Finding the Perfect Gray

I have come to the conclusion that there is no 'perfect' gray color, unless maybe you mean "perfect for this room." Seriously, I have agonized over this issue. Gray paint is so tricky. Once you put it on the walls, the undertone color of the gray paint pops out. It is either too blue, or pinky beige, or purple or green. I am trying to paint my 1/2 bath and I have paint swipes all over the room. I know what my eyes wants to see, but I don't know how to duplicate it. Where is Candice Olson when you need her?!

I have taken several color match paint colors back to the store. Sorry, Lowes and Home Depot! The paint they were trying to match didn't come out at all like the paint that was in the can, which I mixed myself from leftovers. Of course I loved the color that I made a couple of years ago and have no idea what I used and how I did it!  Oh, that is just great.

I want a true gray that is bright not dull or brown looking, but I keep getting a lavendar glow or muddy pink tint. In the past, I leaned toward a blue undertone, but I only got paint that looked like a baby boy's nursery. In fact, I bought what I thought was a modern gray paint, and Dave painted The Cottage for me. I only saw it after he was totally done, and it was terrible looking! Needless to say, we had to repaint it.

I have a green-undertone-gray called Granite Dust by Valspar in my family room. I love it! But I don't want it in my bedroom/bathroom area. Dave thinks I am crazy and extremely picky. But I'm not making this up! I googled it and there are a lot of people out there who have had the same problem.  I love google search. It helps me to have a group of people who side with me, so I am not out there on a limb all by myself!

Today I went back to Home Depot, and I had another go at color matching. The guy did a much better job, but I don't know if it is going to work. If I don't use this paint, I will go probably go to Benjamin Moore and get Stonington Gray. I really like Gray Owl, but it is just too neutral. I think I will use Gray Owl in the upstairs bedroom. For my bedroom and bath I want to punch it up a bit.  I want it to feel very masculine, but not too dark. I love men's gray suit material and clean lines.

So that took up most of my Saturday, and I still really haven't done anything else. But at this point, I have more time than money, and I want it done right. Once it is painted, I will have to live with it, because that is what the budget dictates right now.

I am so aggravated with myself, I had to blog about it!

Watch out! Woman on a mission!!!

Do you have a "perfect" gray paint color? Or is it grey?