Gray is a color that often goes unnoticed. It appears in the shadows cast by other colors, granting form and definition, but rarely catching your eye directly. It's a calm, relaxed color; gray doesn't want to work too hard. Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore's Director of Strategic Design Intelligence, puts it best: "This is a color, off duty."
Understated Shades of Gray
Ben Moore's official color of 2019 is Metropolitan AF-690, an understated and soothing shade of gray. This particular hue brings up the feeling of a city street early in the morning, right before the first wave of morning traffic trickles over the horizon. It represents sophistication and modern design, but with a calm, collected attitude. It's a gray that promises to get you into the new year with both maturity and peace.
Collection of Soft Hues
The accompanying Color Trends 2019 Palette supports this calming mentality with a collection of soft hues. Metropolitan is a gray with cool, cloud-like undertones; the palette adds a few more shades with Smoke, Kendall Charcoal, Black Pepper, and Hale Navy. As the spectrum brightens, it moves towards daring, verdant shades: the dark Hunter Green, the almost blue Beau Green, and the lighter Soft Fern. Warmth is represented by the coffee tones of Kona and Pashmina, the creaminess of Putnam Ivory, and the light but stunning pink of Head Over Heels. And lastly, the palette reaches the clouds with a series of off-whites, including Cloud White, Decorator's White, and Balboa Mist.
Colors That Blend Well
Metropolitan makes an excellent base color for nearly any design; it's beautiful, but won't call direct attention. Embrace the gray by using Smoke and Hale Navy as secondary colors. Alternatively, choose your favorite off-white and add accents of Hunter and Beau Green to achieve the feeling of a cool forest getaway. Metropolitan is subtle, refined, and composed - just the color to usher in a new year of glamour and tranquility.
