Lead V is a proper architectural grey with real backbone, and the way to do it justice is to lean into that coolness rather than try to soften it.
The strongest approach is to drench — walls, woodwork and ceiling all in Lead V, just varying the sheen. Eggshell on the trim, matt or flat emulsion on the walls. It reads as deliberate and expensive, and it stops the room looking like a half-finished decorating job.
If you'd rather split the woodwork off from the walls, go for a cool, slightly chalky off-white with a grey or blue undertone — not a creamy one. Farrow & Ball All White (LRV 92) is your safest bet here; it's clean and crisp without tipping warm, so it frames Lead V cleanly rather than muddying it.
For accents, you've two directions. Drop into an ink-dark navy like Paint & Paper Library Blue Blood (LRV 16.4) for joinery, a panelled wall or a chimney breast — it deepens the cool palette and gives the scheme somewhere to land. Or, if you want a moment of warmth done properly, Dulux Fuchsia Falls 2 (LRV 29.8) works as a controlled jolt of colour through textiles or a single piece — a velvet cushion, a chair. And Mylands Beehive Place No.140 (LRV 58.6) gives you a pale, considered tone for a softer secondary space.
The one thing to avoid: warm neutrals. Magnolias, beiges, taupes — they'll make Lead V look dirty and dated. Same goes for brassy or aged-gold hardware. Reach for polished nickel or gunmetal instead; it reinforces the cool, authoritative feel that makes this colour what it is.
Practical tip — Lead V can read quite differently north to south, so get a decent-sized sample board up and live with it for a couple of days before committing the whole room.