How to use gray paint on furniture makeovers

Using gray paint on furniture is a favorite color choice of mine. It comes in second next to painting furniture black. The different shades of gray can take the look of your furniture from a dark and moody to a light and airy farmhouse. Gray is one of the best colors to paint furniture since it can be so versatile.

this project

Best gray color to paint furniture

Since there are so many different brands, types, and shades of gray, picking the best gray color to paint furniture is a difficult task. Sometimes this comes down to a personal choice of the type of paint you like to use while painting furniture.

The best news is once you find a brand you love, most furniture paint brands will have gray paint. Even if it is not a perfect shade of gray, you can mix in other colors to make your own shade of gray paint.

This post contains affiliate links.  Click here to see my full disclosure policy.  

I painted this mid-century modern dresser with a paint blending technique all with Queenstown gray from General Finishes.

To get this look, start by painting the dresser entirely using the base gray paint color of Queenstown gray and allow it to dry completely. Mix the base color with white paint to get a lighter shade of gray. Then mix the base color with black paint for a darker shade of gray. Apply all 3 colors to small sections of the dresser and begin to blend the colors together. The key to good paint blending is using water and a good quality round paintbrush.

Practice paint blending on a wooden board until you get your technique down. If you need more help with paint blending, I offer in-depth video training on how to do paint blending through my online furniture painting workshops.

My gray paint recommendation is Queenstown gray by General Finishes for those who have a paint sprayer. And for those who hand-paint, I love Country Chic in Hurricane.

Gray Painted Furniture Makeovers

Are you needing some inspiration for painting furniture gray, take a look at a few of the ones that I have completed.

Mid-century dresser makeover with Queenstown gray and black glaze.

This repurposed headboard corner bench was painted with Queenstown gray and winter-white glaze effects.

Confederate gray by Maison Blanche(discontinued and here is an alternative- Hurricane by Country Chic Paint) with lime-painted drawer fronts. Check out how to lime paint furniture for more details on the finish that is on the drawers and door fronts.

• French Stenciled Entry Table
• Stenciled Clock Table
• French Decoupage Cabinet

Gray Chalk Painted Furniture

You can also use all the popular paint colors like agreeable gray from Sherwin Williams, and classic gray from Benjamin Moore, and turn them into chalk paint. This is a perfect way to get the exact match if you are wanting to use wall paint that you already have on hand to paint your furniture.

Make your own easy chalk paint with the wall paint you already have on hand. Make sure you follow my key tips on how to mix the paint to get the best smooth paint.

For those who love the weathered gray paint finish, check out another one of my online furniture paint workshops on how to achieve the driftwood paint finish with paint.

Discover more Inspirations by clicking on each category photo