The Comeback of the Kitchen Valance

What are kitchen valance curtains? They are simply those fancy little baby skirts at the top half of your grandma’s kitchen window.  While they were originally a good option in concealing drapery hardware, and while drapery hardware have aesthetically improved over the generations, leaving no room for kitchen valance curtains, they now and again manage to have a good comeback, primarily due to their cosy, homey, and sometimes funky retro style.

Below are some very creative ways as to how to style kitchen valance curtains in any part of your home:

• By the name itself, you can already imagine the fringes that this curtain can contain. This classic styling technique may require twice the length of fabric needed to achieve the gathered effect, and dangling ornaments are a very welcome idea to make the skirts seem alive.
• Whether it is because you lack the budget to find real valance curtains, or you just wanted to do some DIY around your kitchen design, this very easy and very practical way of styling can double up as a full-length curtain during the sunny hours while retreating as a rolled valance when the shade is no longer needed.
• Minimalistic, straightforward, and yet can bring together a room; this particular valance is very easy to do and with little to no fuss at all. Just make sure to work out the wrinkles so as not to distract from the symmetry and the clean and crisp look that this curtain aims to bring.
• Gathered, with finals. Instead of rods, these valances hang on pre-installed hooks on walls topping windows. Although they may take up some permanence, if you are a committed type of person who really wants to achieve this dramatic look for the rest of the year (or years to come) then this valance type is definitely for you!
• Box-pleated. Somewhat like an extension to the straight valance, this type of valance can be reserved for more formal areas like dining areas, libraries, offices or studies as they can give a sense of structure and focus to a room.
• This valance has a pleated centre where two valances arch and meet. This is particularly fancy-looking for more squared rooms to break up too many sharp edges. The smooth arch can fit perfectly in a milder setting like in a nursery or in a home kitchen to break up the sharpness.
• This is a particularly modern and contemporary way of styling a valance. It features horizontal tiered steppes that can complement any minimalistic approach to styling or decorating a room.
• This type of valance can sport a good variety of geometric bottoms to counter its straight top edge. It can also come in contrasting colours to make it pop out further. This type can be quite bold and daring, so if you are up to personalizing or totally owning a room with some bold geometric statement, then by all means, go for the sculpts.
• As the name implies, this valance is as poufy as it get. It is actually proportionately cinched at the ends to create a swooping balloon in the centres. It can be finished off with bottom fringes for a more polished and finished look to it. This is a classic valance that can often be seen in the old silver screen movies, and thus can give out that old 60s feel to it in any room that you place it.
• Tie-top. This simple-to-do and easy-going valance is usually made of light fabric that can delicately hang by itself on a simple curtain rod. The tabs tied above are usually the same material as the body of the valance. It can give a room a carefree and fresh feel to it. Perfect for bathrooms and children’s rooms.
• Queen Anne. This valance, with its scalloped cord placed horizontally against the fabric, is probably the most dramatic of all. Even just by the name itself, the Queen Anne Valance can bring about a theatrical flair to it –almost similar to the corded curtains on a stage. Choose it in deep hues to intensify the drama. Maroons, moss greens, and navy purple are good choices for this.