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.
The Best Valance Window Treatments
The best valance window treatments are those which suit all the following perfectly
1. the shape and style of your windows
2. the accompanying curtains or window blinds
3. the style and color scheme of your room
Get all three right when choosing your window valances for best results : you will have the most perfect of all window top treatments for your situation.
Matching Your Window valance to Your Windows
Adjust the length of your valance to suit the height of the window and of your ceiling. A small window will look ridiculous with a huge long valance on top whereas a tall window and room will look out of proportion with a six inch valance. If you have a window with a curved top or a round window then choose a tapered valance to follow the arch of the window, although if your window is exceptionally beautiful I would hesitate to cover it with curtains and valances at all.
Matching the Color and Style of the Curtains or Blinds
If you have already chosen other window treatments then make sure that your valances go well with these. Although they don’t have to be a perfect match there should be some way of tying the two together if you use a contrasting fabric or color. For example, your valance may be trimmed with the curtain fabric or the curtains may be trimmed with a color found in the valance.
Matching the Color and Style of Your Room
If we start with the style of your room then this will have a level of formality which needs to be mirrored in the style of your window treatments. It goes without saying that formal rooms need a certain formality in accessories and window valances are no exception. A formal bedroom or lounge will look good with a tailored valance either an acsot style or neatly pleated swags and tails. Or even a covered simple shaped cornice board. If you room is less formal in style then simple scarf valance window treatments become an option.
Matching the Color of the Room
If you have yet to buy window blinds or curtains for your room then consider how you can make your valance window treatments and your curtains or blinds work together with the whole color scheme. You could pick out a color from other accessories in the room and use it in your curtains and valances in some way, either in the main fabric or trimming.
The Unexpected
Having given all these rules I have to say that while the best valance window treatments give a nod to these rules, they also have something of the unique or unexpected in them. Like an outfit with too many matching accessories adding something to make your valances stand out will truly make them a cut above the rest. This may be a trimming or a way of hanging them, an unusual shape or a way of combining the colors in the room. Experiment a little and have fun when choosing your valances to see if you can come up with an unusual combination which works.
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