When two colors are combined, the resulting color is called a mix or blend. So a mix of grey and blue is simply called a mix of grey and blue. However, there are some more specific names used to describe different mixes of grey and blue.
Shades Between Grey and Blue
One way to describe a mix of grey and blue is based on its shade – how light or dark it is. Here are some common shades between grey and blue:
- Blue-grey – A fairly light mix, leaning towards blue.
- Cadet grey – A light to medium grey with a blue tint.
- Payne’s grey – A dark blue-grey.
- Slate grey – A dark blue-tinged grey.
- Steel blue – A blue with hints of grey.
- Battleship grey – A dark blue-grey named after navy ships.
So if you mixed together a medium blue and medium grey, you might call the result a cadet grey. The more white added to the mix, the lighter the blue-grey shade.
Tones Between Grey and Blue
Another way to describe a grey-blue mix is by its tone – how muted or dull vs. bright and saturated it is. Some examples:
- Dusky blue – A dark, muted blue.
- Air force blue – A grey-toned blue named after air force uniforms.
- Light slate grey – A softly muted bluish grey.
- Glaucous – A pale grey with a slight blue tint.
- Dark powder blue – A deep, muted blue-tinged grey.
A mix of grey and blue often results in a blue with muted, greyish undertone. The more white and grey in the mix, the more muted the tone.
Neutral Mixes
Some blue-grey mixes are considered neutral colors. They are not warm or cool, making them versatile to pair with other colors. Examples include:
- Medium grey-blue
- Blue spruce
- Light French blue
- Blue chambray
- London grey
These neutral grey-blues work well as background colors and pair nicely with warm hues like reds, oranges, yellows or other cool hues like greens, purples, pinks.
Specific Color Names
In addition to simply calling it a blue-grey, there are some specific color names used for certain grey-blue mixes:
- Slate Blue – A dark grey-blue named after the mineral slate.
- Silver Blue – A light blue-grey evoking a shimmery silver color.
- Ice Blue – A pale, cool blue-grey reminiscent of ice.
- Cloudy Blue – A soft blue-grey the color of clouds.
- Smoke Blue – A grey-blue the color of smoke.
These names are commonly used in fashion, interior design, and marketing when referring to specific shades of blue-grey.
Use of Greys and Blues in Design
Grey and blue are considered one of the most versatile color pairs in design. They complement each other well due to their shared cool undertones. Here are some typical uses of blue-grey mixes in various fields:
- Interior design – Blue-greys used as wall colors provide a neutral, relaxing backdrop that lets furniture and decor pop. Popular blue-grey paint colors include Benjamin Moore’s Classic Gray and Sherwin Williams’ Rain.
- Fashion – Blue-grey mixes are staple colors for clothing like denim, suits, dresses, and knitwear. Blue-grey shades also pair well with many skin tones.
- Graphic design – Blue-greys work nicely as background colors and design elements due to their neutrality. They help direct focus to brighter colors.
- Photography – Cool blue-greys help create moody landscapes and portraits. Adding blue can create an icy, wintry feel to grey shadows and shapes.
- Logos/branding – Blue-greys project a sleek, professional look for many industries like finance, technology, healthcare, and law.
The right shade of blue-grey can evoke a cold urban feel or sleek modernism. Lighter tones are relaxing while darker shades are moody. This versatility makes blue-greys widely useful for all types of visual design projects.
Use of Grey and Blue Together
While blue-grey mixes are popular, grey and blue paired together as separate colors can also have a beautiful effect. Some examples include:
- A bright blue accent wall with dove grey walls
- A grey sofa paired with blue accent pillows
- A blue and white kitchen with grey countertops
- Bedding with a grey and white geometric print and solid blue sheets
- A website with a light grey background and navy blue call-to-action buttons
Grey and blue give a space balance since they have complementary light-dark and warm-cool contrasts. Their shared sophisticated mood also makes them a classic color scheme used in interiors, clothes, graphic design, and elsewhere.
Psychology of Blue and Grey
The psychological effects of blue and grey also shed light on why they work well together.
- Blue is associated with calm, peace, wisdom, loyalty, and trust.
- Grey is associated with practicality, maturity, composure, elegance, and balance.
Together, they create an effect that is both serene and sophisticated. Grey grounds the whimsical qualities of blue. Blue softens the sternness of grey. This makes blue-greys ideal for creating spaces and products that feel refined yet relaxing.
Methods for Mixing Grey and Blue
There are a few different methods you can use to physically mix grey and blue to achieve a blue-grey color:
- Paint – Mix blue and grey paint colors together until you achieve the desired shade. Start with small amounts of blue since it’s a potent color. Payne’s Grey is a popular blue-grey paint mix.
- Dye – Dye fabrics or color hair by first dyeing it grey, then dip dyeing it in a blue dilution to tint the grey.
- Pigments – Mix blue and grey pigments like phthalo blue and titanium white to make a custom blue-grey artist’s paint.
- Computer programs – Use color slider bars in design programs to mix a customized blue-grey digital color.
- Photography filters – Add gradient map presets that shift photos from color to black and white with blue and grey as transition tones.
The specific grey and blue shades determine the unique look of the blended color. Dark charcoal grey mixed with navy blue, for example, results in a very different blue-grey than light silver grey mixed with sky blue.
Example Blue-Grey Color Mixes
To visualize different mixes of blue and grey, here are some examples with their approximate RGB color codes:
| Color Name | Description | RGB Code |
| Ice Blue | Light blue-grey with hints of baby blue | 204, 221, 238 |
| Blue Spruce | Neutral mid-tone bluey grey | 131, 139, 149 |
| Payne’s Grey | Deep, dark blue-grey similar to dark storm clouds | 83, 104, 120 |
| Slate Blue | Dark grey-blue named after the bluish mineral slate | 106, 90, 205 |
With blue as a primary color and grey as a tone of black, endless variations can be created mixing the two. The possibilities range from airy pale blue-greys to moody dark charcoal navy mixes.
Conclusion
In summary, there are many ways to describe a mix of grey and blue based on its shade, tone, and specific look. While simply calling it a blue-grey is accurate, names like slate blue, cadet grey, dusky blue, or Payne’s grey give a better sense of the exact color. Mastering blue-grey mixes gives artists, interior designers, and other creatives a versatile, sophisticated color option for any project.
