considering how to prune ivy, this can be done at any time of year, removing long and arching stems that can grow at an extraordinary rate. I tend to prune ivy in late winter before birds nest in dense and safe areas.'

Bridging the gap between the yard and the home through innovative outdoor planting techniques is an elegant way to soften and warm the home. If you need proof, just look at Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's house.

Black and white is the timeless color scheme. We see it in retro-inspired floor tiling and modern living room furnishings in equal measure; it makes sense, then, that a home's entryway is the ideal place to incorporate this pleasing palette. 

There's one inclusion that can elevate a black-and-white room: bespoke and unique accents. That's what designer Michaela Cadiz has done with her client, actor Viola Davis' entryway color. The How To Get Away With Murder and The Woman King star's hallway is minimal yet elegant, featuring white walls and a black-framed portrait. What takes it to the next level is the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, along with a sculpture of an Agojie warrior standing on a round table.

Black-and-white's appeal lies in its chameleonic qualities; these two neutral shades look just as fitting together as they do with other colors and patterns. For this reason, experts say that subtle additions should be embraced within the scheme.

'Black-and-white serves as a foundation for a room – accessories and details are what make it even more visually appealing,' says Homes & Gardens' editor Jennifer Ebert. 'Metallics and textured pieces, like the jeweled chandelier in Viola Davis' space, are a great way to introduce dimension without straying too far from the original, black-and-white motif.'

However, for those looking to stray away a bit, Ebert says that the addition of a bold accent color is a tried and true method for making a space feel more vibrant.

'If you're going to add a bold accent color to a black-and-white room, I'd recommend trying a primary color: red, blue, and yellow are all fantastic options,' she says.

These bold hues add some playful ambiance to what can otherwise be a minimal area of the home.

Artwork is also wonderful for making a black-and-white space feel more unique. We love Davis' grand sculpture and black-and-white print, as they turn what would otherwise be an empty space for guests to pass through into a communal area for discussion and observation.

'Sculptures are particularly impactful, as they are multi-dimensional and can even complement existing furniture materials,' Ebert says.

In Davis' case, the bold, iron sculpture contrasts the smooth, stone table it sits upon.

Shop the edit

Below, we've rounded up some accent pieces to elevate all spaces, whether we have a monochromatic entryway like Davis or want to experiment with a black-and-white living room. This color pairing has already stood the test of time, so we can invest with confidence.  

With relaxed shapes and nature-led color palettes, this year's bathroom trends are pitched to restore mind, body and soul. Actress Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon's luxury, spa-like bathroom is no exception. 

One of the few positives to come out of living in lockdown was, for many, the chance to enjoy a slower pace of life without the daily commute, crammed social calendar and consumer pressures. While the present day is certainly brighter, our homes are likely to remain our favorite sanctuaries, especially when it comes to crafting a luxury bathroom.

‘Today, creating a space of calm quietude is more important than ever for our wellbeing,’ says Lisa Persse, co-founder of Porter Bathroom. ‘We recommend creating a bathroom that combines muted tones and natural materials to calm both body and mind.’ A balanced layout based on symmetry and order will also aid relaxation. 

In Davis and Tennon's spa bathroom, designed by LA designer Michaela Cadiz, the serene room color palette, natural materials, and greenery work in harmony with the room’s soft lighting to soothe the senses.

There is no doubt that finding the perfect bathroom color palette is a wonderful place to start when planning a bathroom. Timeless, elegant, calming – there is a lot to love about this serene gray-green scheme.

An amalgamation of grey, green, and bluey brown, this shade has a moody, sophisticated feel and adds great depth and dimension to interiors,' says Francesca Wezel, founder, of Francesca’s Paints. 'It is perfect for calming bathrooms and would work well as a background color for artwork.’ As it has this mercurial quality, it works well with an array of colors, too. 

Another wonderfully warm addition to this bathroom is the use of timber elements. Old or new, pale or dark, the tactile nature of timber ensures it enhances any home. It is an ideal choice if your bathroom or shower room is verging on the clinical side. Wood accents will add warmth instantly. 

Finally, introduce a touch of greenery to your bathing space. There is a place in every room for an indoor plant, and the bathroom is no exception. The best bathroom plants love humidity and will help to bring this often overlooked room to life, creating a lush and relaxing oasis. 

Shop the bathroom edit

Gray color schemes have had bad press lately, mostly due to their oppressive and cold nature. But, of all the neutrals, gray is one that instantly brings gravitas. 

There are so many possibilities when it comes to gray kitchen ideas. This versatile neutral is still very much the color of the moment: it looks smart and crisp paired with white but can still benefit from a little extra color. 

A new kitchen is a big investment, and updating an existing one can involve a lot of upheaval, so whichever style or color you opt for must have staying power. Traditional cabinetry, like the one seen in Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's kitchen, has a timeless look that won't date and sits well with classic white marble countertops and dark wood kitchen flooring. 

‘Decorating with gray, especially paler iterations, is calming and can soften a room. In psychology, it represents peace and balance which is so important within a home. It’s practical, simple and reliable,' says Suzanne Francis, kitchen designer at Tom Howley.

‘When it comes to color choice – soft, muted grey tones can create a warm atmosphere for dinner parties without the worry of passing kitchen color trends,’ adds Tom Howley.

Gray harmonizes well with almost every other hue, making it a most adaptable neutral and giving good reason for its popularity in kitchens, says Helen Shaw, director at Benjamin Moore. She says there are three approaches to using gray as a base.

‘Tonal greys are perfect for anyone looking to add an accent color, as a complementary grey with a matching warm or cool undertone can be chosen for a harmonious look.’ 

Alternatively, she suggests layering a gray paint with a green undertone: this is a fool-proof choice, as gray greens sit at the center of the color wheel and flatter both warm and cool colors. 

Finally, go for corals and pink peach tones to make more of a statement. ‘They create a rich, warm welcoming feel with undertones of red, orange and pink. It works beautifully as an accent to a gray scheme or as a statement wall color,’ she adds

Shop the gray kitchen edit

In a living space or home office, storage should restore calm, provide display space, and be suitably chic. The home of the actor-producers, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon prioritizes both functional storage and quality craftsmanship. But why should you invest in a bespoke piece of living room shelving? Well, the final result speaks for itself.

Like a tailored Tom Ford suit, a bespoke piece of living room storage should fit perfectly, function beautifully and look fantastic: some go as far as to dub it ‘interior couture’. Like their catwalk counterparts, artisan-designed solutions are an investment, but they offer standout and esoteric results. 

Commissioning a bespoke piece of furniture or shelving is a chance to have something completely individual, tailored to your tastes as well as helping to support a rich tradition of furniture design and craftsmanship

Commissioning bespoke items can appeal to those who don’t want recognizable items in their houses. ‘It can answer design challenges, too,’ says Mike Fisher, founder and creative director of Studio Indigo. ‘Sometimes it’s simply impossible to find the right piece at the right price, finish, or scale – going bespoke allows us to create the perfect piece.’ But it also attracts those who like the idea of supporting the arts and craftsmanship, as well as the satisfaction of owning an original piece that will endure.

‘There’s a growing awareness of sustainability and things made with integrity that will be passed down the generations,’ says Bruce Hodgson of Somerset-based bespoke joinery firm Artichoke.

In this space, the beautiful wall of bespoke joinery has been painted in a soothing, on-trend cream hue is hugely characterful and provides plenty of open storage and display space. The finishing touch was the lighting. Without the right living room lighting, it could end up looking almost 'invisible' during the evenings, so a blend of wall and overhead lighting was needed to create the right balance of atmosphere and practicality. The lights add to the overall ambiance.

When commissioning a piece of bespoke joinery, consideration is needed to ensure that the cabinetry style complements the room’s aesthetics as well as being of the correct scale and proportion, says cabinetmaker Ed Keyser. 

‘Built-in shelving or cabinetry is not only an investment and will hopefully add value to your property but is also personal to you as you will be living with it every day.'

Finally, when creating storage, consider how it will be used and make sure you think about shelves versus drawers to make sure it doesn't become a dumping ground for items you don't know what to do with.