Fabric Window Treatments: To Match Or Contrast

Curtains, drapes, and fabric window coverings have been a major part of home decorating for centuries and they will remain a staple for years to come as they are thanks to their versatility. They provide shade, insulation, and privacy and come in a wide selection of colors, textures, and patterns. With so many colors to choose from, how does one choose? Read on to hear the cases where we suggest you complement your decor with contrasting tones and when to keep it neutral.

Velvet curtains in French Blue paired with cellular shades

Why choose window shades or curtains that contrast with the rest of the colors in the room?

Contrast creates an indirect hierarchy by highlighting the most important aspect of the room. When decorating your rooms, the goal for many is to add visual weight to the room and to attract the attention of one's guests. To do so, go with colors that have high contrast; for example, black and white. Contrast is used to bring attention and life to a room by making it dynamic and lively. This can be achieved in various ways by going on opposite sides of the color wheel, varying in textures, patterns and even materials.

What colors contrast well in a minimalist decor?

In cases where our clients want to add contrast to their spaces, design consultants will base themselves on the client’s interior design style. For example, minimalist decors often have white, black, or different tones of grey as base colors with little to no texture and sleek designs. Our consultants may direct you towards colored cellular shades as they are light and textured, roller shades with colorful patterns to attract the eye or colored draperies to soften the raw look of a minimalist home and add movement. In a scenario where a client’s room is light grey and white, black or navy-blue blinds will create contrast.

Another example would be that of the bohemian style; such decors often involve plants, light rugs, exposed string lights, and wood. Overall, these are spaces with a lot of texture and depending on your needs, different window treatments may be suggested. Our consultants may advise you to go with neutral-colored roller shades if you want to focus on your decorative pieces or to go with roman shades to further add color, texture and emphasis to your surroundings. In a scenario where a client’s bohemian style involves light beige and wood tones, blinds that have a touch of bright blue or red are perfect.

What if I don’t like bright colors in my decor?

It is important to note that some people are not fans of high contrast decors, and that is fine since our design consultants can easily answer their needs. To do so, our consultants will stay within the same color scheme by playing with intensity, or the same texture scheme. For example, rural and rustic decors often involve heavy wood, brick and rock exposure; however, many clients adore that decor style and would rather emphasis it or supplement it by installing fabric blinds with the same rustic or rural feel. Usually, these clients are looking to match their decor on a monochromatic level. Therefore, our consultants may direct you towards our bamboo shades or our “Naturally Inspired” roller shades that include textures and colors like that of woven wood shades. This will not only attract your guests’ eyes to the centerpieces of such decor but create uniformity and a feeling of familiarity between rooms.

Overall, window treatments made from fabric can easily be used to create contrast or uniformity by playing with colors. Contrasts may be created by adding bolder colors and patterns; uniformity may be created by looking for textures and colors resembling that of your home.

- Jade Moubarak, Design Consultant