What curtains go well with gray walls? (Color, Pattern)

hackrea / March 11, 2021

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Shades of gray never go out of style. Calm and relaxing, the gray shades are the perfect balance between home comfort and fashionable restraint. It is not surprising that today designers recommend using them for wall decoration: a gray background allows you to maximally reveal the texture of the surrounding materials and the uniqueness of color and decorative shades.

Simultaneously, gray walls require a careful selection of textiles – of course, this primarily concerns curtains with which vertical bearing surfaces are usually in direct contact. To avoid dissonance and stark contrasts, it is worth paying attention to every detail, from density and texture to color and ornament. However, there is no need to worry about the risk of making a mistake: the designers already have solutions for any style and palette.

So different gray: exploring the color spectrum

The choice of materials for wall decoration today is impressive. Smooth and textured wallpapers, paint, wood panels, plaster, and even thin large-format porcelain stoneware – there is a coating for any design and interior style. However, it is not the origin and composition of the material that is much more important, but its shade. It is with this that you should figure it out before choosing curtains for gray walls.

First of all, it is worth deciding how light your surfaces turned out to be during the renovation – or how light you plan to make them. It should be said right away that dark gray walls are rarely found in modern interiors – perhaps in an industrial style, where the so-called concrete surfaces remain the key trend today. In other cases, dark shades look a little depressing, so you should leave them for an accent wall, choosing light ones as the main background.

The next point is compatibility in terms of the spectrum. One of the advantages of gray is almost reference neutrality: it is equally friendly to dark, pastel, and bright colors. However, if you want to achieve absolute harmony, it is worth choosing curtains based on the critical design principle “warm shades to warm, cold to cold.” Let’s dwell on it in more detail.

Warm shades of gray

Gray may seem monotonous only at first glance. In fact, it is challenging to imagine another color with the same variety of shades and nuances. Warm tones of gray are formed by adding yellowish or greenish tones, and the following gray variations are most often used in the interior:

gray moss;
green tea color;
agate;
mescaline;
smoky;
gray beige;
ashes of roses;
telegrey;
khaki;
quartz;
chocolate gray.

Cool shades of gray

Light and cool grays are created by adding white, blue, or black in varying intensities. The list of suitable shades for wall color includes:

silver;
gray;
moon rock;
blue steam;
marengo;
zinc;
ashen;
slate;
aluminum;
gray silk.

However, in both lists, there are far from all the tones that gray has. In fact, there are dozens of gradations of this beautiful color, and even designers sometimes do not know everything. However, do not worry: gray is expressive enough for our perception, which will allow you to guess the most pleasant and comfortable variation for yourself unmistakably.

An alternative classification of gray shades

If you find it challenging to recognize warm and cold tones, then you may well use a kind of grouping of gray shades, which seems much easier to many:

Metallic shades. These include silver, lead, platinum, steel, aluminum, and tinplate. Shades belonging to this group are predominantly cold – except for lead, distinguished by noticeable yellowish notes.
Minerals. This group includes cold and dark gray shades, including wet asphalt, anthracite, resin, moonlit night, and marble. The exceptions are warm and light agate and quartz.
Atmospheric tones. In this group, mostly cool shades – pearl, gray, smoky, cloudy, foggy.
Natural shades. This includes both warm and cold tones – ashy, mouse, linen, pearl, mushroom.
Marengo. This shade also called dark sea green, is categorized by designers because of its ambiguity. It can acquire a warmer brown or colder blue tint in different lighting conditions and at different angles.

Curtains for gray walls: important rules

Before proceeding to the selection of the shade of curtains for gray walls, it is worth recalling once again the basic rules for combining curtains with background surfaces:

Maximum attention to prints and drawings. For monochrome walls, you can pick up both plain curtains and curtains with an ornament or pattern – while the draperies should not merge with the background in the first case but differ from it by at least three to four tones. If the walls are covered with patterned wallpaper, monochrome curtains will be the best option.
Careful selection of the pattern. A small exception to the previous rule: if the pattern on the walls is discreet and not too colorful (usually a subtle geometric print), then you may well try to choose curtains with a pattern. The most important thing is that in no case should it be bright or large and coincide with the wallpaper’s design.
A deliberate choice of decorative elements. The gray background perfectly sets off the lines and textures, so you need to take care not only of the density, texture, and color of the curtains but also of the fittings. Stylish and high-quality curtain rods and hooks, in this case, become a real must-have.

In search of color: we select the shade of curtains for gray walls

Today gray is more relevant than ever – however, some tones are not inferior to him in demand. We offer you several win-win options for successfully combining two or more trendy shades.

Turquoise

Today turquoise firmly holds the leadership in the spectrum of fashionable cold shades. The gradation from deep blue-green to airy and light bluish-green allows you to choose the best option for any color combination.

The combination of turquoise curtains and gray walls is one of the most successful in terms of visual comfort and aesthetics: the shade of curtains refreshes and enchants with coziness and ease. At the same time, designers recommend choosing such a window treatment for surfaces in cool colors. If the walls are plain, curtains with embroidery or blue, calm red or yellow patterns will look especially elegant. Another option is also possible: a combination of monochrome turquoise curtains and walls in a silver-tone will allow you to get a magnificent interior decoration in the Art Nouveau style.

The combination of turquoise and gray is allowed in the living room, dining room, as well as in the office, where calm, concentration, and increased efficiency are required – it is believed that bluish-green tones are the best way to contribute to this.

Blue and light blue

The remarkable depth and serenity of blue and light blue create an incredibly harmonious union with the gray walls. At the same time, the choice of tone for curtains is limited exclusively to the style of the interior in which you decided to decorate the room:

Classical and Neoclassical – muted, dusty shades of light blue and blue;
Minimalism – calm and austere colors;
Fusion – bright and juicy shades of blue;
Scandinavian – ashen and natural colors – summer sky, linseed buds, etc.

The combination of blue and gray requires appropriate repetition in other elements – so, blue accents in the design of carpets, bedspreads, or upholstery will be useful. When choosing curtains with a pattern, first of all, you should take a closer look at the bluish-white-yellow palette, which looks very fresh and natural.

One last little note: gray walls and blue curtains are not the best combinations for a dining room and kitchen, as it is believed that such a cold combination can reduce appetite. However, if, on the contrary, you are interested in maintaining a good figure, do the opposite.

Light brown and beige tones

Calmness, sophistication, and natural serenity – all this can be easily achieved by combining gray walls with curtains in light shades of brown and beige – including such as cappuccino, almond, cream, and sand.

A feature of this color combination is its versatility. It will decorate not only the interior in a classic or retro style but also add harmony to the most fashionable design variations like Scandinavian or Japandi. Furthermore, such draperies fit equally organically into the decoration of a nursery, bedroom, living room, or dining room – depending on this, you can choose both expensive dense and translucent airy fabrics.

Accessories to match the curtains will also allow you to achieve an atmosphere of relaxation and a feeling of complete harmony with nature – these can be cozy blankets, interior pillows, bean bags, or small beautiful rugs. If you want to add brightness and energy, bright orange, terracotta, or juicy lemon tones will come to the rescue – in small but noticeable quantities.

Yellow

If you do not have enough sun in a room with gray walls, or you have a desire to add a juicy note, you will hardly be able to find a color better than yellow. It is no coincidence that designers call it the “vitamin of joy”: it invigorates, improves appetite, and creates a feeling of warmth and constant light.

The best “companions” for gray are shades such as amber, pale lemon, mustard, as well as banana, corn, gold, olive-yellow, and champagne. Such curtains look incredibly cozy in the kitchen and the dining room – especially if you add them with towels and chair covers of the same shade.

The combination of gray walls and sunny curtains look no less stylish in the living room, where it is quite possible to use more yellow tones. So, curtains of rich color may well be decorated with a fawn, vanilla, or apricot pattern, which will add restrained aristocracy to the interior.

Another option for using gray walls and yellow curtains is for a nursery. However, in this case, you should be extremely careful: for the walls, you need to choose a warm and very light shade of gray, and the curtains should be made in extremely calm tones of yellow. Pillows, handmade toys, soft ottomans, and bean bags will provide comfort, harmony, and relaxation for children’s eyes.

Purple

The purple palette is considered a real lifesaver for those who cannot decide which shade of gray for the walls to choose – warm or cold. Since purple is a symbiosis of blue and red (which means cold and hot), it is in perfect harmony with absolutely any gray.

This wonderful color palette is quite extensive – from lilac and violet to deep eggplant and plum. Such a variety allows you to choose the curtains’ color in full accordance with your wishes. However, the designers still recommend leaving light and muted shades for the nursery and the bedroom, and in the dining room and living room, you can easily use deeper colors. To avoid the effect of “fading”, adhere to an important rule: the brighter the curtains’ tone, the richer the shade of gray.

Embroidery and ornament on the curtains in a silver or golden shade will help bring individuality to the design of a room with gray walls and purple curtains. Decorative elements to match the drapes will also add harmony. Still, it is advisable not to overdo it with them: a pair of decorative pillows, flower pots, candles, or a pattern on the carpet will be quite enough.

Curtains for gray walls: Conclusions + Photo Gallery

All of the colors mentioned above are considered essential for curtains when they are matched to gray walls. Correctly selected curtains allow you to revive the interior, correctly place accents and even visually expand the room’s space.