Sunday 16 January 2011

shades of grey

It has been relentlessly grey outside for the last week or so. Light levels are low and the days seem a little gloomy, but slowly slowly they are lengthening, even if the sun isn't shining. Tomorrow, sunrise is at 8.13 and sunset is at 16.51, just a whisper more light than today.

It made me think that although I'm not enjoying the general greyness in the weather, I do like grey as a colour. I often wear it, and I like having a little grey around the house. It offsets white beautifully, and reminds me of granite and driftwood and scantle slate roofs - things that I think of as being inherently cornish.

Here are a few grey things to be found round the house at the moment:

Some of my Persephone books
These are my favourite pens for everyday writing. Nothing else comes up to scratch, apart from my fountain pen.
An old galvanised tub. I've rubbed a very thin layer of warmed natural wax polish over the surface, and buffed it to a soft sheen.
Grey wool. This is leftover from the hat, but I do have some more!
And some treasured pebbles, with their beautiful chalky-grey colours. I always have some pebbles somewhere.
How about you - do you like shades of grey, or do you like more colour?

26 comments:

Gigibird said...

I love my pile of Persephone's too....and galvanised anything...actually I love grey....but these grey days are dragging

harmony and rosie said...

I was thinking just today how little colour there is in my wardrobe when I open up those doors. I love grey shades, actually I'll be posting a new knitted project and I think you'll approve of the colour!

dragonfly said...

I love grey! In fact, I'd love a pile of books like that just to have a pile of grey! But when it's grey outside, I love the pockets of colour that I have around the house to offset it.

Reading Tea Leaves said...

A pile of grey Persephone books take pride of place on my mantlepiece at the moment Diana! I love their tactile sheen. My wardrobe consists mainly of white, black, grey and slate tones. In fact anything neutral but I love a splash of unexpected colour too such as bright pink.

It has been quite grey here with just an occasional glimpse of brightness, but mild. I long for blue skies and sunshine and shadows though!

I love your galvanised tub!!

Jeanne
x

Unknown said...

Oh yes it is a bit yucky outside. I do love colouring in a bit with a few bright accessories here and there. My wardrobe of clothes on the other hand is solely grey grey grey (with the odd black, white and navy thrown in for good measure). I just adore the colour grey in all it's various tones. We are soon to start renovating our house and grey is very much on my list of colours to use in the house too!!!

P.S. Totally agree with you on the Pen front they are my favourite too!

Frances said...

Well, I am a great ... or is that grey...t fan of that subtle color. There are warm and cool greys, dark and pearly light greys.

I think of pebbles, I think of silver and pewter, I think of undyes wooly shades, weatherbeaten paint on wooden walls. Skies and clouds. On an on.

I so love the Persephone web site, and long to visit that shop of theirs on my next trip across the pond. Could that be this year?

And, I also love watching daylight doind its stretching exercises eveyr day in January. We really are getting somewhere. xo

Ali said...

So very sophisticated. I adore it, but it's so not 'me'. I need colour around me, especially in these dull and dismal days.

Pipany said...

I love grey Diana. It offsets white perfectly and adds a touch of class to other colours. Not very good with huge amounts of brights, but i do love smaller dabs with grey to help them out. And yes, it is inherently Cornish! Hope you are well, m'lady xx

Diane said...

I always was a "browny" shade of a girl before as grey never really suited my brown (I tan easily)skin or hair, but as my hair is turning grey I find the grey suiting me more and more. I think I used to avoide wearing it as it was once my surname too! Gorgeous photos Diana.

Gina said...

I love grey too and since I've stopped colouring my hair I've found it suits me so I wear quite a lot of it, especially as it goes so well with so many other colours.

Petit Filoux said...

I can never quite make up my mind, as to whether I love all the colours of the rainbow, or more subdued tones... I do love grey though, and found your photos very pretty indeed!

kristina said...

Oh you already know how much I love grey! Though not grey skies so much...

K x

The Curious Cat said...

I'm a colour girl but I think grey has its place - it is quite a soothing colour and it is still very beautiful...xxx

caireen said...

I swapped grey for black in my wardrobe as a neutral - i think it looks great with bright pink, or monochrome 'accessories', plus different shades of grey always match! x

lovethosecupcakes said...

Another fan of grey here (I seem to wear only black and grey in the winter). I'm coveting that pile of Persephones, btw.

Griffin said...

Oh I like those Persephone books too. I am also a fan of writing with a fountain pen... in Chancery script on cream laid paper. It looks so good and the script is lovely to write too.

I admit it, I'm not generally a fan of grey... only you could persuade me otherwise! Love the pebbles and the silvery greys, even the misty greys. But mostly grey reminds me of dreary wintry skies.

Dan said...

I would like to try a shade of grey in one of the rooms in our cottage. I do like grey a lot for clothing, interiors etc, in fact anything apart from when it relates to weather!
Dan
-x-

kim said...

I absolutly adore colour and could not function without colour around me, but saying that the walls in my home are all a neutral shade, I suppose to make a good background for all the colour.

I must admit your grey images are very restful and easy on the eye.

florrie

Bella Bheag said...

Grey is good for me - though quite picky about the shade of grey. Re the Uni-ball pens. Been using them for years and have a couple of journals, the first of which I started in 2003, and have used the same blue coloured "fine" nib Uni-ball pens throughout.

Stripeycat said...

beautiful photographs, I found this post so restful.xxx

Kylie said...

It's our summer down here, but it has one of the wettest summers we've had in many years...so grey skies are a common sight, but at least it's warm :)

I love grey too, it's a colour most people can wear, and it's also the colour I'm considering for a cardigan I want to knit!

A time to dance said...

I love grey, in fact I am wearing it today and my bedroom has just been decorated in a soft french grey...I wear it often its very elegant and of course I have grey hair....which I LOVE

Anonymous said...

I like the pebbles too - perhaps this is a hangover from playing marbles at school. When ever I am by the sea, I love combing the shoreline in search for the perfect round one.

Heather Woollove said...

Grey is always elegant and understated...the perfect 'little sister' to black. I love it and wear a lot of it, but hardly ever use in in my felting...wonder why?
(Maybe you've given me an assignment?) :)

Sue said...

Love your grey collection so calm and sophisticated and I love what you've done with your galvanised tub, I have one in my garden which came from your part of the world!
♥Sue♥

Louise said...

It's grey with low light here today. You never fail to amaze me Diana. Such a clever idea of yours to photograph, and feature grey on your blog. You have used such beautiful images for this post. I like to use Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip pens, but am always open to suggestions! x