Curtains can add beauty to a space, but if you don’t know how to choose the best curtains for your dining room, you might:

• Eliminate too much natural light
• Create contrasting color schemes
• Change the focal point of the room

First, you should start by choosing a color. The color of your curtains is one of the key areas to focus on, followed by length to ensure a proper “fit.”

What Color Should My Dining Room Curtains Be

Color and style are going to be two of the most important choices you’ll need to make. However, even if you choose a style that isn’t ideal, curtains will look good if they’re the proper color.

How to Choose Curtain Color for a Dining Room

First, you need to match curtains to your home décor. While contrast is good and often recommended, you don’t want clashing colors making your room feel unwelcoming. A few key points to consider are:

Add Contrast

Curtains can add contrast and depth to your space if you choose the right color. If bold colors are off the table and white is too boring, go with a color that’s just a shade darker than your walls. 

The darker color will add interest without forcing you out of your comfort zone.

Choose a Monochromatic Color Scheme

If you want to play it safe, choose a monochromatic color scheme for the room with curtains to match. For example, if your walls are a beige color, choose beige or tan curtains. 

Monochromatic color schemes ensure that everything in the room matches, but you can still add visual interest by incorporating lighter and darker shades of the same color.

Match Your Furniture or Décor Colors

As a general rule of thumb, your curtains should match or complement the décor or furniture in your space. 

Here are some examples:

• If you have white or tan walls and dark brown furniture, dark brown curtains are a natural choice. It matches the dining furniture to tie the look together while adding contrast and visual interest.
• If the room is mostly light gray with pops of turquoise in your décor, hanging turquoise curtains can add bold color without feeling out of place.

If you want something more than just a monochromatic color scheme in your room, matching your curtains to your décor or furniture is a great option.

Mood or Room Style

What style décor do you have in your dining room? What kind of mood do you want to create? Your answers to these questions can help narrow down your color choices.

For example, if you want to create a relaxed and calming environment in your dining room, earthy tones, blues and greys are great options.

For more formal spaces, choose colors that blend in with your existing walls or add slight contrast. 

There’s no right or wrong way to choose a curtain color. These are just merely suggestions from design experts. Regardless of which route you take, make sure that you choose a color you truly love. 

What Color Should My Dining Room Curtains Be If My Walls Are White?

 White walls are daring, and they work very well for curtains because you have a blank canvas to work with. Of course, you may want to choose a color that matches the room's centerpiece. For example, let’s assume that you have a beautiful, teal table that pops and becomes the focal point of the room.

Teal curtains that match the table may work well in a dining room with white walls.

However, a few other options and ideas for choosing curtains if you have white walls are:

• Black. If you’re not afraid of contrast, black curtains may work well for you. While you can choose from virtually any length, most black curtains will stop right before the floor to fill the space.
• White and greens. Many people choose what is considered a botanical green color for their curtains. Botanical just means a floral pattern, made of green and white leaves, which fit great in farmhouse dining rooms.
• Floral with vibrant colors. If you want to be bold and daring, why not choose a vibrant floral pattern for your space? Select curtains that are green with orange and pink flowers. In fact, the beauty of white walls is that they allow you to use these daring color options in a way that is not possible with other wall colors.
• Two-tone. Curtains can also contain white with another solid color, such as a dark gray, in the middle to make the curtains pop. This is an excellent addition to minimalistic dining rooms and will make the space flow nicely.
• Lilac. Many people choose light lilac colors for their curtains, especially if the room uses a lot of natural tones. You can use semi-transparent curtains if you want to allow some light in the space, too. Add in a nice ottoman or light wooden chair to make the lilac color match perfectly.
• White embossed. White on white often doesn’t work well for curtains, but it is an option that can work well with semitransparent or off-white curtains. Simply add a lovely, embossed motif to the curtains and it will create an upscale look.

White walls offer you a lot of freedom when choosing curtains. You can be as bold or relaxed as you want with your color option unless it clashes too much with the furniture in the room. 

How to Match Wall Color to Curtain Color (for a Dining Room)

What if you found the perfect curtains, but you still need to paint your walls? How can you match your wall color to your curtains?

You can go about this in a few different ways:

• Choose a wall color that’s one shade darker or lighter than the curtains.
• Go with a white or cream color that will complement any curtain color.
• Play it safe with neutral tones like beige or tan. 

Of course, you can also choose a wall color that matches your curtains exactly. This approach tends to work better for neutral or earthy tones. Generally, it’s best to choose a color that’s either contrasting or complementary to add interest and make your space feel more inviting.

How Long Should Dining Room Curtains Be?

Curtain length matters, too. If your curtains are too long or short, they can look out of place and throw the entire room off. When choosing length, consider the five curtain lengths and when each should be used in your space:

1. Apron. The Apron-length curtain is one that sits just below the apron of the window, about 1” below it, to be precise. Unfortunately, this curtain length is less popular because of open spaces. Instead, use these curtain lengths when the open window would be blocked by something else, such as furniture or even a radiator.
2. Floor. A floor-length curtain is a good option for a stylish room, and they stop just about 1/2" above the floor. If your dining room is smaller in size, floor curtains will make the room feel and look larger. Note: If the curtain does touch the floor, it will not hang straight. It’s crucial that the bottom stops right before the floor.
3. Puddle. The puddle style is similar to the floor style, but instead of stopping at the floor, the curtains are 6 – 10" longer. The goal is to create a puddle look on the floor, which is dramatic and luxurious. However, if you have pets or young children, you may want to avoid this style because it collects pet hair, dirt and crumbs far more easily than other options on this list.
4. Sill. Just as the name suggests, these curtains sit just about the windowsill. Ideally, the length should be 1/2" from the sill. This length is great for eat-in kitchens and breakfast nooks, but they also can work well in formal dining rooms. Sill-length curtains work well with small windows or windows above heaters and furniture.
5. Trouser: Trouser-length curtains fall 2” or more past the floor to create drama. This length looks great in dining rooms, especially when your curtains are made from thick, crisp fabric. They can really make the space feel more elegant and formal.

Proper curtain length will allow the curtains to fit seamlessly in your space and create a sense of elegance, too.

Best Curtains for Dining Room

If you’re struggling to find the right curtain color and don’t want to try a daring hue, the best curtain choice for you is simple: one or two shades darker or lighter than your walls. You can’t go wrong choosing shades for colors because they match extremely well.

For example, if the wall colors are dark blue, you may find that light blue curtains frame the window perfectly.

Choosing the right curtain for a dining room is no easy task, but I hope the guide above offers a nice starting point in the process. If you choose shaded colors, it’s an easier option than trying to use contrast or odd colors to make the room pop.