Rooms Lacking Drama
Room decor can be a tricky experience. Something seems to be amiss all the time. Either the furniture looks out of place or the color does not blend well with the wall colors, or the furnishings seem to fall short of the expectations. Sometimes the decor pieces don’t do justice to the decor style of the room. Your window treatments like curtains and blinds also contribute much to the styling. However, despite all efforts and with right pieces in right places still the rooms seem to be lacking in something. All items are in sync with each other but nevertheless the room fails to hold together. Very often it is the absence of a little drama that fails to bind the room into a harmonious whole. And the best way to infuse a little drama is by adding a cornice or valance to your windows.
Cornice & Valances
Cornice is a decorated and ornamental framework of wood which is mounted over the upper part of the window. It is a wooden box with three sides and can also be upholstered for added visual effect. Valances on the other hand are not structured and are made of fabric. They cover the top part of the windows and hang loosely along the sides of the windows. Valances and cornices help to hide the ugly window treatment hardware and also the curtains rods. They help to enhance the insulating abilities of the windows by preventing heat loss from the top part of the window. These window treatment solutions have a long lasting visual impact. They can make the windows the focal point of home decor. If you room has multiple windows and sliding glass door or French door, using the same cornice or valance can integrate the room into a cohesive whole. Without going overboard, a little drama can make a huge difference to the room decor.
Valance
Valances play a key role in taking window treatments to the next level. You can choose from a wide range of colors, styles and designs. There are different styles like cascade, scalloped, summerhouse, scalloped pinched bells, scalloped ties etc. Use the one that suits your decor style. For a more traditional decor you can opt for cascade, Bordeaux, summerhouse etc while for a more contemporary home Carolina, buttons and bells, inverted box look fantastic. For a more luxurious feel brocade, satin and silk compliments a medieval decor style while soft sheer fabric and linen are for minimalist contemporary homes.
Valances help to add softness to the bare windows which otherwise gives off an empty look to a room. They allow the room to enjoy natural light without keeping the windows completely uncovered. Rooms with too many windows can create a clustered appearance and valances offer a finished look by adding layers. They also give balance to the room by adding horizontal lines against the vertical fall of drapes.
Perfectly tailored valances with lovely designs and colors can completely transform your homes. colored valances can help you to add a pop of color in a neutral shaded room. If you have too many solid colors in your rooms including drapes, offset this by using a designed or patterned fabric for your valances. For kid’s room, you can use cartoon printed fabrics for your valances to create a special unique appearance.
To help window valance accent your room decor keep in mind the following:
Pick a valance with one or two focal points. Trying to include too many features like buttons, trims, ties etc. will spoil the show and make the valance look too cluttered and do nothing for the room. Choose a design that is simple. If you are used scalloped hemmed valance remember that the scalloped bottom is the focal point. Do not use crowded designs.
Choose the right fabric. For your valances you can choose from floral designs, ikat fabric, chinoiserie fabrics, and geometric lattice fabric. When customized and tailored well, they are great for your modern homes.
Cornice
Cornice boards are as much in style as valances. They offer a structured and accomplished look to the windows and to the rooms. if you have want a wooden finish for your rooms you can opt for classic and traditional wood cornices which can be painted or stained in wood colors to match the color of your furniture or color scheme.
Upholstered cornices are stylish and plush. They do a great job in accenting the decor theme that you are trying to create. The fabric helps to add a layer of texture to the windows. Like valances, you can choose the design and color of the fabric to blend with the color scheme of the room. You can add simple designs or geometric patterns of an elegant stylish appearance. Cornice boards come in different shapes and you choose the one that suits the decor style of the room.
Cornice and valances spice up the decor of any room. Pick and choose well so that they blend well and accentuate the beauty of your rooms and not stick out like a sore thumb. Your rooms deserve better.
