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The Best Dark Window Treatments to Create an Alluring, Moody Interior

How you can use dark-colored shades to complement your moody interior design style

By: Ava Williams

Updated: 4/11/2023

If you’ve ever been drawn to a deep, alluring blue sofa, or noticed the intense dark gray draperies in a magazine, you might be on to a new trend: moody interior design.

Moody styles are a recently popularized interior design style in which dark, richer colors are repeated throughout a space. Using a darker palette may seem like a depressing idea, but it can be done very tastefully. In fact, moody decor in a space can emote romanticism, elegance, and class.

How can you add dark colors into a space?

You can add dramatic darker shades throughout a space by choosing one color and repeating it in paint, decor, and furnishings. Even though you’re choosing one color, you can intensify or soften it by going deeper and lighter in tone to add dimension like in this office from Leclair Decor, a high-end design firm.

You can also add dramatic darker colors to create a moody interior by using a couple darker colors together as they did in some of these spaces.

If you don’t want to have an overwhelmingly dark space but still want a similar effect, pair your darker shades with a neutral color or two.

A dramatic paint color is incredibly effective, and you could easily balance your paint palette with complementary colors and more neutrals in accent pieces and furnishings.

If an all-over repaint is not an option or seems too daunting a task, consider using your home furnishings to complete a moodier look. You can take advantage of the moody interior design style by choosing the deeper, rich tones for larger pieces. This could be larger furniture pieces, rugs, or window treatments.

A deep rug and rich, solid sofa of different colors will make a dramatic statement. Drapery is synonymous with elegance, so if the time is right to upgrade your window treatments, consider adding darker colored drapes to bring richness to your new moody interior.

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Use darker window treatments for a striking statement

Dark-colored window treatments attract the viewer’s eye, demanding attention. Drapes in particular are suited for dark colors. They’re already an elegant and timeless addition, and lend themselves well to rich, deep colors. Like draperies, Roman shades can also be a great choice, as they’re crafted from fabric, too.

Moody interior design styles often feature one or two rich colors repeated throughout a space. Choose drapery as one of your dramatic furnishings to bring attention to your windows and pull the viewer’s eye around the room. Custom drapes are a gorgeous, appealing element that balance a room by drawing attention from the center of the room to the edges. This can also give the illusion of more space — especially if you hang them a bit higher and wider than the windows themselves. Our design team can help you determine the exact size and scale of your custom window treatments — and installation is always included.

Just because you use dark window treatments does not make your space automatically dreary. In fact, the look can actually look elegant and tasteful, as it does in the window treatments from interior design studio Sandra Morgan Living. The window treatments are a very deep olive, and absolutely make a statement in that room.

Dark colors don’t necessarily mean blackout

Even if you choose a dark color for your window treatment, it doesn’t mean that your window treatments have blackout abilities. There are many factors that go into creating a blackout window treatment...

  • Tightness of the weave
  • Material
  • Liner
  • Type of window treatment
  • Fit within the window

Window treatments such as roller shades or Roman shades have the ability to be room darkening. Solar shades are another great option to increase light control — offering a range of weaves from light-filtering to almost-blackout.

If you’re seeking total blackout light control, you’ll need to have your custom shades or draperies made that way. Blackout shades and drapes are excellent for bedrooms or spaces where light control is a top priority, so make sure you mention this to your design consultant if it’s something you’re seeking.

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Do dark drapes make a room look smaller?

Dark window coverings do not automatically make a room look smaller. Room size isn’t always dramatically affected by one individual design piece, but is often impacted by multiple elements working together.

Dark drapes or window treatments are excellent for small spaces in which you'd like to have an intimate feel, such as an office or a nursery. On the other hand, they’re also excellent options for open concept spaces where you want the viewer's eye to be caught by the window tree treatment from across a wider area.

Moody spaces can emulate beauty and elegance, but others make a space feel cozy and homey, so make sure you choose the right color to create the feel you’re looking for in your moody interior. If moody spaces interest you, find inspiration photos and pick out your favorite moody colors you’d like to see in your home.

Knowing what you do and don’t like for your moody space will help you gain clarity on what you’ll want to see in your new window treatments. If you can’t settle on just one color, don’t worry — we’ve got a team of professional design consultants who help our clients make the right choices for their homes.

While a moody space would do best with the drama and elegance of custom drapes or the soft sophistication of Roman shades, all our shades have many different options for color. In fact, our custom-made drapes and Roman shades are offered in more than 300 different fabrics, so you’ll be sure to find a fabric that matches your vision.

If you’re curious about using dark colored window treatments for your moody interior, schedule your free consultation. Our professional design experts will help you find a dark window treatment that will bring your moody interior design style to life.