1. EMBRACE GREY'S AGING POWER
Interior designer Mark Lewis wanted to nudge the conversion back to its origins. That meant a raw feel to the walls, traditional flooring and recycled fittings. A lime plaster, with a mid-grey pigment, adds a fittingly dramatic backdrop for the original carved stone church column. 'I don't like anything brand spanking new,' Mark says, explaining why he limewashed the walls and waxed the units for an aged effect.
2. BE INSPIRED BY DRIFTWOOD TONES
As this kitchen shows, there can be a real softness and elegance to grey. The grey tint in the marble backsplash and cabinet top is complemented by the greyed out tone of the cupboard doors, which are modelled on driftwood.
3. PAIR GREY WITH WHITE AND PINK
As anyone who has wondered what colors go with grey will tell you, white is the perfect pairing. Its starkness gleams out against the dreaminess of grey, making both shades seem more sophisticated than they would on their own. Here, the grey marbling of the island carries to designer Suzie McAdam's modern kitchen backsplash ideas, both of which sing out against the white walls.
4. USE PALE GREY FOR UNOBTRUSIVE MODERN CABINETS
A shiny, pale grey makes the perfect shade for use in modern kitchen cabinet ideas - even when they're handle-free, sleek and chic they still feel muted, as witnessed here. In fact, they make the perfect backdrop to the majestic marble used on the island.
5. USE A GREY MATERIAL FOR THE BACKSPLASH
The cabinets here may be a beguiling pink, but their potential prettiness is made smarter by pairing them with a concrete composite worktop and wall cladding by Caeasarstone. 'I love it because it's an unexpected color pairing,' says the homeowner Shaun Simons.
6. FOLLOW MINIMALIST PRINCIPLES
In this modern penthouse, the challenge was to turn an empty box into a home. 'The focus was more on quality of design and the materials used - an understated luxury,' said Simon Kincaid of Conran and Partners who designed the space.
7. ADD A HINT OF GOLD
There is not much more luxe than pairing dark grey kitchen ideas with flashes of gold. The two colors bounce off each perfectly, and gold can be used sparingly in inlays and handles to great effect.
8. EXPLORE THE DARKER SIDE OF GREY
Always the expert on kitchen island ideas, designer Athena Calderone has had her cupboards and furniture painted in Railings by Farrow and Ball. True, this is technically a black paint, but with its blue undertones it just about qualifies as grey.
9. MIX GREY AND YELLOW
If you're considering kitchen island ideas with seating then grey is the perfect choice. it goes with everything. You can use bold, yellow barstools now, and then change the seating up every few years if you want a different vibe
10. USE GREY TO LIGHTEN A SMALL SPACE
Often in apartments, you'll need to draw on small kitchen ideas to get the space right - especially if there is limited natural light. This is where dove grey comes in - it is pale enough to bounce the light around the space, and warm enough to create a feeling of sunshine where there isn't. In this small corner kitchen, above, white would have been too stark.