A window valance (or pelmet in the UK) is a form of

window treatment A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent materi ...

that covers the uppermost part of the window and can be hung alone or paired with other

window blind A window blind is a type of window covering. There are many different kinds of window blinds which use a variety of control systems. A typical window blind is made up of several long horizontal or vertical slats of various types of hard mate ...

s, or

curtain A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain), water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theatre that separates the stage from the auditorium ...

s. Valances are a popular decorative choice in concealing drapery hardware. Window valances were popular in Victorian interior design. In draping or bunting form they are commonly referred to as ''swag''.

Types

Window valances are also called window top treatments. The earliest recorded history of interior design is rooted in the renaissance Era, a time of great change and rebirth in the world of art and architecture, and much of this time saw understated, simple treatments, eventually moving towards more elaborate

fabrics Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

of multiple layers of treatments, including, towards the end of this period, valances, swags, jabots, and pelmets. By the Baroque and early Georgian period (1643-1730), elaborate and theatrical treatments placed high emphasis on the cornice and pelmet as a way to finish off the top of a window treatment. Valances can be used alone but are often hung over windows where curtains and

drapes Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles (Old French , from Late Latin ). It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothin ...

have been installed to better frame the windows. They are often installed over kitchen sinks or in other areas where floor space may be limited or blocked; they can be used to hide architectural flaws and windows placed at different heights; when using

blinds A window blind is a type of window covering. There are many different kinds of window blinds which use a variety of control systems. A typical window blind is made up of several long horizontal or vertical slats of various types of hard mater ...

, shades, and shutters, valances are often used to soften the windows or to tie in the fabrics of corresponding furniture such as couches and recliners. Valances can be manufactured with any type of fabric, but most are made of

jacquard Jacquard may refer to: People * Albert Jacquard (1925-2013), French geneticist and essayist * Joseph Marie Jacquard (1752-1834), French weaver and inventor of the Jacquard loom * Robert Jacquard (born 1958), American politician Other uses * A M Ja ...

, silk, faux silk, poly/cotton, linen, satin, velvet and

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include natural ...

. Many are lined with an extra piece of fabric sewn on the back to prevent the solar radiation from damaging the fabric.

Balloon valance

The fabric of this valance curtain "balloons" out providing a full appearance. Balloon valances are commonly made of lightweight

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

material.

Swag valance

The fabric of this valance curtain hangs across brackets and drapes over the top of a window, with tails hanging down on each side. Almost any type of fabric can be used. When a lightweight or sheer fabric is used this may be known as a

scarf A scarf, plural ''scarves'', is a piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, religious reasons, or used to show the support for a sports club or team. They can be made in a variety of diff ...

valance.

Ascot valance

The fabric of this valance forms triangular shapes which hang over curtains or drapes. These valances are often made of more elaborate materials, including silk or velvet fabric with tassels or fringe.

Italian valance

The fabric drapes across the top of the window with the length of the fabric forming a curve with the shortest width at the center of the window.

Box pleat

A flat, symmetrical fold of

cloth Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

sewn in place to create fullness, spaced evenly across the top of a drapery. The fabric can be folded back on either side of the pleat to show, for example, a contrasting fabric.

Cascade

A zig-zag-shaped piece of fabric falling gracefully from the top of a

drapery Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles (Old French , from Late Latin ). It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothin ...

or top treatment. Cascades can also be called an ascot or jabot, depending upon the shape and pleat pattern used.

Cornice

A rigid treatment that sometimes serves as a mask for holding attached stationary draperies or for hiding window hardware or even masking architectural flaws. The cornice is typically constructed of a chipboard-style wood or other lightweight material over which some kind of padding is placed, then covered with a fabric of choice and finished with decorative trim or cording. Like all other valences, a cornice is usually mounted on the outside of the window frame.

Jabot

A stationary panel, decorative in nature, used in tandem with a swag (

festoon A festoon (from French ''feston'', Italian ''festone'', from a Late Latin ''festo'', originally a festal garland, Latin ''festum'', feast) is a wreath or garland hanging from two points, and in architecture typically a carved ornament depicti ...

), also known as a tail.

Pelmet

Much like a valance, only the fabric has been stiffened and shaped and then embellished with a variety of decorative edgings, including trims,

tassels A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe. History and use In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...

or color bands.

Rosette

Fabric gathered into a shape of a

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

. Typically placed at the top right and left corners of a

window frame A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent mate ...

to accent an existing treatment, such as a scarf or drapery panel.

Scarf

A single, lengthy piece of lightweight fabric with a

color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...

/pattern that shows on both sides (as opposed to simply being imprinted on one side) that either wraps loosely around a stationary rod, or loops through decorative

brackets A bracket is either of two tall fore- or back-facing punctuation marks commonly used to isolate a segment of text or data from its surroundings. Typically deployed in symmetric pairs, an individual bracket may be identified as a 'left' or 'r ...

placed on either side of a window frame.

Swag & tail

A section of draped fabric at the top of the window that typically resembles a sideways “C” shape (swag) sometimes coupled with a vertical “tail” which hangs on either side of the swag. There are many kinds of swag top treatments, but the prevalent styles are the basic pole swag or the bias swag which can be hung in a variety of ways, including from a

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

box or a pole attached directly to the inside of a

window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent materia ...

frame.

Valance

A treatment ranging from simple to elaborate, the valance is a piece of decorative fabric usually hung from a rod, a piece of decorative hardware or a board. Valances can take on many shapes: scalloped, layered, pointed, arched, pleated, shaped, gathered, tailored,

grommet Curtain grommets, used among others in shower curtains. A grommet is a ring or edge strip inserted into a hole through thin material, typically a sheet of textile fabric, sheet metal or composite of carbon fiber, wood or honeycomb. Grommets ar ...

top.

References

{{reflist Interior design Windows