Grey palettes

Concrete, steel, fog and paper. Warm greys feel crafted, cool greys feel technical, and every palette needs one.

Grey, a reference greyGrey
#8A8D91
367 greys in the library

Pick any swatch to see its codes, its contrast and the palette it comes from.

01Put it to work

Can you read text on it?
White text looks like thisBig text only
Headlines and large labels are fine; small text will strain the eye. Contrast 3.3 to 1
Black text looks like thisEasy to read
Fine for body text and headlines. Contrast 5.9 to 1

Black text reads better here. The contrast number compares how light the text is with how light the colour behind it is. It runs from 1, where the text disappears, to 21, black on white. The web accessibility standard asks for at least 4.5 for normal text and 3 for big headlines.

Pick a swatch above to see it in its own palette, next to the colours it was chosen to sit with.

02Tints and shades

A ramp from 50 to 950 around #8A8D91, in equal perceptual steps, for backgrounds, borders and hover states. Click a step to copy it.

03355 palettes with grey

PhotorealismPhotorealismClay StyleClay StyleBohemianBohemianVictorianVictorianUltramarine StudyPaintingVerdaccioPaintingWinter LightImpressionismAction BlackAbstract ExpressionismKline ContrastAbstract ExpressionismStudio SessionMusicVinylMusicTypographyBauhausBleach BypassCinematographySculptureSculptureCarraraSculptureArchitectureArchitectureExposed ConcreteArchitectureSurrealismSurrealismNight TerrorSurrealismAnalyticalCubismSyntheticCubismGuitarCubismChrome LettersGraffiti / Street ArtBerlin ConcreteGraffiti / Street Art

04The styles that use it

Architectural Minimalism18Brutalist Architecture15Industrial Architecture15Metabolism14Stripped Classicism13Brutalism13Normcore12Socialist Modernism12Neo-Modernism11Structuralism11Liminal Space10Neoclassical Architecture10Deconstructivism10Conceptual Art9Contextualism9High-Tech Architecture9Parametric Architecture9Drawing / Sketch8Japanese Minimalism8Monolithic Architecture8Constructivist Architecture8Blobitecture8Gothic Architecture8Sculpture7Swiss / International7Wabi-Sabi7Contemporary Architecture7Adaptive Reuse7Critical Regionalism7Bowellism (High-Tech)7Font Mixing7Neoclassical7Streamline Moderne7Fashion Design6Surveillance6Grunge6Japandi6Architectural Futurism6Organic Architecture6Neo-Futurism6

And 126 more, in the palettes above.

05Questions

How many grey colour palettes are there?

The Omoro library has 355 palettes with at least one grey, across 367 distinct grey swatches, each with its hex code.

What colours go with grey?

In the library's palettes, grey most often sits beside yellow, blue and brown, with black and white as the neutrals.

Which design styles use grey?

Architectural Minimalism, Brutalist Architecture and Industrial Architecture use it most. 166 styles use it in all.

Goes withYellow 36%Blue 28%Brown 25%Red 19%Green 15%Orange 12%

06Shades of grey

Charcoal
Every colour familyAll colors and shades →
All palettes →Browse the styles →