Skimming Stone is one of F&B's trickier neutrals — there's a pink-mauve undertone hiding in there that can tip towards dirty grey if you surround it with the wrong things. The job is to lean into that warmth rather than fight it.
Get the woodwork right first. Don't reach for a crisp brilliant white — it'll make Skimming Stone look grubby by comparison. Use a warmer white instead. Pointing or School House White both sit beautifully against it and let that mauve undertone read as warmth, not muck. This is the single most important decision in the scheme, so don't skimp here.
For the broader palette, build out with soft taupes and dusty plaster tones. They're in the same temperature family, so the whole room feels considered and calm rather than flat.
If you want contrast and drama, you've got two strong routes. Mylands Cigar BH.20 (LRV 11.8) is a deep warm brown that grounds the scheme gorgeously — cracking on a fireplace wall or joinery. Or go cooler with Paint & Paper Library Blue Blood (LRV 16.4), an inky blue that makes the plaster tones above it glow. Either works for a feature wall, a panelled section, or below a dado.
For a fresher, lighter pairing, Dulux Almost Pistachio (LRV 80.3) brings a soft green that flatters the pink in Skimming Stone — lovely for a hallway or a bedroom where you want air and light.
One thing people get wrong: the metals. Skimming Stone goes cold and sad next to chrome or polished nickel. Keep everything warm — champagne, antique brass, aged bronze for handles, switch plates and light fittings.
Practical tip: paint a big sample board (A2 minimum) and live with it for a couple of days in both daylight and lamplight. North-facing rooms will pull more of the grey out, so test before you commit a whole room.