· Gray subdues the vibrancy of blues and greens, creating an earthy, aged look.

· Set the table with a silvery or dark gray tablecloth instead of traditional white. Accentuate it with flowers in a single shade such as red, purple, or persimmon.

· Gray silk curtains create glamour in a room with dark hardwood flooring and upholstered pieces.

· A light gray doesn't look quite as stark as whites on the walls. As a backdrop to wood antiques and colorful furnishings, gray enhances the patina. And if you can't live with gray on your walls, a weimaraner is the sweetest way to go gray.

PAINT PAIRINGS

1. Foggy Day by Sherwin-Williams, 2. Lamp Room Gray by Farrow & Ball, 3. Newsprint by Martin Senour. (Photo: Howard L. Puckett)

FABRIC SELECTIONS

1. Walker Velvet in fog by Thomas O'Brien for Groundworks through Lee Jofa, 2. Novelty in silver by Highland Court, 3. Rosa Union in nacre by Manuel Canovas, 4. Soliman in olga by Manuel Canovas, 5. Mandalay by Designers Guild through Osborne & Little, 6. Lynx Silk in graphite by Lee Jofa, 7. March in gray by Sahco through Bergamo. (Photo: Howard L. Puckett)