If you can cast your mind all the way back to Spring 2020 (yes, it does seem like forever ago) there were two very weird shopping habits emerging that no one could’ve predicted. The first and most obvious was the hysteria people managed to get themselves in buying toilet paper in bulk, which looking back at it now, has me wondering if anyone out there who did stock up has gotten through their mountain of rolls.
The second habit, which I bet no one really planned on, was the upsurge in DIY at home. There wasn’t a day gone by where DIY stores were queued out the door, as everyone facing the realisation they’ll be stuck indoors now had the time to redecorate areas of the home they’d put off the longest time.
And amid this DIY uptake, there has been one specific colour which has taken over as the colour to have in homes. Technically it’s known as RAL 7016, but to you and me, it’s a simple shade of Anthracite Grey. A simple shade that is EVERYWHERE.
Here’s why it has become incredibly popular, and why you see dark grey no matter where you look.
It’s an all-rounder
You might not know the different kinds of paints there are, but I have one way of helping you figure out what paint we don’t use everywhere. I want you to cast your mind back to the last time you were in a hospital, school, or train station corridor, and how the walls have a thick looking paint which is very shiny.
That is gloss paint, and while there’s nothing wrong with it, the last decade or so has seen demand for it become almost non-existent as people opt for softer mid-sheen paint in homes. If you hear people go on endlessly about using eggshell paint, they’re just using paint which is low sheen and flatter (i.e. light can’t bounce off it).
This is where anthracite grey steps in. In a world where people like slate coloured tech, furniture and cookware, the ease of painting things a shade of grey that doesn’t look boring is a bit of a lifesaver. Anthracite is versatile enough that it can be used on interior walls, garden fences, kitchen counters and your front door. In fact, there’s nary a spot in the home that anthracite can’t improve.
White has had its day
So why is grey of all colours so desirable right now? Well, it seems as though white has become an outdated option. Homes built around turn the century are, for lack of a better phrase, PVC crazy. Windows, frames, doors, etc. all had white plastic coverings. While this seemed clean and crisp at the time, it now looks a little clunky and even cheap.
With anthracite grey being so inoffensive as a colour, it makes it easy to cover up large swathes of white with muted grey tones. There’s grey paint to use on any surface. Just take a look at all the different types of anthracite grey paint available at The Paint Shed to get an idea of just how many surfaces it works on. With it sharing so many similarities with concrete and stone too, it’s a no brainer for looking more apt than bright white.
It is much more forgiving
Most lighter paint colours, especially the aforementioned white, have a major disadvantage from the get-go; they can’t hide things. What do I mean by hide? Well, if you were to paint a garden fence white, how long would you expzct it to look dirt-free and avoid discolouring?
Anthracite grey can help hide imperfections, dirt, and discolouration in plain sight. That’s why you’re seeing it used so much for window frames and exterior facing elements, because how often are you outside climbing a ladder to wash the dirt off frames?
It also happens to be much more complimentary for existing features in comparison to something like a straight black on doors and fences, helping keep large sections of the home in balance.
Get better home improvement advice
Thanks for reading and I hope you now see why anthracite grey is so popular. Remember, if you’re about to make any home improvement, make sure to read the latest articles on the site here for helpful advice and tips.
