Gray vinyl plank flooring

Should you pick a light gray or a dark gray?

Of the 43 floors here, 25 are light gray and 18 are dark gray. Light grays keep a narrow apartment or a north-facing room from feeling dim, and they hide dust and pet hair well. Dark grays look sharper against white walls and trim but show lint, crumbs and footprints sooner, so they work best in rooms with good daylight and a regular sweeping habit.

How do you read the undertone?

Gray is rarely neutral. Some planks lean blue or green, others lean toward beige, a mix often called greige. Lay a sample next to your cabinets, countertop and the paint you plan to use, then look at it in the morning and again at night. Under warm LED bulbs a cool gray can look flat; in daylight a greige can read almost tan. Our guide to room light and floor color covers this in more detail.

Floating or glue-down over a concrete slab?

Many Brooklyn apartment buildings sit on concrete slabs, and every plank here can go down either way. Floating is quicker and sits on an underlayment, which matters if your building has sound-control rules. Glue-down holds up better in large open areas and under heavy rolling furniture. Both methods need a flat, dry slab, so check each product's installation instructions before you commit.

What pairs well with gray floors?

White or pale wood cabinets with black hardware are the easy match. Brass fixtures and walnut-toned furniture keep a gray room from feeling cold. If gray will run through a kitchen and hall, plan the transitions early and look at the wider range of vinyl flooring for a coordinating tone.