15 Best Curtain Colors for Gray Walls

What Colors of Curtains Go With Gray Walls?

Today, we are taking a look at the best curtain colors for gray walls to help you make an informed choice.

For many interior designers, gray has become the versatile neutral of choice. It’s warmer than stark white, more elegant than cream, and edgier than any other neutral.

The challenge with gray as a wall color is that there are so many shades (no 50-shade jokes, please). So what is the best curtain color for gray walls?

The best curtain colors for gray walls are toning, contrasting, or neutral. Light or dark gray-on-gray monochrome is sophisticated and minimalist. The best contrasting curtain colors are white, black, blue, yellow, pink, and purple. For the best neutral curtains, choose earthy tan or beige.

Curtains are often the final step in decorating a room, forming an essential finishing touch. Getting the perfect color curtains can mean the difference between a sophisticated and boring space, an inviting and cold space, and a cozy and dark space.

Let’s look at the best curtain colors for rooms with gray walls.

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Choosing the Best Curtain Colors for Gray Walls

Do you ever feel overwhelmed when comparing swatches of different fabrics, colors, designs, and patterns? Identifying the right curtain color need not be confusing.

I like to reduce the choice to three elements to establish the right color for curtains.

Choose a color similar to the walls: Toning shades of gray can be monochrome, lighter, or darker than the walls.
Choose a color that contrasts with the gray walls: Bright, earthy, black, and white contrast with gray in different ways.
Choose a neutral color: With gray often used as a neutral, you can look to brownish neutrals.

The Best Monochrome Curtain Colors for Gray Walls

A monochrome color scheme is often the simplest and most effective. In other words, choose curtains in a color that matches the walls or has a slightly lighter or darker tone. There’s no such thing as too much gray.

#1. Light Gray

Curtains that match the walls exactly are unintrusive and form a backdrop to your decor. This tone-on-tone layering is understated and elegant, especially with a traditional aesthetic. Because light gray is gentle and dreamy, you can get away with a tonal look.

HOMEIDEAS Light Grey Blackout Curtains for Bedroom

#2. Charcoal

Monochrome walls and curtains are inspired by minimalist design. While light gray-on-gray is elegant, dark gray and charcoal, layering is dramatic and contemporary, updating any space.

Note that using dark colors in a small room can make it look even smaller, so relieve the grayness with white furnishings.

Darker gray curtains on lighter gray walls create a sophisticated effect, especially if the curtains tone with other decor or furniture.

Choose fabrics with a velvet, silk, or satin finish for absolute luxury, or go for crisp linen if you’re concerned about the curtains looking heavy.

Rutterllow 100% Blackout 340 GSM Curtains 2 Panels

#3. Pattern

To avoid a monochrome color scheme from being boring, you don’t need to add color. Patterned curtains with an abstract or geometric design are eye-catching but still tone with your color scheme.

jinchan Linen Curtains for Living Room

The Best Contrasting Curtain Colors for Gray Walls

Choosing a color contrasting with your gray walls adds interest to your home. I’m embracing the gorgeous earthy yellows, pinks, and tans trending, as I love the warmth they give a room.

However, contrast doesn’t need to mean a vivid color – black and white will also contrast with gray and make a bold statement.

#4. White

Choosing white curtains to hang against gray walls is an excellent way of opening and brightening a space. The fabric you choose will determine the ambiance you want to create.

Sheer curtains look beautiful in white and soften a wall painted charcoal or pewter. Use white curtains to prevent dark walls from making a space small and cave-like.

Combining sheer white curtains with pearly gray walls fills an otherwise bright and stark room with soft, romantic light, evoking summer afternoons.

This combination also works if you have a room with many windows – billowy white curtains prevent the window treatment from overwhelming the space but still allow for privacy.

Crisp, white curtains add freshness to a room with light gray walls, especially if you’ve chosen a gray-and-white color palette. Add pops of color to prevent the room from being colorless, especially if it doesn’t get a lot of light.

LinenZone Sheer White Curtains

Blue

Blue and gray are timeless color pairings; your only limitation is matching the undertone of the gray with your blue. Blue is generally a cool color, so it will work best with cooler grays. Framing a window with blue invites the light and gorgeous sky colors into your room.

#5. Rich Blue

If black curtains are a decorating step too far, consider navy or royal blue as contrasting colors. They add coziness to a room without making it murky and are perfect for bedrooms and family rooms.

Silvery gray walls glow against blue curtains. Add warm, golden wooden furniture to bring much-needed color to a chilly room. Darker blue curtains are perfect for bedrooms conducive to sleep: remember that people sleep better in blue bedrooms.

Apart from being ideal for bedrooms, a blue-on-gray palette is elegant. Add opulence with blue velvet curtains against a smokey gray living or dining room wall.

StangH Navy Blue Velvet Curtains 84 inches

#6. Light Blue

Lighter shades of blue are soothing and serene and can tone down edgier industrial interiors. Chalky blue curtains soften the starkness of concrete, tiles, and metal.

Aqua curtains against blue-gray walls are lively and can be combined with a coastal palette or vintage-style mustard and green. Turquoise is another cheerful, welcoming coastal shade, perfect for informal spaces.

SMILETIME Lake Blue 96 in Long Velvet Curtains with Grommet

Yellow

Gray with a blue undertone doesn’t mean you only have to choose blue curtains. These grays work magnificently with all shades of yellow, from pale butter to vibrant gold. Because blue and yellow are complementary colors, yellow stands out against gray.

#7. Saffron

Earthy colors are trending this season, with deep saffron yellow entering the interior scene. This bold, magnificently spicy color forms a gorgeous contrast with darker gray walls. Keep other colors simple, with black or warm wood as good add-ins.

KOUFALL Yellow Curtains 84 Inch Length for Living Room 2 Panels Set

#8. Gold

Golden yellow curtains are sumptuous, making a room look elegant. They work well in traditional or retro settings and come into their own in embossed, tasseled, fringed, or patterned fabric. Pair gold curtains with silver or pewter gray and warm honey-colored wood.

DUALIFE 108 Inches Long 2 Panels Blackout Curtains

9. Butter

Lighter yellow is also trending, but even this buttery shade is saturated rather than pastel. These bright curtains give the impression of the sun streaming in, so they are a boon to chilly rooms lacking natural light. Sunny yellow against gray walls will enliven any room, especially if the rest of the palette is neutral: pick up the yellow in accessories.

Exclusive Home Biscayne Curtains

Pink

I love the pairing of pink and gray, whether the dustiest antique rose and the bluest gray or vivid magenta against charcoal. The earthy pinks are gorgeous with gray, especially if you wander into greige territory.

#10. Blush

Blush pink is one of the most coveted shades in contemporary interiors, leaving cutesy pastels behind. Combined with gray, it is utterly feminine and delicate, so we’re seeing more nurseries with this palette. Blush and gray are also charming for elegant French dining rooms or romantic bedrooms, with the pink curtains warming the gray.

Pink Solid Full Blackout Curtain Heavy Linen Texture

#11. Magenta

For a vibrant contrast, choose sumptuous magenta. Satin or velvet magenta looks stately in a formal living or dining room, especially against charcoal walls.

Sheer magenta curtains with an ombre gradient add a Boho touch to blue-gray walls. With curtains this vivid, you don’t need any other accessories as they are the design centerpiece.

Central Park Ombre Semi Sheer Window Curtain Panel Linen Gradient

Purple

Like pink, purple is beautiful against gray walls. People tend to avoid purple in their homes, but this intense color adds a contemporary and artistic touch.

#12. Lilac

Lilac and lavender are purples with a blue undertone and update gray walls instantly. While you can choose pastel shades, ideal for sheer curtains, saturated purples add lushness to a light color scheme.

I love lilac and gray for an English country house-inspired conservatory with white wicker furniture and feathery ferns. The combination is also elegant and charming for a Neoclassic dining room.

IOFRYION 100% Blackout Curtains 45 inches Velvet Curtains

#13. Plum

Choose a deep, dramatic plum against a dark gray wall with white furnishings for maximum contrast. Adding mustard and green to the color scheme will create an eclectic, vintage ambiance. Either way, purple curtains will be cozy, especially if you choose heavier drapes of velvet or wool.

You can tone down the impact of purple by selecting patterned curtains, where purple is combined with gray or white. They will still make a statement but be cheerful rather than extra.

Lush Decor Absolute Blackout Curtains Plum

The Best Neutral Curtains for Gray Walls

Neutrals remain the safest and most versatile color choice for curtaining, especially if you prefer a pared-back look.

Take care to avoid neutrals looking bland against gray walls. For grays with a yellow undertone, gravitate towards brown neutrals, as they will add warmth to the room.

#14. Tan

As earthy colors return to fashion, it’s time to embrace tan. This beautiful shade is much more than light brown: instead, think of the tawny hue of a lion’s mane, crisp autumn leaves, or worn leather.

Tan curtains look handsome against a blue-gray wall but retain the soothing, peaceful effect of the gray.

Burlap Color Semi Sheer Curtains

#15. Beige

Beige is a step paler than tan and covers tones like oatmeal. If you’ve used a darker gray for your walls, consider textured beige curtains to prevent the room from being cold and dark. Beige linen is a timeless classic.

Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout Window Curtain with Grommets

Final Thoughts on the Best Color of Curtains for Gray Walls

Gray’s versatility means you have a vast choice of curtain colors. Gray-on-gray tonality is modern and sleek, while contrasts add drama and interest to your home. Or stick to warm neutrals for a minimalist yet comfortable vibe.