What Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls?
Making design choices for your home is fun for some and stressful for others because there are so many options. You need to pick everything from the furniture to the paint to the curtains and other accessories. Many people opt for neutrals on their walls to have a blank canvas, so what color curtains go with off-white walls?
Many color curtains go with off-white walls since it’s a neutral, including grays, yellows, blues, pinks, teals, and more. If you want a calmer feel, choose lighter colors or other neutrals, and for a more dramatic look, go with darker or vibrant colors. You can also choose curtains with multiple colors, prints, or patterns that work well against off-white walls.
Off-white walls provide an excellent clean slate to build your design. If you decide to paint your walls off-white, you open yourself to many design possibilities. If you’re ready to pick out curtains, here’s what you can expect from different color pairings.
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Understanding The Many Shades Of Off-White
50 Shades of Grey might be a popular novel and film, but let’s not forget about the seemingly endless shades of off-white. White is a neutral that admittedly goes with everything, but it can often feel cold and stark.
However, off-white shades tend to have a bit more warmth to them while maintaining their attractive neutral qualities. But, off-white comes in a broad range of shades, and some can look very similar. However, other hues can look entirely from each other, so never assume this color is one-size-fits-all.
Some shades of off-white lean more toward more creamy and beige undertones, while others have cooler, gray undertones. So, depending on what off-white you choose, different color combinations will have varied results.
How Do I Choose What Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls?
Since you can pretty much pair any color with off-white, choosing one might seem daunting. Your best bet for deciding on your curtains is to work backward. Start with how you want to feel when your space is complete.
Do you want the room to relax you? Energize you? What type of vibe do you want the room to have?
If you want a breezy, simple look, you’ll narrow your choices down to a few colors. But, if you want to achieve a dramatic, bold look, then you’ll select from a whole other range of colors.
Once you know the overall vibe you want, you can start playing with more specific shades. Of course, if there are any colors you particularly dislike, throw them out right away. You don’t want to use colors that you despise or make you unhappy.
What Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls?
Perhaps instead of what color curtains go with off-white walls, it should be more a question of why. Since, technically, any color will work with off-white, you should focus more on the mood and look each color achieves.
Here’s a look at what various color curtains can create in a space when you pair them with off-white walls.
1. White
You can select white curtains for your off-white walls if you want to keep things more clean and simple. You’ll end up with a more minimalistic look, especially if you keep other items in the room neutral.
A monochromatic color scheme (using various shades of one color) can work well in a space. But, it has a danger of becoming boring and bland, too. Therefore, make sure to keep things interesting with various textures and patterns.
For example, maybe your white curtains have a subtle white-on-white stripe pattern. Or, you might use lace or ruffled curtains to add some texture.
2. Gray Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls
Various shades of gray curtains can go well with off-white walls while maintaining a neutral palette. You can still layer other colors with these two neutrals to create different moods.
Lighter grays will keep things more subtle, while darker ones can bring a bit more moodiness into the room. Again, you can also play around with different shades of gray within the same curtains to bump up the interest.
3. Yellow
Yellow often evokes feelings of happiness and joy. If you opt for paler, soft yellows, you can expect a more relaxed space. Or, choose more vibrant yellows for a bright look that makes you smile.
Make sure the shade of yellow complements your shade of off-white. Pay attention to the undertones of your off-white. If they’re more creamy and brown, pairing them with yellow can get muddy or sick-looking.
4. Purple
When you think purple, don’t just think bright royal purple. Sure, this can give you a regal, dramatic look. But, it could also be a bit overpowering depending on what else you have going on in the space.
If you go with bold purple shades, make sure to balance it well in the rest of the room. Or, opt for softer purples, like lavenders, mauves, or muted violets to achieve a more calming effect.
5. Blue Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls
Whether you go with navy, cobalt, robin’s egg, royal, or any other shade of blue, it works well with off-white walls. Deep navy against off-white walls can be the perfect combo for a nautical vibe, especially if you opt for a stripe pattern.
Pale blues against creamy off-whites can be super-calming and perfect for a farmhouse look. It also works well for a country cottage or French country vibe.
More jewel-tone blues, like cobalt and turquoise, can give your room an entirely different feel. You can go regal or let your space inspire thoughts of tropical island retreats.
6. Green
There are so many shades of green that you can end up with a myriad of looks. Green works well with off-white, whether more gray or beige in its undertone. Some green tones include colors like emerald, kelly, olive, sage, lime, and mint.
You can pair mint or sage greens with an off-white wall to create a beautiful, gender-neutral nursery. Or, use pops of lime green curtains against an off-white wall for a fun, playful living room.
7. Pink Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls
People often associate pink with a more feminine, romantic vibe, but honestly, you can choose from many pinks. So, yes, a rose pink or pale pink lends itself to the more romantic, but a lush, hot pink can be more joyful and vivacious.
9. Teal Color Curtains Go With Off-White Walls
Teal curtains go great with off-white walls, giving a fun flair to a room. It’s a bold color that makes a statement without being too overpowering or garish.
10. Brown
Brown in interior design often helps create an organic, earthy feel. We typically see it in the form of natural materials like leather, wood, bamboo, and sisal.
You can use brown against an off-white wall, but make sure to balance it nicely and incorporate visual interest. Break up the brown with another color or neutral or by using a pattern.
11. Multi-Colored
Of course, if you can’t decide or commit to just one color, you can use a combination. Since off-white is a neutral, it’s a perfect backdrop for multi-colored curtains.
12. Patterns And Prints
You can significantly boost your overall design and visual interest in the space by choosing curtains with exciting patterns. Don’t play it too safe by only opting for solid colors. Use curtains with a stripe, animal print, floral, ombre effect, or paisley print.
The Best Way To Choose Curtains For Your Room
When you think you have a reasonably good idea of your curtain color choices, test them out before committing. See if the store has fabric swatches you can bring home to hang against your walls.
If you’re getting custom curtains, a designer might even bring several large pieces of fabric when they come to measure. You can see just how your potential future curtains will look in your space with your existing design.
If there are no fabric samples available, you can snap a picture or scan the fabric using your smartphone. Make sure you get it as true to the accurate color as possible.
Another possibility is to snag some paint swatch cards with the same colors as the curtains. You want to see how the different options look in your space under different lighting. Then, you can make your final choice.
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Related Questions
How do you choose a color scheme for your room?
If you’re starting from scratch or want to renovate your room completely, where do you start? First, determine the room’s purpose and what people will generally do there. For example, if it’s a bedroom, you’ll typically relax or sleep in there. So, you would want to opt for a more relaxing, calming color scheme. You might choose colors in the same color family but different shades.However, if you’re designing a family room for entertaining, playing games, etc., you might want a more energetic color scheme. So, you might opt for colors that have a bit more contrast or are brighter.If you need a helping hand selecting your colors, invest in a color wheel. This simple design tool only costs a few bucks at your local art store. It shows you how various colors work together and can help you envision different combinations.
What color furniture works well with off-white walls?
Since off-white is a neutral, pretty much any color furniture will go with it. However, you need to consider all of the colors in your space. You might still want to opt for neutrals for more oversized furniture items. Larger scale items make a more significant visual impact on space and are usually more expensive. Keeping them neutral can mean they work in your space longer. For smaller pieces, like a side chair or ottoman, you can splurge and have some fun with a more exotic color. You can also opt for neutral tones in various materials. For example, a wooden chair with bright cushions, a gold side table, and a woven ottoman can all look fantastic.
Stacy Randall is a wife, mother, and freelance writer from NOLA that has always had a love for DIY projects, home organization, and making spaces beautiful. Together with her husband, she has been spending the last several years lovingly renovating her grandparent's former home, making it their own and learning a lot about life along the way.
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