Boost White Walls With These Perfect Curtain Colors
White walls serve as a perfect blank canvas for interior design experiments. Their neutral backdrop allows for an endless array of styles and color palettes. However, plain white walls can also feel dull and uninspired if left untouched. This is where curtains come in. Strategically selecting curtain colors is an easy yet transformative way to showcase crisp white walls. The right shades can make the space pop while still feeling cohesive. From energizing brights to soothing neutrals, curtain color options for white walls are plentiful. With some key considerations and expert tips, it's simple to pick shades that suit your home's aesthetic and purpose.
When choosing curtain colors to complement white walls, start by thinking about the room's intention. The cohesion between style and functionality is key for a pulled-together space. Once you settle on the desired ambiance, consider the existing decor elements like furniture and art. Aim for shades that coordinate with these pieces for a harmonious palette. Don't shy away from playing with patterns and textures either. White walls stand up boldly against contrasting designs. Finally, factor in the architecture itself. Elements like the amount of natural light and room size should inform color selection for optimal enhancement.
Factor in the Room's Purpose and Intended Atmosphere
The way we engage with each space in our home varies drastically. Consider the room's functional and emotional purpose when selecting curtain shades. These intentions directly inform the aesthetic style and decor choices.
Stimulate Productivity in Home Offices
For home offices and other productivity powerhouses like craft nooks, aim for curtains in relaxing tones. Soft sage greens, icy blues, and soothing lavenders lower stress levels and prevent mental fatigue. These cool tranquil hues also encourage focus and clear thought rather than overstimulation. Sheer off-white linens blend seamlessly into white walls for a brighter space minus glare.
Set a Sleepy Mood in Bedrooms
Bedrooms demand cozy atmospheres that promote deep rest. Warm peach and coral curtains broadcast comfort while sinuous chocolate browns feel elegant yet casual. Don't shy away from dramatic shades like deep reddish purples and inky emerald greens either. These colors envelop you in their richness, perfect for restful repose. For guaranteed sleeping success, always opt for blackout curtain fabrics in bedrooms as well.
Encourage Connection in Common Rooms
Spaces meant for gathering, like living rooms, dining rooms and lounges, require encouraging palettes. Vibrant curtain colors in tones like mustard yellow, grassy jade and burnt tangerine get conversations flowing. Pair patterns and textures like velvet damask prints, menswear plaids, or nubby chenilles for lots of visual interest. These eclectic combinations keep occupants alert and engaged with each other.
Consider Existing Decor and Architecture
White walls serve as a structural blank slate. But the preexisting furniture, lighting fixtures, and art still influence the vibe. Complement them with cohesive curtain colors. For example, lean into the natural wood tones with olive drapes or match cool grays with steely sheers. Evaluating the architecture itself is also key. Factors like the room size, ceiling height and natural light access should all weigh into color selection.
Design Aspect | Curtain Color Considerations |
Small square rooms | Lighter tints visually expand space |
Tall ceilings | Deeper shades ground airy rooms |
Lots of natural light | Sheers diffuse brightness |
Dark interior areas | Vibrant colors reflect light |
Top Neutral Curtain Color Options for White Walls
Sometimes white walls look best with understated neutral curtains. The crisp backdrop provides plenty of visual interest on its own without competing colors. Neutrals, especially in lighter values, blend seamlessly into white walls for a peaceful cohesive look. They also effortlessly match existing furniture and art since earth tones complement basically everything. From the palest ecru to warmer sand shades, neutral curtains always work wonders with white.
Off-Whites and Creams
Alternate shades of white make especially harmonious partners for fresh bright walls. Mix glossy satin pearl curtains with flat matte painted white walls for lovely depth. Shadowy chalky creams also infuse warmth without overpowering light rooms. And nothing beats airy natural linen tab curtains for windows. The loosely woven texture plays beautifully against smooth drywall.
Beiges, Browns and Greiges
For those craving a little more pigment than white, venture into sandy toned territories. Light beige curtains maintain flexibility as they blend with both warm and cool palettes. Textural heavy wovens like jute, burlap and tweed make intrigued neutral statements. Quiet oatmeal and fawn shades offer soft elegance as they cosy up to white. And charcoal gray-brown blends provide a sharp sophisticated neutral option.
Best Cool Tone Curtains for Crisp White Walls
Cool hues make especially easy curtain color partners for bright white walls. Icy shades compliment the existing brightness instead of competing with it. Cool tones also recede visually, making small spaces appear larger. Their soothing peaceful essence sets the stage for tranquil interiors. From pale icy greens to misty lilac, these are the best cool curtains for white.
Serene Sky Blues
Airiness incarnate, light sky blue curtains maintain white walls' clarity. Sheer powder blue panels filter in softeness and visual depth. Metallic swishy raw silks in deeper azure blues inject life while encouraging calmness. And faded denim curtains, especially in nubby linen, combine casualness with crispness for eclectic styling.
Mellow Greens
Green curtains span a wide range yet almost all complement crisp whites. Yellow-tinged chartreuse panels boost brightness exponentially for small dark rooms. While rich emerald green velvets envelope walls in lusciousness. For the most versatile cool green white partnership, choose a pale frosted sage. These earthy yet icy hues enhance but never overpower.
Best Warm Toned Curtains for Plain White Walls
Sometimes white walls need a splash of vibrancy to feel complete. Warm toned curtains in shades of ruby red, sunshiny yellow and terra-cotta provide that missing boldness. Their fiery hues inject white backgrounds with cheerful energy. Paired strategically with vibrant warm curtains, plain white walls transform into an alluring statement. Complimentary accent chairs, pillows and art in similar bright colors pull the curtain-wall palette together seamlessly.
Goldenrod and Marigold Yellows
What better to contrast cool white walls than vibrant warn yellow curtain? The color gold elicits happiness and luxury, perfect for dull spaces needing revitalization. Sheer marigold organza panels filter in golden brightness without overwhelming. For maximum contrast, opt for egg yolk yellow blackout curtains in living spaces. The combination of light and dark makes for stylish drama.
Punchy Red Oranges
Red orange curtain colors provide the perfect burst of warmth against stark whites. In sheer voile, terra-cotta makes walls glow with vitality. Deeper currant reds encase windows in rich tangy hues. And for tropical fun, pick a vibrant coral orange small-scale floral jacquard. White walls truly sing when paired with these electric bright jewel tones.
Incorporate Patterns, Textures and Layers
An often overlooked curtain design aspect is actually one of the most important for transforming plain white walls: surface texture. Simply adding tactile woven fabrics, multidimensional prints and layered sheers generates incredible visual interest. White walls come alive when paired with curtains boasting a variety of intoxicating textures and patterns.
Mix Complementary Prints
Combining various printed curtains is a surefire way to prevent boring white walls. Start with a colorful paisley floral base layer, then overlap it with sheer leopard or striped panels. White backgrounds prevent these kaleidoscopic combos from feeling overwhelming. And opt for two similarly colored prints, like blue ikat and navy chevron, for a cohesive guide palette.
Natural Textured Fabrics
Few materials feel as luscious against cool flat white as tactile natural woven textiles. Lightweight linen curtains filter brightness while adding visual richness with their visible irregular weave. Heavyweight burlaps, jutes and hemps make ultra-casual organic statements. For refined yet cozy texture, try fuzzy chenille or nubby boucle knits against bright walls.
Add Vibrant Accent Colors as Focal Points
Strategically placed vibrantly colored focal point curtains give white walls well-deserved spotlight moments. These bold accent shades grab attention without going overboard. Try vibrant reds or neon yellows solely on statement accent walls or small signature windows. White walls offset their intensity flawlessly. And colorful patterned shorter curtain lengths, like valances over neutral full-length drapes, provide eye-catching oomph without commitment.
Metallic Shine Focal Points
Nothing jazzes up simple white walls like glitzy metallic curtain accents. Lustrous gold, copper and silver inject serious luxury and light reflection. Utilize these flashy metals sparingly though, like on dressing room accent windows or over the dining room table. Mirrored curtain insets also bounce light beautifully without darkening interiors.
White walls accommodate infinite curb appeal color options. Getting creative with curtain shades is the easiest first step to boosting plain walls. Cool tones encourage productivity and clear thought while warm vibrant shades inject cheeriness. Don't shy from infusing lots of enticing textures and bold patterns either. And always consider the functional purpose and existing decor elements when selecting hues for cohesion. With this insider advice in mind, the ideal curtains to refresh tired white walls are now at your fingertips!