Are Grey Living Rooms Out of Style? 2025 Wallpaper Trends Decoded

Grey living rooms have been everywhere for the past decade. If you browse through your favorite interior pages from 2015 to 2020, it’s almost a parade of greys—sofas, walls, rugs. But guess what? Design moves fast, and so do people’s tastes. By 2025, you’re probably wondering if sticking with grey means you’re playing it safe or just stuck in the past.

Here’s what’s actually happening: designers and homeowners are getting braver. They’re swapping out those flat greys for bolder wallpaper, textured walls, and deeper, statement colors. If you’re thinking about redecorating, wallpaper is making a serious comeback, but not the bland stuff you remember from grandma’s hallway. We're talking patterns, colors, and organic textures. The main tip? Don’t settle for plain grey walls—use wallpaper as a way to layer in personality and liveliness without fully ditching your love for neutrals.

• Grey’s Popularity Crash: Is It Really Happening?
• How Wallpaper Trends Are Shifting in 2025
• Pairing Grey With New Colors and Patterns
• When Grey Works: Tips for Updating a Grey Living Room
• What’s Next? Alternatives That Are Taking Over

Grey’s Popularity Crash: Is It Really Happening?

Feels like just yesterday everyone wanted a grey living room, right? From Instagram to Pinterest, grey was the main color in modern homes. But here’s what’s changed: in the last couple of years, real estate pros and design trend reports are showing a sharp drop in demand for all-grey interiors.

A 2024 survey from Houzz found that only 16% of homeowners picked grey as a favorite wall color for new living rooms. Just five years ago, it was up near 35%. That kind of drop is tough to ignore. If you check out popular home tours online or scan remodeled homes on Zillow, spaces full of grey now rank lower in viewer favorites compared to rooms with warm or colorful walls.

What’s causing the change? Most designers say the pandemic played a role. People spent way more time at home, and grey started to feel cold, dull, and even a bit sad. Folks wanted comfort, warmth, and energy in their living spaces—grey couldn’t always deliver.

So, is the crash real? Yeah, but it’s not all or nothing. Grey isn’t canceled, it’s just not the automatic, go-to choice it once was. If you love grey living room vibes, it’s a good time to rethink how you use the color. Next up, we’ll look at how wallpaper trends are kicking things up a notch in 2025.

How Wallpaper Trends Are Shifting in 2025

Wallpaper in 2025 is honestly miles away from what we saw even just a few years ago. Forget those flat, plain colors or super subtle patterns—right now, it’s all about making a statement. Big patterns, bold colors, and even textured finishes are pushing the boundaries. If your living room still has a safe light grey wallpaper, you might feel like it’s missing that fresh, on-trend vibe.

This year, the move is towards personal expression. You’ll spot abstract designs, geometric shapes, and a surprising number of nature-inspired prints. Biophilic designs—think plants, wood textures, even faux grasscloth—are in almost every major wallpaper collection. Digital printing tech makes all this way more detailed and vibrant, so wallpaper looks way more custom today than a decade ago.

We’re also seeing new ways to use wallpaper, not just as a feature wall but wrapped around whole rooms, even on ceilings. Peel-and-stick panels are huge—they’re perfect for renters or anyone who gets bored quickly. You want flexibility, and brands are stepping up to make bold choices easy to install, swap, or change when your tastes shift.

If you’re worried your grey living room is looking tired, adding a splashy wallpaper—floral, metallic, or a super modern geometric—gives it a 2025 reset without a full makeover. Even minimalist looks are getting upgraded with wallpapers that add texture, not just color. Textured papers, grasscloth, and embossed patterns can transform boring greys into rooms that feel expensive and styled—without repainting everything.

Pairing Grey With New Colors and Patterns

So, you’re not ready to kick grey out just yet. Good news: you don’t have to. The trick is mixing grey with colors and patterns that actually make your space sing, not snooze. Designers in 2025 are using grey as a base but bringing in pops of rich tones—think teal, mustard, forest green, or even blush pink. These shades break up the monotony and add life to a grey living room.

If you’re still unsure what colors to try, look at what’s trending in actual showrooms and new builds. Paint companies like Benjamin Moore report a 20% rise this year in sales of deep blue and natural green shades used alongside greys, especially in accent walls or furniture. That’s not just marketing talk—people are clearly hungry for color again.

Patterns are another game-changer. Geometric wallpapers, florals, and even subtle textures are shaking up those plain grey walls. Here’s a simple way to approach it:

• Pick one patterned wallpaper to create a feature wall behind your sofa or TV.
• Stick to small-scale, clean patterns if your grey is light and modern—think tiny herringbone or linework.
• Go bold with a big, leafy print or dramatic abstract if your grey furniture is more traditional or dark.
• Mix in colorful throw pillows, plants, or rugs to tie everything together without overdoing it.

Still unsure? Check out this breakdown of killer color combinations being used with grey in living rooms by actual designers in 2025:

If you’re looking to freshen up a grey living room, swap out just a few accessories and add some pattern on the walls. You don’t have to start from scratch. Mix smart and you’ll be right on trend for this year and probably next.

When Grey Works: Tips for Updating a Grey Living Room

Grey isn’t totally cancelled—it’s just evolved. If you want your space to feel fresh in 2025, you can absolutely keep grey as a base. The real trick is in the details and how you mix it up.

• Bring in bold accents. Navy, hunter green, and deep burgundy are all showing up in new home catalogs. Add them through pillows, throws, or even a painted bookshelf.
• Layer with textures. Grey can be flat on its own, but pair it with chunky knits, velvet, or even rattan, and it instantly feels a lot more cozy and interesting.
• Go for patterned wallpaper. Instead of painting all your walls grey, stick to one grey feature wall and try wallpaper elsewhere. Botanical prints and geometric designs look modern and stop things getting bland.
• Add metallics for a lift. Brushed gold or black finishes on hardware, lamps, or frames show up everywhere in high-end design now—they make grey feel grown-up and sharp.
• Switch up the undertones. True grey reads a bit cold, but a warmer greige or a blue-grey feels far more modern. Paint brands like Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball have dropped several updated grey shades for 2025.

Check out how people are mixing up their grey living room style without doing a major overhaul:

Before you swap everything out, remember that grey can still act as the anchor in your living room. Just keep it energized—with trendy add-ons and updated wallpaper, your space won’t feel behind the times.

What’s Next? Alternatives That Are Taking Over

The era of the all-grey living room is winding down, and new styles are already making waves. If grey has started to feel boring, you’ve got plenty of fresh options ready to steal the spotlight. In 2025, bold wallpaper, warm earthy tones, and playful patterns are pulling ahead. Instead of sticking to safe neutrals, more people are grabbing onto rich colors like olive green, terracotta, and even deep navy. The shift isn’t just talk—the numbers back it up. According to a recent report by Homepolish, sales of earthy-colored wallpapers jumped by 38% compared to last year. Folks just want more personality and comfort at home.

Design pros keep repeating one big idea: wallpaper is king right now. But they’re not talking about floral overload or stuffy stripes. Think texture, big-scale murals, or geometric prints. Patterned accent walls are everywhere on Instagram and Pinterest. Here’s what interior designer Emily Henderson said about the trend:

“The days of all-grey everything are gone. Clients want coziness and energy—wallpaper with texture or color really brings a space to life.”

If you want to play with these new ideas in your own house, here are a few simple swaps you can try:

• Choose wallpaper with nature-inspired motifs like leafy greens, terra cotta, or even wood grain for a warm backdrop.
• Layer in accent walls using moody blues, spicy reds, or even black—yes, black is back and it looks sharp in small doses.
• Mix and match: try pairing one textured wallpaper with plain painted walls for balance and depth.
• Go big with geometric patterns if you like things a bit edgy—these prints work especially well with mid-century or modern furniture.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the hottest colors and styles this year, based on actual online sales data and trending decor posts:

If you love the idea of a grey living room but don’t want it to feel outdated, mix in some of these new colors or patterns on an accent wall. It can completely flip the vibe of your space without a total overhaul. And with wallpaper becoming easier to swap out (thanks to peel-and-stick options), you can refresh your style whenever the mood strikes.