11 Curtain Colors That Will Look Gorgeous Alongside The White Walls In Your Home

White walls in rooms are classic and remain popular as color trends come and go. White walls are believed to make rooms look bigger, lighter, and brighter, and they work beautifully for various decor styles. But what if you yearn for some color to liven up your white walls? Adding fabric accents is the easiest and most cost-effective way to add color without making a major change (like changing paint colors or carpets). Curtains can be a very budget-friendly way to change a white room's look with a touch of color, and we've gathered some gorgeous color ideas for you to try, including pale pink, silver, turquoise, terracotta, and pale yellow.

Before choosing curtains, look closely at the white on your walls. Is it a warm white or a cool white? Warm white paint colors tend to have undertones of yellow, pink, or orange, while cool whites have undertones of blue or violet, and these undertones can dictate which accent colors are going to work well. If you can, try to get some fabric swatches to hold up to your walls and windows before buying curtains, as this will help you determine which colors look best with your specific shade of white paint.

Curtains can add color to a room in very dramatic or understated ways, depending on the weight of the fabric used, the type of curtains, and their placement. Sheer fabrics let more light into the room, while some fabrics that are embroidered or embossed (like satin or brocade) reflect light to add subtle glints of color. Morning light is usually cooler in tone than afternoon light, which is often warmer, so this can also help guide you in your curtain color choices. 

Pink curtains may seem like a choice for a child's room, and this color often has feminine connotations. However, from a decor standpoint, a pale shade of pink can lend a soft yet sophisticated look to a white-painted room. Pale pink in a room can impart feelings of health, peacefulness, and calm. Pale pinks can be warm with peach or apricot undertones or cool with lavender undertones. If you want to explore pink but don't want to paint the room in this shade, adding curtains is a great way to incorporate pink into your home decor. 

If your white room has you craving dramatic color, consider curtains made with turquoise fabric. This vivid jewel tone is a bright blue-green that conjures images of the ocean and the colorful, naturally occurring gemstone it's named for. Although it's a cool color, it can work well alongside either warm white or cool white walls. Consider adding some accents in vivid warm jewel tone colors such as gold, ruby, or cinnabar for a striking contrast, or choose pale turquoise for a more unified look.

White walls with gray curtains may sound like a recipe for monochromatic boredom, but it's all about the fabric. Choose a silvery gray fabric with texture and shimmer, like brocade or jacquard, for a visually dynamic look that is classy and understated. Silver grays tend to be cool, but dove gray is also an option: this versatile color is a slightly warmer pale gray with beige or light purple undertones. Since grey is neutral, additional colors can be brought into this palette for a color boost: try pale blue, cream, or light mauve.

Terracotta is an inviting and unobtrusive color, combining tones of orange, brown, and pink, that works well as a warming neutral in a white room. Invoking the color of faded brick, adobe roofs, desert sunsets, and garden planters, terracotta brings a feeling of nature indoors and also looks great with touches of natural green from houseplants. It offsets other neutral colors like beige or grey by adding a subtle, warm glow and is a great choice for a west-facing window where warm sunset light comes in.

It's hard to beat black and white decor for intrigue, but getting the balance right can be tricky: too much black can seem oppressive or somber, and heavy black curtains dim a room's light. In a white bathroom with a black vanity, black sheer curtains make a stunning statement, allowing control over the amount of light let in, defining the minimal space with blocks of strong color, and softening the sharp contrast with the delicate weight of the fabric. These work especially well for bathrooms because they function as privacy curtains that let light in while adding effortless style. 

Pale blue is considered a tranquil, relaxing color, reminiscent of the early morning sky, and it's often paired with white in beach houses, bathrooms, and bedrooms. There's a range of light blues to choose from, from sky blue to ice blue to periwinkle, but the slightly greenish tone of robin's egg blue has an uplifting feel that makes it a vibrant choice in decor. There is a slightly warm feel to this cool blue, and with white walls, it can work well alongside touches of warm pastel colors like creamy lemon yellow or pale apricot.

This invigorating color has a juicy feel to it, invoking thoughts of flowers and fruits, as well as glamorous gowns and city lights. A little magenta goes a long way, which makes it a great choice for accenting a white room. For an exotic look, why not pair magenta silk cushions and sheer magenta curtains with creamy white walls? The jewel-toned accent color will make your room feel glamorous, and the cool, pink-tinted light shining through magenta sheer drapes is guaranteed to ensure mornings feel rosy and cozy.

White on white? Not quite. For a very subtle yet iconic statement, try pairing oyster-colored curtains with your white walls. Oyster is one of those color names that feels very descriptive yet also hard to pin down: it's a warm off-white with a grayish-lavender undertone and also a whisper of pink. Oyster satin drapes, their shimmer echoing the pearly sheen of an oyster shell, are subdued but also sensual and alluring, the epitome of sophistication for a monochromatic decor palette. 

Trendy neutral green paint shades have recently become popular in home decor, but if you don't want to paint, curtains offer a flexible way to incorporate this refreshing and calm color into interiors. With white walls, neutral green accents can make an invigorating color statement, invoking nature, especially when earth tones and house plants are added. With darker neutral greens, try a sheer curtain fabric, which can lend a feeling of dappled forest light to the room when the sun comes in.

It seems odd to think of peach as a neutral color, but this pastel hue that inhabits a space between pink, yellow, and orange does have a subtle, unobtrusive vibe if used effectively. Pinker shades of peach can look closer to salmon or coral, which are cooler, denser colors, but pale peach with yellow undertones has a softer, lighter feel. In a white kitchen with blonde wood cabinets and gray countertops, peach curtains have a cheery, inviting look that seems especially at home in a farmhouse-style space.

Creamy warm white walls with cool white trim are a delicate and subdued color statement. The trim accentuates the natural feel of the walls, and a pastel yellow window treatment is a smart way to complete this look. Buttery yellows and neutral pale golds lend warmth without being too busy, perfect for a bedroom. This soft color palette also contrasts well with a touch of deeper, cooler color to tone down the room's brightness for a relaxing environment.