Why grey paint is the garden trend that will be everywhere this summer

last updated 31 May 2022

First, it took over our home interiors, now we're embracing grey paint on the exteriors of our homes and in our gardens as the hottest colour of the summer.

Research by Dulux Weathershield in their Great British exterior trends report revealed that grey is the most popular exterior colour based on the number of searches for the colour in the last year. If you want your home to ooze kerb appeal in 2021 it seems the answer is to crack out the grey masonry paint.

The research revealed that the neutral favoured by celebs such as Instagram sensation Mrs Hinch accounted for over half the exterior colour searches in the last year. In fact, grey paint proved to be so popular it saw almost 100% more searches per month than the second choice, white paint.

white brick wall pillows on chair and ladder with bulbs

Despite being an Instagram favourite, and featuring in 45% of the top interior hashtags, white exterior paint came in second place as the most searched for colour, followed by blue

Grey is a very versatile shade so it is no surprise that it has become the favourite shade for our house and gardens across the country. The shade can be used on house exteriors, garden walls and even patios to give your outdoors a chic lift.

outdoor white brick wall plants white swing with cushion and book

To make an impact with grey Dulux suggests opting for a dark, bold shade, while a softer hue will give it a more soothing finish. If you can't choose between the grey or white trend, fortunately, the two pair beautifully together for a lovely relaxing scheme.

Alternatively, a combination of blue and grey will make a statement, especially when used on exterior brickwork. A concrete grey on the walls of a Victorian terrace rather than looking garish will create an authentic stony feel. It works great when paired with an indigo front door and window trims.

For more front door ideas take a look at our ideas gallery for inspiration.

outdoor grey brick wall with wooden dinning table and bench and plant

If you are looking to use the shade in the garden, consider pairing the neutral with green shades to warm up the grey.

'Grey is truly versatile and complements a really broad range of tones and spaces,' explains Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux. 'Using Concrete Grey gives the garden a sleek look, and by echoing the colour of the paving it makes the garden feel more spacious. Green accessories soften the finished look.'

Will you be giving your house and garden a grey makeover this summer?

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.