Styles of Kitchen Valances
You don’t want anything too fancy in a kitchen as kitchen window treatments get dirty quite quickly with all the steam and grease in the air. However there are many kitchen valances available which are made in easy care fabrics so that you can easily launder them and have them back up at your windows in no time at all. You do need to avoid formal kitchen window valances, which need a lot of pressing or arranging however, as this will take a lot of effort every time your valances need cleaning.
The usual arrangement for a kitchen window treatment is to have a cafe style curtain along with an inset valance and then two kitchen window swags at either side of the inset valance. These so-called kitchen window tiers frame the window nicely and gives plenty of privacy without blocking out too much light. But this style of kitchen curtains and valances is most suited to country style kitchens rather than contemporary ones. You will see that many of the kitchen curtain sets and valances on sale are in fabrics like lace and gingham and these have a very homely look to them.
Eclipse Bailey Thermaback Valance - Turquoise
(CLICK IMAGE FOR DETAILS AND COLOR OPTIONS)
In many ways, with a super modern room, you are better using very simple kitchen blinds (either roller or roman style in a plain fabric) and then topping them with a simple valance, either with a tab top or in very straight shape in fabric with a bold design for impact.
You might question whether you need a kitchen window valance at all. Although it is something extra to keep clean, it does add style to your window and if your have ugly curtain rods it covers them a treat! If you are worried about keeping a fabric kitchen valance clean, you could use wooden cornices as kitchen window toppers as these can be painted and then just wiped clean when required.
Anyway, you will see from the selection of kitchen valances for sale, HERE, what a different a valance can make to even a bare window. You should be able to find the right valance for your kitchen in the selection there, many with great discounts and free shipping.
Scarf Valance Best Buys and Ideas
As window valances go, a scarf valance is the easiest kind to hang or make. It is simply a length of fabric, hung over a drapery pole in an elegant and stylish way, which is then secured to keep it in place.
You will find most scarf valances are made of sheer or very light materials such as voile or muslin as these have superior draping qualities. A window scarf valance like this is generally cheap to buy and is not worth making. You would probably find that the fabric would cost more than a ready made sheer valance. It is only when you are looking at much more elaborate valances that you can save huge amounts by making them yourself.
You can also improvise quite a bit without having to do as much as get your sewing machine out. If you find sheer or fine curtain panels which you like, but which don’t have a matching valance, buy an additional long curtain panel and use that as a matching top treatment for your window.
Brylane Home Scarf Valance (CLICK IMAGE for AVAILABLE COLORS)
How to Hang a Scarf Valance
Hanging scarf valances is actually very simple, although it may take a bit of experimentation to get the exact effect you want with your window treatment. To hang a scarf valance you need a pole or drapery rod, fixed a few inches above the top of the window, extending two or three inches beyond the window on each side or valance holders or rings which are fixed where the ends of the pole would be.
If you don’t already have a length of fabric you want to use as a valance scarf, experiment with a piece of twine or a spare piece of fabric to get the effect you want with your valance. You can then see the right length of fabric to buy for your finished scarf window valance.
Once you have your fabric, neaten the edges so that they will not fray, and then drape it over the pole with a small amount overlapping the top the window, and then loop it around the pole at the sides so you have lengths hanging part way down the side of the window (or create the same effect looping the fabric through the valance holders at the sides). You can either make these side lengths equal, or have a more asymmetric valance with one side longer than the other. Once you have a look you think you like, stand back and take a look from a distance so that you can see if it is in proportion to the window.
You can leave your window scarf valances without fixing them in place but once you have a look you like it is worth securing a valance to prevent it slipping about. All you need are a few loose stitches or a couple of pins to keep things in place. Undo these when you take your valance down to launder it. If you are worried about getting the same effect when replacing your valance, take a picture so that you can copy the look later.
How to Find the Best Scarf Valance Styles
These types of window valances are merely draped so it is very easy to copy any styles that you see. Look for pictures in interior design magazines and online (see Best Buys section below) to get the best scarf valance ideas and then just experiment with a similar piece of fabric until you get the same effect. Unfortunately, some of the look may depend on the proportions of the window you are decorating, so you may not get quite the same effect but you can have fun trying out different styles.
Best Scarf Valance Buys
You can find a lot of scarf valance window treatments at low prices right HERE. Many of the scarf valances for sale have discounts and free shipping. The pictures there will also give you some scarf valance ideas to try out.
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