Whether you have a room with a view or not, window valances done right can be a view themselves in your home. From the structured pleats of a Sheffield-style valance to the rustic ruffles of a rod pocket valance, there’s no dearth of options to satiate your taste when you shop for made-to-measure valances from The White Window.
Made-to-measure valances grant you the perfect opportunity to make up for that missing je ne sais quoi in any room. It’s like sprinkling icing on the cake to complete the recipe, transforming your home from drab to fab. So, whether you have a window too bare or with an existing treatment that needs to be capped off, our valances will fit the bill.
Variety, Versatility & A Valance for Every Decor Aesthetic
Designers have turned to valances across the barriers of eras and fleeting trends. So, trust valances to pull a rabbit out of the hat every time because these beauties can surprise you with their versatility — blending themselves into almost any decor style. Whatever aesthetic you ask for, whatever side you stand on the spectrum of decor styles - we have a valance for every sensibility. Let us elaborate on that -
FROM EXTRAVAGANT MAXIMALISM TO UNADORNED MINIMALISM: Whether you’re a ‘less is bore’ aesthete or ‘more is more’ believer, our valances will let you indulge in your preferences. While our free-flowing Board Mounted Swag Valances zhuzhed up with tassels betray regal excesses, our Pole-Mounted Modern Flat Valances relay elegance through stripped-down shapes. Between pleated, ruffled and flat fronts, scalloped and straight bottoms, pinched and hand-gathered, you are sure to find the right degree of luxe elegance or simple charm that you desire to create.
FROM RAW MASCULINE TO CURVY FEMININE: Scallops and softly rounded pleats drenched in dainty colours are typical of feminine spaces whereas straight-lined, sharp-edged details steeped in dark palettes read instantly masculine. No matter which side you lean to, we have fabrics, palettes and valances to cater to your vision. Like our Board-Mounted Modern Flat Valance that evokes sturdiness and simplicity typical of a man’s den and the Board-Mounted Shawl Valance that speaks to the organic shapes of feminine decor.
FROM TRADITIONAL RUSTIC TO FINE-TUNED MODERN: From the frills, ruffles and petite florals of countryside homes to the neutral-toned textures and clean silhouettes of modern decor styles, valances can go the cosy grandma-style route or the contemporary polished way. Pick our Pole-Mounted Rod Pocket Valance with Header Frill on countrified motifs like ditsies and ginghams for a rustic setting. And, for a trendy approach, consider a Faux Roman Shade Valance that ‘looks like’ a functional window treatment while offering a polished adornment.
FROM FORMAL DRESSED-UP TO CASUAL DRESSED-DOWN: Both, the tailored finesse of the formal living room and the lived-in charm of the casual family room can be relayed through the colours, patterns, fabrics, and above all, the structure of the valance. Take our Board-Mounted Scalloped Valance with Box Pleats, for example, that when designed in a classical damask could perfectly echo the rigged-up beauty of a traditional home’s pleated drapes, chintz upholstery and antique rugs. On the other end of the spectrum, an informal space will look more homely and lighthearted with our Pole-Mounted Grommet Top Valance whose hand-gathered pleats look more casual than the architectural folds of the formal tailored ones.
Whether adorning the windows of a chic urban loft or a glamorous cocktail lounge, grand period homes or modest cottages, there’s always a valance that’ll complement your space. When paired with the right fabric, palette and pattern, each valance style can speak to a specific period, aesthetic and mood. All you have to do is let your imagination lead you; the tools to bring it to fruition are right here at The White Window.
Mounting Styles of Valances: Personalise As You Like
Personalisation is what distinguishes made-to-measure from mass-produced products. And, we take the artistic freedom of our clients seriously, allowing them to customise not just the fabric and structure of the valances but also how they choose to mount them.
To help you choose the mounting style of your valances, here’s a brief guide:
Board-Mounted Valances
Our board-mounted valances come pre-mounted on the wooden frame with velcro, and can be easily removed/attached for cleaning and maintenance. Delivered to your doorstep, ready to mount with all required supporting hardware, these valances are easy to install and easier to fall in love with. With their well-defined architectural make-up and perfectly tailored silhouettes, board-mounted valances are highly suited for formal and semi-formal spaces.
If you are not keen to show the hardware of your drapes/ blinds for any reason, our board-mounted valances offer the practical advantage of being able to cover/hide any undertreatment hardware.
Note that the wooden boards provided with our board-mounted valances are 10 cm deep by default. If you’re planning to use your valance as an ‘overtreatment’ for your curtains/ blinds, please do check whether the curtains/ blinds will have enough room to operate without any friction. If you’d like a board with more/ less depth, please do get in touch with us and we are usually able to accommodate such custom requests.
Pole-Mounted Valances
As you can guess by the name, pole-mounted valances are mounted on poles, much like drapery. Depending on the style you choose, they come with stitched-in rod pockets, grommets or pinch-pleated headers to be used with curtain rings and clips. Being more ‘flowy’ and less structured in their construct, pole-mounted valances are better suited for casual and informal spaces.
If you have show-worthy hardware sets, an equally stunning valance will double up its decor value. Or, if you have drapery poles already installed but full-scale drapery does not fit your aesthetic vision, pole-mounted valances offer a stylish and more befitting alternative.
Plus, you also have the option to install them within the window recess which is not possible with board-mounted valances and traditional cornices/ pelmets. Since pole-mounted valances are typically envisioned as casual and lightweight accessories, you can use tension rods to mount them too. The only consideration you must make is they will be taking some space permanently away from the windows. Therefore, inside mounting is not recommended for small windows.
Lastly, you would have to factor in whether you’ll be using pole-mounted valances as standalone window treatments or pairing them with drapes/blinds to determine the hardware needed:
SINGLE POLE: If the plan is to use valances as standalone, or pair them with blinds, a single pole to mount the valance will fulfil the need.
DOUBLE POLE: If the plan is to use valances as an overtreatment with curtains that are also mounted on poles, you will need a double-pole hardware set to accommodate both. The upper/ front pole will be used to mount the valances and the lower/back pole will be used to mount the curtains as the back-layer.
More than ‘Add-Ons’: Valances as Functional Treatments
While valances are primarily seen as ornamental additions meant to enhance the looks of a room, they can - in fact - be highly functional accessories offering benefits that go unconsidered by many home decorators.
Off we go to burst another myth — ‘valances are just decorative add-ons.’ Let’s talk about how valances serve so much more than ‘just looks’:
SEAL LIGHT LEAKS: Even blackout window treatments can fail if you have light peeking in through the top of the window frames. And there’s nothing as vexing as unwanted light on a sleepy morning. Valances can save your sleep and your day! Perched above the windows, valances guard the top edge of any window treatments underneath, thereby, sealing any light leaks.
HIDE THE HARDWARE: Think of one unruly strand of hair that refuses to settle while you’re all dressed up. Similarly, you may find yourself stuck with unsightly window treatment hardware like drapery brackets and rods, window blind cassettes, white plastic tracks, cords and clips, or maybe curtains with a heading style that doesn’t sync with your decor anymore. Our board-mounted valances can hide all these unsightly elements and create a neat and polished look.
CREATE OPTICAL ILLUSION: If you have short windows, strategically mounted valances can make them look ‘visually longer’. Allow us to explain — if you mount your valances a few inches above the window frame and let the bottom hem of the valance cover just the edge of the window trim, the true, shorter height of the window will be hidden away. This clever technique tricks the eyes into perceiving the height of the window to start with the valance, creating the illusion of taller windows and adding a sense of verticality to the space.
MASK IRREGULAR WINDOW HEIGHTS: Windows placed side by side should ideally be identical twins, but if you’re being challenged by adjacent/closely positioned windows that start from two different heights, valances are the heroes again! Mount your valances at the same height above the windows masking the uneven starting heights on top. They will hide the true starting points of the windows and create a consistent visual line across them, maintaining the symmetry and aesthetic of the space.
How to Measure Valances
The measurement of valances is dictated somewhat by personal preferences and the decor language of the space. However, there are some basic rules and simple formulas that can serve as a solid starting point. Here’s your mini-measurement guide:
How to Measure Valance Height
GO BY THE 1/4th PLUS 3cm RULE: Stylists recommend a simple time-tested formula to calculate the length (drop) of a valance: 1/4th + 3cm. Basically, calculate 1/4th of the total height from the valance installation point to the bottom window sill, and then add an additional 3cm. For example, if this distance measures 60cm, the ideal drop for the valance would be calculated as (1/4th of 60 + 3cm), resulting in a drop of 18cm.
FOR VALANCES LAYERED WITH CURTAINS: When you’re layering your valances with drapery, the drop height should be determined with respect to the drapery length with a simple equation — 1/6th of the total curtain height/ drop. For example, if the curtains measure 150cm in length, the recommended valance drop is 1/6th of the curtain length, equating to 25cm.
MEASURING JABOT LENGTH: While you can go as dramatic as you like with jabots, or only extend jabots a few inches beyond the swags, two good guidelines to follow are either double the length of the swags or 1/3rd of the drapery/ window length. Of course, you’re allowed some breathing space to determine how theatrical or modest you’d like them to be.
How to Measure Valance Width
The valance width measurement will vary depending on the valance style you choose since you need to specify the ‘finished’ stitched width of your valance when ordering your valances from The White Window.
However, before we delve into the style-specific measurement guidelines, there are a few universal rules worth bearing in mind. Stylists recommend extending the valances beyond the window trim by a few centimetres. This added width is known as the ‘overhang’ that makes the windows look larger, creating a more sumptuous look.
Additionally, if you plan to use valances as an overtreatment with curtains or shades, factor in the width of the hardware of the curtains/roman blinds since they should be comfortably covered by the valances. Therefore, the valances must be wide enough to overlap the window treatments below it.
Now, onto the style-specific guidelines:
FLAT FRONT AND PINCH-PLEATED VALANCES: Whether you’re measuring for flat front valances or pinch-pleated valances with pre-sewn/ fixed pleats, the math is pretty simple. Just remember one easy-peasy formula – the width of your windows/ drapery pole plus a few centimetres extra for coverage.
To give you an example, if the width of your window (or the drapery pole/ roman blind if you’re using valances as overtreatment) is 100cm, then the total width of your valances could be specified as 110cm. This accounts for an extension (or overhang) of 5cm on each side. While you may add more than 5 cm on each side if you want, we recommend not going above 15cm.
HAND-GATHERED VALANCES: In the case of styles like pole-mounted grommet top valances or rod pocket valances, the valance needs to be hand-gathered onto the pole to form pleats. While measuring widths for such styles, you must consider the ‘fullness’ in your calculation. What does that mean? Let us explain:
‘Fullness’ refers to the extra width required to form lush pleats. The higher the fullness, the more rounded and gathered your pleats will be. Conversely, low fullness will render shallow, sparse pleats. Now, onto the measurements:
Consider a window of width 90cm. Extending a few centimetres on each side, you may ideally want a ‘mounted valance width’ of about 110cm. Now, if you are aiming for lush pleats, we recommend ordering a valance width that features 2x fullness, i.e., (110x2)=220cm. If you prefer less dense pleats or need to economise, then order width with 1.5x fullness, i.e., (110x1.5)=165cm. However, we advise never to go below 1.5x fullness since the valance will look skimpy and start resembling a flat sheet of fabric hanging on your windows.
Shop Made-to-Measure Valances, Window Scarfs & Swags from The White Window
Valances can be the pièce de résistance of your decor. Replicating the trompe l'oeil effect in your interiors, valances give an extra edge of dimension to your windows while serving numerous functional benefits. And if you envision them right, we promise to deliver perfection right to your doorstep. So, start your retail therapy with The White Window Blinds, where over 2000 stunning fabrics await you. Oh, and samples and shipping are always on the house, so you can shop away to your heart's delight!
MADE-TO-MEASURE ROMAN BLINDS | TRIMMINGS & PASSEMENTERIE
