Not having valances for windows is like not having eyebrows. Your eyebrows complete your face often enhancing the rest of your features and finishing the frame for your face. Window valances perform the same function for your windows. They can add style and warmth to a room while covering curtain hardware. They give windows covered with blinds a finished look. There are many varieties of valances suitable for all types of windows.

Different types of windows need different styles of valances. Let’s look at a few of these styles. There are arched windows, bay windows, and French doors, short and tall windows. With enough planning and imagination, you can create the perfect window décor with a combination of shutters, blinds, curtains and the right window valances to top it off.

Arched or palladium windows have the half circle window above the main window portion. These arched tops admit light without sacrificing privacy and add a decorative element to the window area. The valance would hang beneath the arched top and would usually be the rod pocket type of valance. This is the customary type with the opening along the top of the valance and a curtain rod slides through this opening. Bay windows need to be decorated as individual windows and the type of valances will depend upon the type of décor you are using in the room. The hardware used and its placement are critical in the effect you want from your window treatments.

To add length to shorter windows, hang valances higher on the wall. The opposite would be true for taller windows. A valance should not fall more than one third of your window treatments length. Valance styles can compliment your room décor or add contrast. Choosing the right style of valance will be important in achieving the effect you want with your window treatments. Common styles are balloon, tailored, swag, scarf and ascot valances.

For romantic, feminine, or nostalgic effects, the balloon, scarf and swag valances work well. Sleek modern themes call for the tailored, ascot and even the scarf valance. Formal rooms can use the swag or ascot style. Fabric and pattern can also enhance the effect of the valance. A valances hemline or edge is also a huge factor. The scalloped valance has an uneven hemline that creates many different visual effects. Some can be very unique in appearance.

The balloon valance is created by doubling the fabric and gathering it at the top of the valance. This makes it hang so it puffs out like a series of balloons. You can purchase a valance already ballooned or do it yourself by adjusting the fabric along the rod to get the effect you desire. These valances are made of lighter weight materials and suitable for a more romantic or feminine look.

A tailored valance is made of one thickness of fabric, usually a stiffer fabric, which blocks light and allows it to filter through the draperies or curtain underneath. This valance is used in more traditional decors but will also work in an ultramodern scheme.

Swag valances are usually a set of three pieces. The center piece hangs down the middle of the window and is flanked on each side by longer pieces. This valance can be pleated in the center piece for a more formal effect. The swag window valance is probably the most common type of valance and the most recognizable especially in kitchen window valances.

The scarf valance is ultra romantic while being simple enough in design to be used in modern settings. These valances usually touch the floor on the sides of the window and are made of sheer fabric. The fabric is looped over the rod offering a casual or soft appearance. Since the fabric is sheer, the rod should be ornate or decorative as it will be visible through the valance.

For a vintage look, the ascot valance is one of the best choices. With a rod pocket top, the center piece hangs down the middle of the window and is flanked by two longer pieces that cover part of the window frame. These side pieces are longer than those for a swag valance.

Window valances of wood or faux wood are commonly used with wood window blinds to create a perfect frame for your window. Wood valances can be simple in design or very ornate and intricate. The choice of real wood or faux wood will depend on your budget allocated for your window treatments.

So just like eyebrows come in all shapes, sizes, textures and colors offering an endless variety of frames for your face, window valances have the same characteristics and perform the same function. With a simple change in the color or the addition of a pattern on a valance, the whole appearance of a room can be updated.