How to match curtain colours with your blinds

The simplest way to approach matching curtains and blinds is to choose the blind first, then pick a curtain in the same colour family that differs in tone or texture. The blind does the practical work of controlling light, and the curtain adds softness on top. They do not need to be the same colour. They need to share an undertone, so that neither looks like an afterthought.

Start with the job each layer does

Blinds and curtains do different jobs, so decide what each one is for before you choose colours.

Three pairings cover most rooms:

• Blockout roller and sheer curtains. The blind closes at night for privacy and darkness, and the sheers stay across the window all day.
• SunScreen roller and lined curtains. SunScreen keeps the view and cuts glare by day, and lined curtains close for evening.
• Light Filter roller and blockout curtains. Soft daylight through the blind, with heavier curtains drawn for winter evenings.

If you want two layers in one system rather than two separate products, a double roller blind does the same job. Our guide to layering sheer and blockout curtains covers the curtain-only version.

Matching curtains and blinds: three reliable methods

You do not need a colour wheel. These three approaches work in almost every room.

Tone on tone

Pick a curtain one step lighter or darker than the blind in the same colour family. It looks calm and deliberate. For example, an Ultra "Ash Grey" blind with Cassis Volume "Ash" sheers reads as one soft grey scheme with a difference in texture.

A neutral base with one accent

Keep the blind neutral and let the curtain bring the colour. A Shade "Chalk" blind behind Bali "Blush" curtains adds warmth without competing with the walls. Or reverse it: a coloured blind such as Opulence "Cobalt" behind Bali "Snow" sheers keeps the room bright and lets the blind be the feature.

Light against dark

Contrast works when the undertone matches. Elegance "Obsidian" or Array "Jet" behind Cassis Volume "Snow" gives a crisp look. Going the other way, Shade "Ice" behind Epic "Ebony" curtains frames a pale blind with dark, heavy fabric.

Colour combinations to try

These pairings use colours from our roller blind and curtain ranges. Treat them as starting points for samples, not fixed rules.

For more options in each family, see our colour pages for white, grey, beige and black blinds and curtains. For choosing the blind colour itself, read how to choose the right colour for your blinds.

Warm or cool: match the undertone

Two greys can look wrong together because one leans warm and the other cool. The same happens with whites and creams. Names help a little: Elegance "Warm Grey" and Allure "Griege" lean warm, while Ultra "Cool White" and Screen "White Grey" lean cool. But the only reliable test is to see the samples together.

1. Order free samples of the blind and the curtain.
2. Hold them side by side against your wall, floor and window frame.
3. Check them in morning light and again in the evening with the lights on.
4. Discard any pair that looks yellow, pink or blue next to the other.

Artificial light changes colour, so do not judge in one lighting condition only. For a double roller or double curtains, order both fabrics and hold them together, as they will hang together.

Texture and pattern

Give the eye one thing to focus on. Our fabrics vary in feel: Shade is matte, Lakeside has a texture inspired by exposed bedrock, and Cassis has a soft, natural linen-look texture. Some tips:

• Pair a textured fabric with a calmer one. A Lakeside blind behind Cassis Volume sheers is enough. Two strongly textured fabrics can look busy.
• Let the softer layer be the lighter one. Sheers in front of a smooth blind give a gentle contrast in finish.
• If your cushions, rug or wallpaper carry a pattern, keep the window layers simple so the room has one place to look.

Sheer curtains with roller blinds

Roller blinds with sheer curtains is a very common combination. The roller does the work, and the sheers finish the look.

A few details make it work better:

• Roll direction. A standard (under) roll drops from the back of the tube, closer to the glass, leaving more space in front for the curtain. A front (over) roll hides the tube but sits farther from the glass.
• The backing. Serene, Ultra, Array, Allure, Elegance and Opulence have a white backing. Shade is the same colour on both sides, and Serene II and Lakeside have a colour-coordinated backing. If the street sees the blind through open sheers, the backing is usually the side they see, so choose accordingly.
• Daylight. Sheers are for daylight softening; the blind is for night privacy. Sheers alone do not give night privacy when the lights are on.

Curtains over blinds

Hanging curtains over a blind needs a little planning, because both products occupy the same window.

• Decide the blind's fit first. Recess or face fit, then plan the track outside it.
• Make the track wider than the window. The curtain then overlaps the frame, and stacks back clear of the glass. Fitted higher than the frame, it adds height.
• Leave clearance. The chain and base rail must not catch the curtain. Cordless (ZeroGravity) or motorised blinds remove the chain entirely.
• Watch the fascia. A blind fascia is a face-fit system with matching brackets and side covers, and it projects from the wall. Allow for it when you place the curtain track.
• Limited depth? Choose lined curtains or a double roller blind instead of separate products.

Match the hardware

Hardware is a small part of the picture, but people notice when it does not match.

Keep the finishes simple. If you use black on the track, echo it in a bracket or base rail so it looks intended.

Matching through the house

You do not need the same curtains in every room. Instead, keep a common thread, such as one colour family or the same heading style, and vary it by room. A bedroom may need blockout while a living room needs sheers.

• Same room, same wall: match window treatments on adjacent windows so they read as one.
• Separate rooms: vary the fabric and colour, keeping the undertone in common.
• Open plan: repeat a colour or heading style across the space so the eye moves smoothly.

Before you order

1. Choose the blind's job and fabric type first.
2. Pick a curtain in the same colour family or a neutral.
3. Order samples of both and view them together in daylight and at night.
4. Check the backing and the track and bracket colours.
5. Check depth and clearance for the blind, chain and curtain.
6. Measure with the product guides: roller blind measuring guide and curtains measuring guide.

Questions

Should my curtains and blinds be the same colour?

No. Matching the undertone matters more than matching the colour. Choose a curtain in the same colour family, one step lighter, darker or more textured than the blind.

Should curtains be lighter or darker than the blind?

Either works. Pale sheers in front of a darker blind soften it, and a darker curtain frames a pale blind. Pick the one that suits your walls and floor.

Can you use sheer curtains with roller blinds?

Yes, and it is a very common pairing. The blind controls light and gives night privacy, while the sheers add softness and colour.

What colour should the curtain track be?

Choose white, black or silver to blend with the ceiling, frame or blind bracket. Most homes suit white on a white ceiling or black with a dark frame.

Can you hang curtains over a blind?

Yes. Fit the blind first, then hang the curtain on a track wider than the window and far enough forward that it clears the chain and base rail.