Is Grey the New Brown?

I'm not sure if it's all the rain we get this time of year, but grey has just been calling my name lately. For me, grey is a nice alternative to brown when you want to have beads that will go with cooler colors instead of warm. Grey adds a touch of understated class, and goes really well with silver.

This week I have been playing with adding touches of grey and black to my favorite lighter colors. The results are sets of beads that I kind of think of as business suit beads. I am of course calling them my Midnight Rain series, and they can be seen over on my website if you are so inclined.

In the 104 COE line of glass, there are a few shades of grey, and I look for the more neutral shades. Grey can look khaki green if you don't pick the right one, and that adds a little too much warmth to the color schemes, in my opinion. I went with Effetre Dark Grey for these, and used clear as my encasing to brighten everything up a bit. You don't want too much grey!

I think the contrast of black added a nice backdrop for these pretty colors, and it sets off the grey nicely. And who doesn't love pink and grey? Pink and grey were big in the 80's when I was a teenager, so the combo is kind of nostalgic to me.

I did wonder if these combos were a bit too dreary for the upcoming spring season, but decided, well, nah. Sometimes understated class can be a welcome change when brighter, paler colors are in season.