16 Shades of Gray Decor Inspiration

Taylor Creative's Hudson collection comes in a soft gray ultra-suede and features a chair ($225) and sofa ($425) that are available to rent throughout the mid-Atlantic region, as well as from the company's Las Vegas location.

At the Elle Women in Hollywood event, held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills in October 2014 and produced by Caravents, slate gray fabric lined the walls, allowing the blush tones of the tabletop decor to pop.

A muted palette and soft furnishings contrasted the clear Lucite dining setup at a private event, held at Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas, in November 2014, which was designed by Caplan Miller Events.

At the same Austin event in November, dark gray menu cards stood out against the pale table settings and flatware.

Instead of a traditional dark wood bar, the six-foot reclaimed wood version from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental complements rustic-theme events. The bar, $495, is available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.

Guests can get comfortable on the tufted Paloma sofa, $395, in gray linen from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental; it's available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.

The orange and gray Trellis rug from Taylor Creative adds a little pop of color to a neutral setting, comes in two different sizes (5 by 8 feet, $300, or 7 by 9 feet, $400), and is available throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

One of the smaller gallery spaces at the Phillips Collection featured steel gray linens topped with chargers with stone inlays for the museum's 90th anniversary gala, which was held at the Anderson House and the Phillips Collection in May 2011 in Washington.

The gray tabletop decor in one of the dining areas of Phillips Collection's 90th anniversary gala provided a striking contrast to the tall orange and yellow floral arrangements by Jack Lucky Floral Designs.

The reupholstered armchair in gray linen from Patina adds an Old World luxe feel to events. The Dorian Grey chair, $165 per day, is available nationwide and in Canada.

The Newport pillow collection from Designer 8 Event Furniture Rental allows planners to mix and match an assortment of gray patterns and silvery solids. The pillows, $15 each, are available in Southern and Northern California and Phoenix.

Slate gray linens were accented with green hydrangeas and dark pink, purple, and maroon roses at architecture and engineering firm McKissack & McKissack's 20th anniversary dinner, which was held at the Potomac View Terrace in Washington in September 2011. The company worked with Events by André Wells to design the celebration.

Classic Party Rentals recently introduced its Lucca china collection. The contemporary tableware includes matte gray and off-white dinner plates, salad plates, bread and butter plates, bowls, and mugs and is complemented by a matte black serving platter. The items are available through the company's Western locations, plus Florida, Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas. Pricing is from $2.25 to $12.75.

With a zinc top and worn metal frame, the coffee table from Patina provides an authentic industrial feel to a space and works well for a large lounge area. The table, $75 per day, is available nationwide and in Canada.

When the Whitney Museum of American Art honored Chuck Close at its 2007 gala, the artist requested the organizers use gray as the event's primary color. In the dining room, event designer Geoff Howell installed crumpled curtains of metal mesh, which helped accentuate the large black-and-white portraits hung on the walls.

The gray theme of the Whitney's 2007 gala was also present at the entrance, where, in addition to a gray-carpet arrivals area, the color was represented by a large projection of candle flames shot against a pale gray background. The projection served as a dramatic backdrop for guests' name cards and supplied a soft light to the museum's entry hall.