The Complete Guide to Choosing the Perfect Curtain Color

Selecting the ideal curtain color is one of the most important decor decisions when styling your home. The right hue can pull an entire room together, elevating the aesthetic and making the space feel complete. But with so many color options, it can be challenging to decide which shade works best.

Follow our tips to pick a winning shade tailored to your room's style and decor. With the perfect curtain color, your windows will go from drab to fab.

Determine the Style of the Room

The first step is identifying the genre or style of the room. Is the space formal or casual? Traditional or modern? The room's aesthetic will inform what curtain color suits it best.

Formal/Traditional Spaces

For formal living rooms, bedrooms, and dining spaces decorated in a classic or traditional style, richer, darker curtain colors tend to work well. Think deeper hues like navy, forest green, burgundy, or chocolate brown. These regal shades match the opulence of formal decor.

We recommend selecting a darker colored curtain panel on each side, with a sheer panel in the middle. The sheer allows light to filter in while the saturated side panels frame the window beautifully. This layered look adds elegance and dimension to formal windows.

Modern/Contemporary Spaces

For rooms with a clean, pared-down modern aesthetic, lighter curtain colors are most fitting. Choose hues a shade or two darker than your wall color to complement the decor. Soft greys, warm taupes, light blues, and cream-colored curtains pair perfectly with the cool tones of contemporary spaces.

Unpatterned linen or cotton curtains in these lighter neutrals create an airy, minimalist look. Simplicity is key for a modern style.

Country/Rustic Spaces

Pastel curtain colors like powder blue, buttery yellow, pale lavender, and soft sage green are ideal choices for cozy, casual country rooms. These sweet hues contrast beautifully with common country decor elements like white-washed beadboard walls, antique wood furnishings, and floral accent patterns.

For a whimsical cottagecore aesthetic, select gauzy, embroidered sheers in your pastel color of choice. Draw back during the day to allow warm sunlight to filter in. At night, close the pretty sheers for privacy and a romantic, ethereal look.

Complement or Highlight Existing Colors

When selecting a shade for your curtains, consider choosing a color already present in the room. Curtains featuring an accent color found in artwork, throw pillows, area rugs, or other decor make a space appear more cohesive and designed.

If your walls are pale blue, for example, navy blue curtains would complement the cool wall color beautifully while also accentuating the navy in your striped throw pillows. Tying elements together through color creates harmony.

You can also choose curtain colors using the color wheel. Opt for an analogous shade next to your existing color, a complementary color directly across the wheel, or a triadic color equally spaced. Similar or opposite hues have a pleasing, balanced effect.

Consider the Wall Color

The existing wall color is arguably the most important factor when selecting curtain hues. You'll want your curtains to either contrast sharply with walls or match them subtly. Mismatched shades can look disjointed and messy.

Light Walls

For rooms with light colored walls like soft greys, creams, or whites, choose curtains in much darker, saturated tones. The high contrast between light walls and rich curtain colors like emerald green, navy blue, or black is extremely striking.

Deep colored curtains framed by bright walls make the window a bold focal point. For light wall spaces seeking drama, go dark and vivid.

Dark Walls

Conversely, when dealing with dark colored walls, select lighter curtain colors to provide contrast. Dark walls call for brightening white, ivory, cream, or pale grey curtains. These luminous shades keep a room from feeling too somber or closed in.

For a modern take, hang floor-length white linen curtains on chrome rods atop charcoal walls. This creates a chic, gallery-like look.

Gray Walls

Gray is a prevalent wall color right now. For stylish gray walls, consider curtain colors like pale yellow, light blue, ivory, cream, or white. The cool tone of gray can be warmed up with curtains in a lighter, brighter hue.

Curtains that are a shade or two lighter than your gray walls also create pleasant contrast. Avoid matching grays exactly or your palette may become too monotonous.

Red Walls

Vibrant red walls make a bold statement. Counterbalance the intensity of crimson, scarlet, or cherry walls with curtains in darker, more muted jewel tones.

Navy, dark green, black, chocolate brown, deep purple, and charcoal curtains all beautifully complement a red wall. These richer shades enhance red's vibrancy instead of competing with it.

Coordinate with Furnishings

Your curtains should coordinate with other furnishings in the room, including sofas, chairs, tables, and accent decor. You have two options when relating your curtains to furnishings:

1. Match the exact or similar color 2. Choose a complementary, contrasting color

Matching furnishings precisely tends to look a bit tacky and overdone. Instead of attempting to match a navy blue sofa with navy curtains, for example, consider a shade lighter than the sofa color to tie the look together more subtly.

Err on the contrasting side if you can't find a suitable match. Green curtains would contrast nicely with that navy sofa without clashing. Above all, aim to complement rather than competitively match.

As a general rule, lighter colored curtains pair attractively with dark wood furniture. Cream window treatments light up a room and keep it from feeling too heavy.

Factor in Lighting

The lighting in a room, both natural and artificial, impacts color perception. ALways test curtain samples at different times of day and with lighting on and off to understand how the color shifts.

South Facing Rooms

South facing rooms get intense sunlight, especially in summer. To filter harsh light, use sheer white or cream curtains. Light blues and grays also soften direct southern exposure.

Avoid darker, heavier fabrics which will fade and deteriorate quickly in a sun-drenched room. Prioritize protection over color with southern windows.

North Facing Rooms

North facing rooms have little natural light. Energize the space with curtains in warm sunset tones like amber, gold, red, and orange. Poppy colors combat the lack of direct sunlight.

You can also choose cooler tones a few shades darker than your wall color to artificially brighten the room. Dark turquoise or emerald green curtains contrast nicely with pale walls.

Artificial Lighting

Test curtain colors under existing artificial lighting. Some bulbs cast warm yellowy light, others a harsh blue-tinged glare. Adjust curtain color for optimal appeal under your lighting conditions.

Blue and purple based colors like navy and eggplant look richer under warm bulbs. Orange and red based hues like peach and crimson appear more vivid under cool bulbs.

Consider Texture

Curtains come in an array of fabric types and textures. Consider how the material and weave impacts color when selecting shades.

Light, gauzy linen curtains in natural, neutral hues allow sunlight to gently filter into a space. heavyweight velvet curtains in jewel tones soak up light, creating a warm, cozy effect.

Mix textures for extra depth. Try pairing a smooth satin curtain with an embroidered sheer overlay. This adds appealing visual and tactile contrast.

Work with Patterns

If your walls or furnishings feature bold patterns like floral wallpaper or striped throw pillows, opt for solid colored curtains. Busy motifs paired with patterned curtains tend to look messy and distracting. Let your dramatic prints shine by themselves.

Conversely, solid or subtly painted walls provide the perfect backdrop for patterned curtains. Geometric, paisley, ikat or floral print curtains pop against a neutral background.

Test Curtain Color Options

When making your final curtain selection, order color samples. Fabrics look very different in person than online. Request a few large swatches in your top color choices.

Hang samples over your window at different times of day and with lighting on and off. Observe the colors in both daylight and evening lamplight. Colors take on different hues in various conditions.

Live with the samples for a few days before fully deciding. Decorate around the swatches to envision the complete look. Curtain colors can take some adjustment.

Testing colors thoroughly beforehand ensures your chosen shade looks as perfect as possible installed on the windows. Drapes are an investment, so be sure before purchasing.

Work with a Designer

If choosing curtain colors feels overwhelming, don't stress! Hiring an interior designer helps take the guesswork out of the process.

A designer will guide you through determining your personal style, selecting complementary colors and patterns, and tailoring options to your space and lifestyle.

Work with a professional if you want to bring your decorating vision to life but lack the time, confidence, or expertise. Take advantage of their keen knowledge of color combinations, fabrics, and design eras.

Designers also have access to high-end resources, special connections, and discounts. Enjoy a beautifully styled home without the stress of doing it all yourself.

With so many potential shades, choosing the perfect curtain color can seem challenging. But armed with the right insights, you can pick a winner.

Start by considering your room's style and existing color scheme. Select a color that complements or contrasts your wall color for visual interest. Coordinate with furnishings in a subtle, cohesive way. And always test samples first before installing.

Choosing a shade tailored to your space results in showstopping windows that tie the whole room together. So don't settle for lackluster curtains. Use our guide to give your room the stylish, color-coordinated windows it deserves!