Gray is my favorite shade to use when I’m refinishing furniture! It’s calming, soothing and matches just about any style of home decor including coastal, transitional, modern farmhouse and contemporary. General Finishes and Miss Mustard Seed have the most beautiful shades of gray paint and stains to choose from. Here are 5 ways you can use their gray paint and stains on your next refinishing project!

5 ways to refinish furniture in gray, Eight Hundred Furniture

1. General Finishes Milk Paint Shades of Gray

In the General Finishes Milk Paint line, there are several beautiful shades of gray – all ranging in depth, warmth and richness.

Here’s an overview of their colors from lightest to darkest.

General Finishes Milk Paint shades of gray

Perfect Gray is one color that I have used A LOT in the past, because it quite literally is the perfect shade of gray!

2. Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Shades of Grays

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint is a true powdered Milk Paint. It is mixed with water and can do the chippy look. If you’re unfamiliar with this type of product, check out my blog post that compares Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint (a true powdered milk paint) with General Finishes Milk Paint (a pre-mixed acrylic paint).

Here are the gorgeous shades of gray in the MMS Milk Paint collection:

  • Aviary by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Of all these gorgeous hues, my favorites are Grain Sack and Aviary. I have them all over my home!

3. General Finishes Gray Oil and Water-Based Stains

Now that we’ve covered the shades of gray Milk Paint in the General Finishes line, let’s take a look at the gray stain options offered in this collection.

As you can see, General Finishes has cleverly given you water AND oil based options for every shade. For example, Ash Gray is the oil-based equivalent of water-based Graystone.

My personal favorite gray stain to use is Graystone!

Layla's Mint, Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Beeswax, Graystone Water Based Wood Stain, General Finishes, Eight Hundred Furniture, Washstand, Glass Knobs
Washstand in Miss Mustard Seed’s Layla’s Mint with Graystone Stain

4. Zinc Wax by Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

If you want to add touches of gray to your Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Painted pieces, consider using Zinc Wax.

Zinc Wax by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Eight Hundred Furniture

This tinted wax is a beautiful metallic gray that mimics the look of the zinc metal tops you’d find on primitive antiques.

You can apply this wax in all sorts of different patterns including cross-hatching, stippling and swirls. Here’s an example of Zinc Wax over Typewriter Milk Paint applied in a criss-cross pattern. You could even splash some drops of white Milk Paint over top and add some nail trim to mimic the look of the antique zinc table!

This cedar chest was refinished using Artissimo Milk Paint by Miss Mustard Seed with Zinc Wax stippled on top. (Stippling is pouncing your brush up and down, almost like a tattoo needle.)

Side view cedar chest painted in Artissimo sealed with Hemp Oil and Zinc Wax by Eight Hundred Furniture

You can see the stippled pattern in this close-up shot.

Corner of cedar chest painted in Artissimo sealed with Hemp Oil and Zinc Wax by Eight Hundred Furniture

Dreamy, right?!

5. Mixing Antiquing and White Waxes by Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

Did you know you can mix Antiquing Wax with White Wax to get your own custom shade of gray?

You can play with the ratios to make whatever shade of gray you wish. It’s completely customizable!

Mixing White Wax and Antiquing Wax by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Eight Hundred Furniture
Photo Credit: Miss Mustard Seed

Here’s an example of that custom wax color:

Close up of gatored texture on gate leg table painted in Reverent Gray Milk paint by General Finishes

Jenn’s Gray Refinished Furniture

Here are some of my favorite projects I’ve refinished using different combinations of gray Milk Paints and stains!

Queenstown Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes, Eight Hundred Furniture
Vintage server in Queenstown Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes
Front view of makeup vanity painted in General Finishes Queenstown Gray Milk Paint
Empire style makeup vanity in Queenstown Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes
Vintage dresser in Seagull Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes, Eight Hundred Furniture
Vintage dresser in Seagull Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes
Writing desk in Shutter Gray Milk Paint by Miss Mustard Seed, Eight Hundred Furniture
Writing desk in Shutter Gray Milk Paint by Miss Mustard Seed
Front view of empire buffet in Trophy by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint sealed with Hemp Oil 2
Empire buffet in Trophy Milk Paint by Miss Mustard Seed
Buffet in Graystone Water Based Wood Stain and Perfect Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes
Buffet in Perfect Gray Milk Paint and Graystone Stain by General Finishes
French provincial nightstands in general finishes
French Provincial nightstands in Reverent Gray Milk Paint by General Finishes
Antique table painted in Driftwood Milk Paint by General Finishes with a Reclaimed Oak Top stained in Graystone Water Based Wood Stain
Antique writing desk/table in Driftwood Milk Paint and Graystone Stain by General Finishes
Serpentine kneehole desk in Shutter Gray Milk Paint by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Eight Hundred Furniture
Serpentine front kneehole desk in Shutter Gray Milk Paint by Miss Mustard Seed
Refinished tops of nightstands using Ash Gray Gel Stain and Van Dyke Brown Glaze Effects by General Finishes, Eight Hundred Furniture
Nightstands in Empire Gray Milk Paint with Ash Gray Gel Stain
Antique nightstands in Aviary by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Eight Hundred Furniture
Antique nightstands in Aviary by Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

Now it’s your turn!

Pick your favorite combination of gray tinted products and let your creativity run wild!

Welcome to my happy place!
I'm Jenn Baker - Milk Paint lover, photographer, blogger, and QVC Guest Host. Click below to learn more about me and my creative business.  LEARN MORE ABOUT JENN

Latest Posts on Instagram

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This