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What Color Curtains Go With Red Walls? – 10 Ideas

By: Sara Shores

Red rooms aren’t necessarily the most common in interior design. Usually, designers will go for a classic white, or sometimes even black. These paint colors naturally fit with existing decor without too much fanfare. In contrast, you have rooms that are painted red, which stand out amongst the typical monochromatic rooms. 

Because of this, though, it can be difficult to find curtain colors for red walls that will match your room without clashing. Thankfully, though, there is a multitude of options out there to try out and make your room uniquely yours. Let’s explore ten of them. 

Add More Natural Light With Sheer White Curtains

If you’d like to incorporate white tones into your red room, you have two curtain options– opaque white curtains, and sheer white curtains. While you may not think these are different, they do contribute to the aesthetics in a subtle way, which can change the look. 

In this case, sheer white curtains for red walls bring in a lot of natural light, which is great for reducing the impact of very dark colors or accentuating other light tones. They can be used in a variety of applications without clashing, making them perfect for design versatility. 

Go For Muted Contrast With Light Gray Curtains

Having a dark red room with white curtains is a great option for adding contrast, but for some, this contrast might be a bit too much. One of the best ways to counteract this issue is to go with light gray curtains. 

The difference is subtle, but it’s noticeable enough so you can achieve muted contrast. 

Add Another Warm Tone With Cream-Colored Curtains

Another way to have muted contrast besides light gray is to go with cream-colored curtains instead. This is an especially great curtain color for red walls, especially since cream tones can add some subtle warmth, and red is about as warm as you can get. 

That way, you can still have some contrast, but it still looks cohesive with your red walls. 

Limit Excessive Natural Light With Opaque White Curtains

Opaque white curtains, unlike their sheer white counterparts, are best at blocking natural light. Depending on your room, you may want to opt for this option instead. 

Having too much natural light can make it confusing which parts of your room are supposed to be white and which ones aren’t at times, especially with subtly different color tones. They can make a room feel washed out, which is not necessarily a look most want to go for. 

Add Black Curtains for Some Added Dramatic Flair

You might enjoy black furniture in a white room, a common element in modern rooms. The contrast makes it look very dramatic and stand out. You can get a similarly dramatic look, though, through pairing black curtains with red wall paint.

Black curtains also have the effect of matching with your existing decor as well, since they’re monochrome and can match with nearly everything. This way, you can achieve that same dramatic look without having multiple clashing color palettes.

Add White and Gold Curtains for an Elegant Touch

White and gold are staples of elegance. The colors often evoke images of golden furniture and marble flooring found in royal palaces. If you want to feel like you’re at the heart of luxury without breaking the bank, however, there are plenty of ways to incorporate white and gold into your existing decor.

This is true even if you have a red room. As an added bonus, the bright white and gold tones of the curtains can create a stunning contrast in your room, adding a lot of visual interest with only one item.

Pair Red and White Curtains Together for a Unique Twist

Most interior designs will just go with one solid curtain color, and more abstract ones might incorporate a wild pattern in the mix. Some rooms with multiple windows even have different colored curtains on each, making a room feel whimsical and colorful. But did you know you don’t have to have multiple windows to incorporate multiple curtains? 

Yes, you don’t have to be limited to one type of curtain– you can put two on the same window. In this case, pairing the previously mentioned opaque white curtains with red ones adds a slight bit of visual interest without going overboard. 

Go For a More Colorful Look With Navy Blue Curtains

If you prefer a more colorful approach than typical monochrome colors, putting navy blue curtains in your red room may just be the perfect option. It has all the benefits of black curtains with a slight twist. It’s also less harsh than black, so you can add a more muted contrast.

These curtains would work best in a room that already has navy blue accents, making it feel more colorful without having too many clashing colors. 

Balance Cohesion and Contrast With Red and White Striped Curtains

Red and white might make you think of peppermint sticks, but your room doesn’t have to be holiday-themed to incorporate these two colors. In fact, in a red room, it’s a perfect curtain color option for adding both cohesion and some subtle visual interest. 

The white naturally stands out against the red without clashing, while the red tones fit in seamlessly. It’s a great balance if you’re not quite sure about all-white or all-red curtains. 

Add Golden Curtains for a Luxury Flair

It would be nice if we could all have solid gold furniture, but unfortunately, that’s a pretty expensive route to take in terms of interior design. Thankfully, you can find golden-colored items out there that make your room feel luxurious without being too costly. One such item is golden curtains. 

Depending on how you incorporate them, you can make your room feel like a palace, especially if they’re in a dining room with a chandelier and a wall painting. 

Final Thoughts…

As you can see, there are a wide variety of curtain options out there, even for bold red rooms. From the subtle cream-colored curtains to elegant gold and white curtains, there are many different color options to match with red without making a room look too chaotic or busy. You can even experiment with multiple curtain color options if you choose, even on the same window.

We hope these ideas help you find the curtains for red walls you’re looking for, whether you’ve just started decorating or you’re adding in the final touch.