Pavilion Gray is a cool, blue-leaning grey, and the golden rule is to stay on the cool side of the fence. The moment you bring warmth in — brass, honeyed oak, a creamy white trim — it starts to look flat and a bit grubby. Lean into the coolness and it sings.
For trim and ceilings, go with a crisp not-quite-white. Farrow & Ball All White (LRV 92) is the obvious partner — it's clean and cool without the chalkiness of a tinted white, so it lets Pavilion Gray do the talking. That high contrast between trim and wall gives you that fresh, architectural look that cool greys do so well.
For definition and depth, reach for a deeper cool grey or an off-black on a feature joinery or the back of a shelf. Paint & Paper Library Blue Blood (LRV 16.4) is a cracking choice — a moody, inky grey-blue that anchors the scheme and stops it floating away into nothing. Use it on a chimney breast or alcoves and Pavilion Gray reads as the calm, mid-tone it's meant to be.
If you want to break the cool monotony without betraying the brief, a considered accent works beautifully. Dulux Fuchsia Falls 2 (LRV 29.8) brings a cool-toned pink-purple that plays nicely against grey — think cushions, a chair, artwork rather than walls. And Mylands Beehive Place No.140 (LRV 58.6) gives you a softer mid option if you want to layer tonally.
The "but what about wood floors and furniture?" question always comes up. Keep timber on the cooler, greyer side — limed oak, painted pieces — rather than orange-toned pine. For metals, polished nickel or chrome, never brass.
Practical tip: paint a big A2 sample board of Pavilion Gray and stand it next to your whites and accents in the actual room, morning and evening. Cool greys shift hard with light, and Pavilion Gray can drift quite blue on a north-facing wall.