The Perfect Shade of Grey

Grey dining room chair

 

The perfect shade of grey? Is it a mixture of sand and twilight? Does it have a snippet of lamb's wool, and a dash of pepper? Grey, or the French grey that is tres vogue with many at the moment, or at least associated with French design, can have a touch of taupe, blue, or is it a hint of lavender. Grey is not grey without a storm… you know the color of the sky right before it opens up showing the array that Grey can be. And that is what makes Grey hard to define… the play of color just before it rains.

 

Cabinet curiousites

 

My friend Mimi has a love affair with the color grey. Her home in France is covered head to toe, ceiling to floor with hints of grey, mingling with grey, splashed with grey and then sits around in the shade of grey.

Even her clothes and dishes are greyish tones.

 

A perfect shade of grey clock

 

The Roman numerals on a grey painted clock.

 

Grey table with runner

 

Mimi dyes old linens and lace grey, and I am envious of the effect it adds. Soft and subtle, grey is in the middle of black and white. And as the clock above shows, a touch of grey makes black and white pop!

 

Grey table runner

 

Layering textures.

Wood, fabric and ironstone.

Sounds like a treasure chest of goodness, real things, old things, touchable wonder.

 

 

 

French brocante soup tureen

 

 

One part of the beauty of old things were the details, details that were created to last and be passed down.

I wonder if way back then any person ever thought, "This soup tureen will be at a brocante in a hundred years from now and an American will buy it…."

 

 

Dining room perfect grey

 

"…and her friend will take photos of it and put it on her blog, making many others lick their lips!"

 

French brocante domes

 

 

Silver domes. That counts for grey too.

Though I have told Mimi they don't go with anything in her house. That they are out of place. That shining stuff doesn't look right on her country French table with that grey crochet runner.

Don't you agree? Mimi thinks not. She thinks I am saying that the domes are ugly because I want her to give them to me.

Why would she ever think that???

 

Grey perfection in decorating

 

 

Simply beautiful.

Oh a girl can dream, and ponder kidnapping.

 

 

Detals in gild and grey

 

Brocante home

 

 

..or take photos and find happiness in that.

 

 

French brocante style

 

Chez Mimi a perfect storm of brocante finds that I lick my lips over.

 



Comments

34 responses to “The Perfect Shade of Grey”

  1. I love Mimi’s home . Such an atmosphere , you ,both girls are the best to create ambiance and atmosphere to a home

  2. A Symphony in Grey, gorgeous! (Especially after I am living a different kind of grey right now: moody rainy days that don’t seem to ever end.)
    This is one of your most beautiful posts ever. It sings. Of your love of beautiful old things, loving details, incurable brocante fever, love of life.

  3. That’s great! It means that her baguette basket doesn’t match and that she might be willing to part with it?
    🙂 wish I were there…

  4. i have never replied to your blog so early in the day, but am up cuz of a neck ache. and yes, i do believe and know for sure that is why you told mimi that the silver does not fit in,because that is exactly what i tell my mother,if i want something. i will tell her it is very out of place and also does not look good her home. sometimes i win and other times. when i don’t get my way, she just says, “oh you don’t think so.” and that’s it. my neck is better,gonna let the sandman work a couple hours of sleep. Bestest,Denise

  5. well, look at that, two replies from Denise is a row. we both have great names. Bestest,Denise

  6. With a photo you can hold it and covet it and look at it and reminisce forever.

  7. I hadn’t thought about the opportunities or the repercussions of gray. I hardly thought about gray at all. But now, well, I will. Gorgeous details.

  8. Mimi’s home is so beautiful! I love gray too. The cherub candlestick is gorgeous…and since it isn’t gray, might she be willing to part with it…? Thanks for the lovely photos, Corey!

  9. Please tell our friend Mimi that I just painted my living room a charcoal gray! It’s very dark and sultry! I love it! Get my wood floors laid next week. Can’t wait to get my junk in there! Thanks for showing Mimi’s place! Please take lots of pics at the wedding! Wish I could be there!
    tot

  10. christine

    The fabric on that chair looks like a pie crust! Yes, taking pictures and seeing things you love can be just as good as owning…sometimes better…

  11. I love your friend Mimi’s home! But…I agree those silver pieces have got to go!!!! You should take them off her hands!! 🙂

  12. My friend Chris (Tuttichic) likes grey that “in the right light, almost looks like silver…” Isn’t that a nice thought? Corey, did I ever tell you that one of the things I collect are words? Yes, phrases and sentences that catch my ear the way a vignette catches my eye. As a writer it makes sense. Some of your phrases and sentences are making their way into my collection (“grey is not grey without a storm…”)

  13. Shirley

    I love grey. All shades mixed with a silvery shine when viewed a certain way.

  14. Mimi’s home in France is FABULOUS!! Does she have a similar home decorated with French antqiues in the States? Oops, had to stop and wipe off the drool from my chin…everything is so wonderful!

  15. The shining silver dome lightens and spices up the home furnishing. It is a great touch. I love furnishing statement of the style. Well done.

  16. I used to hate gray, thinking it too dismal and depressing. Now I love it!

  17. ooh la la! my eyes agree with yours and Mimi’s! how very beautiful!!!! blessings xoxo jody

  18. From the time I was a schoolchild, my two favorite colors were lavender and grey; my mother used to complain that they were “old lady” colors, but I didn’t care — and I still love them!
    Do you think Mimi might wear a pearl-grey wedding dress, or at least one with grey accents?

  19. Decorating at it finest…you’ve captured such beauty, Corey.

  20. Your photo’s look like they should be in Romantic Homes magazine. Beautiful! Love the grey in the wall paper too.

  21. Brenda L. in TN.

    Mimi’s home is simply beautiful!! GREAT photos too!!
    Yes, why indeed would she think you want her silver domes?? Why indeed….LOL! 😉
    BE SURE you get tons of pictures at the wedding…we want to see it ALL! 🙂

  22. Another beautiful post.

  23. Mimi should wear a gossamer silk gown in pale grey when she marries her French beau…jus’ sayin’…

  24. Mimi’s home and your pictures are beautiful. I especially love her grey chair with the beautiful golden upholstry. Grey is so pretty with wooden floors.

  25. You two are having way too much fun! Loved the peek into Mimi’s home. I am loving grey too right now and am painting the counter tops in the kitchen here at the lake in that beautiful color…to go with my old silvery kitchen collectibles. Thanks for sharing such wonderful photos of those beautiful details…elegant and sophisticated (as expected).
    Take care, Laura 🙂

  26. love the entry. I always wear usually black and white and recently added grey, grey pearls with white or cream pearls and hemitite with sparkles. I love grey!

  27. I am positively grey with envy!

  28. Hi Denise, where are you from? I am from Canada but presently staying in our apartment in the south of France…

  29. juliette

    Beautyfull place…. I’d add the wall paper is very well done ;)lol!
    A kiss for Mimi.
    xoxo

  30. How beautifully poetic!!! You draw memories out of me. About 35 years ago, a weaving instructor assigned the task of selecting a color and describing everything it brought to mind. I then had to weave something that summarized all of the images. I chose grey! I have to say that after reading this post, I did not come close to doing the color justice. You did a fine job today!

  31. How beautiful the inspiration! The book print, the gold guild, the multi shades of grey really sing together. What a great way to display an empty frame, insert an old book page!
    I often wonder where some of my creations will end up!
    I would like to believe one will hand them down again and again!

  32. Love Mimi’s home! Corey, your photos are the best, fits for the
    World of Interiors, no less!!!

  33. So lovely as always. I love grey myself.

  34. atelier de campagne

    Hello Corey, lovely post. I am one of the owners of Atelier de Campagne and we also love gray.

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