Choosing Curtain Colors to Create a Mood

If you want to evoke a certain mood or feeling in a room, curtain color is a great choice. Curtains are easy to change to create different moods, and the large expanse window treatments typically take up in a room make them a focal point and let the colors really shine through.

Developing a Mood Board

While many colors have psychological or symbolic associations with specific moods or emotions, your personal design preferences and what a color means to you will also come into play when selecting curtains. Before you choose fabric and color, you may want to create a mood board. You can do this either physically on a poster board or digitally with a website like Pinterest.

Create a Calm, Relaxing, or Tranquil Mood

Experts agree that some of the best colors for creating a calm, tranquil room in which to relax are:

• White (often with cool undertones)
• Blues, especially light blues and dusky blues
• Greys, especially soft greys
• Greens
• Peaches
• Beige and sand colors
• Taupes and tans

Because there are so many different shades and colors available on the market, consider what works best with your current room and look at swatches and pairings. Curtains in calming shades are ideal for bedrooms and spaces designed for relaxation. Because blue is believed to be associated with serenity and intelligence, it’s also a good choice for an office or work environment. You may also consider enhancing the room choices with an accent color such as burgundy or navy.

Warm, Inviting Rooms

If you want a room to feel especially warm and inviting, consider curtains or drapes done in:

• Orange-based shades
• Yellows
• Rust or warm reds
• Warm whites (off white, ivory, eggshell, etc.)
• Peaches
• Terra cotta shades
• Soft golds
• Rich brown-based shades

These shades will help imbue a feeling of warmth and coziness. Earth tones are always a great choice and are said to help connect people to nature and make a space feel uplifting.

Creative, Bright, or Lively Spaces

From living rooms to home gyms and craft rooms, there are many areas in the home you may want to infuse with a sense of creativity, productivity, liveliness, brightness, or fun. If this is what you're seeking, think about purchasing curtains in one of the following shades:

• Bright coral
• Reds
• Bright yellow
• Pinks
• Teal
• Lime Green
• Purple
• Bold oranges

Neon colors, bright colors, and primary colors translate well into a creative, energizing space. Because these are bold choices, you may want to use white or neutral colors as accents or background colors in the room for balance.

Sophisticated, Classy, or Luxurious Rooms

Create a sense of elegance and class by using the following curtain colors:

• Deep, cool, or warm blues
• Warm reds or wine tones
• Cool whites
• Cool browns
• Neutral tans or yellows
• Black or grey

Subtle prints using these shades will also help create a luxurious space.