By Rachel Skontrianos

Never before have we seen the color gray emerge as more than a blip on our color spectrum radar. But with recent “granny hair” dye jobs, the fall runways at Fashion Week and home design trends, today the color is enjoying a renaissance of popularity thanks to its ability to strike a unique balance between black’s severity and white’s impracticality.

Kelly Osbourne, Nicole Richie and Lady Gaga have all dyed their hair different shades of gray. Tread lightly with this unexpectedly flattering look by rinsing your current color with a silver toner, or dive in headfirst with a full dye job!

Source: Corbis and Getty Images

This versatile color also became more than a backdrop or wardrobe staple when seen as the dominant hue in collections from designers Phillip Lim, Carolina Herrera and Alexander Wang at this year’s Fashion Week.

Carolina Herrera
Photo: Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

When decorating, the sophisticated neutral gives depth to subtle colors and makes bold tones pop. Varying shades of gray complement each other rather than clash.

Photo by Photography by Vicky Tang

Guess what else is on board with the gray trend? The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum! The aircraft carrier Intrepid, berthed on the Hudson River, has a steel gray exterior and interior that acts as the perfect backdrop for any event!