Grey shows no signs of slowing down - the versatile colour is a reliable and versatile choice when it comes to flooring, particularly in living rooms. Grey carpet living room ideas will help you to make the most of the neutral shade, so that it fits your exact taste and room. It can be suited to so many different schemes, from luxury boutique to homespun country, colourful to simple and pared-back.
The neutral shade makes it perfect for those who like to switch up their living room decor often as it can be styled up to suit a whole range of feature colours and different furniture. Although the shade is easy to work with, the exact tone you choose will have a big impact on your space. Dark charcoal greys will make a living room feel cosy and warm, whereas lighter greys are ideal for those who want a minimalist look.
No matter which direction your interior taste steers towards, it's simple to create a grey living room idea that feels just like home.
Grey carpet living room ideas
Grey carpet is the second most popular flooring choice, according to a recent survey by The Underfloor Heating Store , with over 30,000 Instagram posts.
1. Go for charcoal
The benefit of grey carpet is that it comes in so many shades that offer a versatile look, without committing to a statement palette that you might grow out of. Dark living room palettes are becoming increasingly popular as they draw the room inwards for a warm and inviting ambience, but black or navy can often feel like a big decision to make for flooring.
Instead, opt for a charcoal shade to ground the room, while still matching with the tonal grey palette. This way, your living room will feel on-trend, snug, and any spillages will go unnoticed.
2. Try a pale grey
Grey comes in many different tones, offering you versatility in creating a scheme perfect for your tastes and lifestyle. Cream is a popular carpet choice due to it's sophisticated look, but if you have pets, children, or you're simply prone to spillages, then it can be a risky choice.
Grey is much more forgiving, but if you still want a light look then consider opting for a pale shade.
'A pale carpet can really help make any room feel bigger,' says Punam Chada, carpet buyer at Carpetright. So if you're looking to make a small living room feel more spacious, then a light grey carpet will be the direction to head in.
3. Go for greige
Choosing grey carpet for a living room doesn't mean that you have to stick to an entirely grey scheme. The cool-toned neutral actually pairs just as well with warm-toned neutrals, like cream, so you can create a multi-layered look. This is a great way to make a living space feel cosy and to add dimension without bright colours.
'Greige' tones will have hints of warmth that you can tie into the rest of your decor, and add an element of cream without committing to the sometimes risky flooring choice.
'Lighter shades of grey create a calming feel in a room,' explains Julian Downes, MD of Fibre. 'It works alongside pastel shades, which are popular for a relaxing space, and it also creates the perfect complement for popular feature walls or wallpaper.'
4. Opt for a flat weave
Living rooms are high-traffic areas, which increases the risk of footfall damaging the weave of your carpet. High-pile carpets feel sumptuous underfoot but will wear in patches, affecting the appearance of your flooring.
A low-pile carpet, while not as fluffy, is much better situated in busy family rooms like a living room, as it will be more durable. Grey is also the perfect colourway for this, as any dirt or damage will be hidden even further by the tone.
5. Go for boutique chic
Team a grey carpet with luxe velvet upholstery in mink – it’s perfect for styling a boutique hotel look and will set off your best sofa perfectly. Try a grey-on-grey (or self-stripe) carpet or rug, which enhances that smart feel. Keep the seating area to within the surface area of the rug, almost making a room-within-a-room space that’s cosy and inviting.
If you can’t find a large enough rug for your space, why not get a carpet edged, bound or whipped? There are various ways of doing so – from asking in your local carpet shop to even DIY with bindings which you can find for very little using home furnishing discount codes.
6. Mix shades of grey
Grey carpet provides a great backdrop to a living room, which can be styled up with cool colours, like this coastal blue palette that's just the ticket for a blue and grey living room idea. Blue is a perfect partner for grey in the living room, bringing a calming yet welcoming energy to the space.
Try varying shades of grey on the floor, layering rugs to add plenty of texture.
When teaming with grey walls, choose either a cooler or warmer shade to that of your carpet, helping to create depth within the scheme.
7. Add darker grey accents
With grey walls and grey carpet providing the perfect neutral backdrop, why not stick to a grey palette for the rest of your scheme? Think of darker greys almost as the accent colour in your room, using for a footstool, a throw and one or two cushions on your sofa.
If your grey carpet is feeling too bland, then layer with a rug. In keeping with this grey-on-grey palette, choose a weave with white, adding a subtle new dimension to the floor. Worried of getting grey wrong? Research the grey living room mistakes to avoid before you get started.
8. Go marled for texture
In a monochrome living room, use a textured, marled rug to create warmth. Pebble or bobbled woollen designs unite a grey, white and black palette, making the space feel cosy. Go for a darker grey on the walls and for curtains, enhancing the warmth provided by the rug further.
9. Luxe out with grey velvet
Grey carpet doesn’t have to mean chunky textures; it’s the perfect choice for something a little more luxe, providing a shimmer to your flooring. Choose a silvery-grey carpet or rug, which can be paired with smart grey linen upholstery and contemporary furniture for a smart look that will also feel decadent underfoot.
Think about the colours that go with grey when choosing an accent colour to bring a grey scheme to life. Try a rich mulberry shade for autumn months – three or four visual pops are just enough.
10. Use grey as a backdrop for a hero rug
A grey carpet living room idea will never date, so it’s the ideal choice for a big room. Think of it as a grey suit that you can easily update by changing the blouse or tie you pop with it. Here, a cosy boho vibe has been created with a woven rug, inlay side table and knitted cushion.
Think about the weave of your grey carpet – a rib or loop can be easily dressed up or down depending on where your interior style takes you, while a cut pile plush grey carpet will look instantly smart.
11. Use a grey carpet to anchor colour
Fan of brights? Keep to just the walls and soft furnishings, choosing a neutral grey carpet underfoot to avoid the room being overpowered. Coral or orange shades look great with grey sofa living room ideas, while white pops, adding a crispness. In a contemporary space, try a looped carpet – it will add just a hint of texture to those high-shine finishes.
12. Try a stripe
Like the idea of a patterned carpet but worry you might tire of it? Consider a grey and neutral stripe, which can be dressed up or down in years to come. Here, a rich ochre sofa, brass furniture and deep aubergine walls make this living room feel very opulent, but the carpet could work just as easily with a worn leather sofa and natural wood furniture.
When looking for a patterned carpet, ask for as large a sample as possible, so you can picture what it would look like in your space, and you can see any repeat in the design.
Buy it now: Mississippi wool carpet in dark oil, Crucial Trading
13. Experiment with wall colour
A grey carpet will allow you to experiment with wall colour without having to change your flooring – it’s such a great neutral base that can run throughout your home, taking on a different feel depending on the wall colour it’s paired with. Here, a teal-blue shade on the walls and light-grey sofas with a neutral carpet creates a winning scheme. Pink and grey living room ideas are another winning colour combo, and pink walls will work brilliant with grey underfoot.
14. Warm up with natural wood
Bring out a grey carpet’s brown tones with natural wood. Here, a clever stripe in a grey rug brings the scheme together. This lovely blue shade on the walls is reminiscent of a summer’s sky, which again helps to create warmth, even though the furniture and flooring are neutral.
If you are looking for the best rug, look out for the latest on-trend designs to give your space an update.
How to choose living room carpet
It depends on the room it is for and how it will be used. Think about your family life and how much wear the carpet will undergo. A hall, stairs and landing will, for example, need a far heavier wearing carpet than a bedroom.
Then consider how long you want it to last. Is it a ‘quick fix’ prior to moving or is it a long-term item?
What is most important to you – the carpet’s resistance to wear, or the colour or your budget? I know I would say this but carpet is like everything else in life – you get what you pay for. For a good quality carpet, you must expect to pay from £30m2.
Finally, do you want a plain, patterned or textured carpet? Plain carpet opens up a room and gives more flexibility for decoration elsewhere. Patterned carpet provides more colour options to match various components in the room scheme. Lighter carpets make a room look larger and north facing rooms tend to be colder and darker so will probably need warmer colours while south facing rooms are light and airy and lend themselves to cool shades. - Rupert
Is grey a good colour for living room carpet?
‘Tones of greige have long been the most popular choices valued for their elegance and versatility,’ says Rupert Anton of The Carpet Foundation. ‘Light neutrals provide a sympathetic backdrop to a range of furnishing styles and shades.’
Having such a great base will allow you to change things up with very little effort. You can add a statement chair, a new rug or accent colour and your living room will feel very different.
Should carpet be lighter or darker than walls?
When using grey in a living room, think of shades and getting a mix; there should be enough definition between walls, floors and furniture to keep the space interesting. ‘Lighter coloured carpets reflect natural daylight so can also make a room seem larger,’ says Rupert.
Which you choose to be the lightest – whether walls or floor – depends on whether you want to visually push the walls or floor away (choose a lighter grey) or make a cosier room (darker grey).
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