KITCHEN VALANCES: TOP IDEAS FOR A STUNNING WINDOW

Kitchens don their elegant best look when dressed in beautiful natural light, and valances are the perfect decorative window treatments that let light play its magic. These short, single-panel soft accessories cover the top fourth of the windowpane while inviting color, texture, and sunlight inside your cooking space. Available in various styles, valances dress up the kitchen window just right and load it with unique character and personality. 

Coming ahead in this blog are wonderful ideas for kitchen valances, and tips that will benefit your kitchen window dressing project immensely. 

Order custom valances from Spiffy Spools online to spice up your decor right from your home. With over 3000 fabrics and a dozen styles, you can design valances for your kitchen to suit your personal style and preferences.

Valances to Pep Up Any Kitchen with Oomph

Just because the kitchen calls for labor, it doesn’t mean that they must miss out on style and oomph. Especially if your kitchen is open to the living room, it deserves to be elevated and chic, adding more to the overall appeal of the home, not taking away from it. So, the kitchen has to be light and airy, like all other public spaces in the home.

Kitchen window treatments, therefore, often do not have to block light or provide privacy. However, what they should provide unfailingly is aesthetic pleasance, and valances work perfectly for kitchens for this reason and many more, like:

• They take up less optical space, guaranteeing that the small kitchen window won’t be overwhelmed. This also works as a trick to maximize optical space in small kitchens.
• Being made of fabric, they are capable of bringing in any color, pattern, or texture that you wish to introduce to the kitchen decor.
• The material being fabric, valances also help to soften the space in the kitchen, so dominated by utilitarian items, hard surfaces, and squarish gadgets.
• Since valances dress the top fourth of the window, they are not at risk of being soiled by handling or splashes from the sink or splatters at the hob.
• If paired with curtains or shades, valances bestow them with a decorative topping and an added flavor.
• When placed above the window, valances help to add an illusive sense of height to the space as they draw the eye upward. 

If you’re confident about valances being just the right decor pick for your kitchen windows, we’re ready to take you on a journey with our styling tips. And it’s a promise that once you know these tricks, getting the right kitchen window valance will be as easy as pie!

Select Your Kitchen Valance Style

There are seemingly endless styles of valances. Some are simple, others more ornate, and still others make a statement. So how do you pick the best option for your kitchen? By first understanding what your options are of course! So let’s get started:

Mounting Style: Board Mounted vs Pole Mounted Valances

Based on the mounting style, Spiffy  Spools valances can be divided into two categories. Our valances come either board-mounted or pole-mounted:

• Board-mounted valances offer a formal and structured look that’s great for sleek kitchens. Here, the valance top is wrapped onto a lumber board with velcro. Our board-mounted valances come pre-mounted on board with all the required hardware for easy installation. 
• Pole-mounted valances are stitched with a rod pocket heading. To mount, simply slide the valance pocket onto the pole, and voila! This style of valance provides a relaxed, informal feel that’s perfect for casual kitchens. Note that there are two types of hardware you can purchase for your pole-mounted valance:
  • Single pole configurations are great if you’re hanging your valance as a standalone piece.
  • Double pole configurations are ideal for layering curtains with your valance.

Level of Detailing: Minimal, Moderate, or Maximal

The very word ‘valance’ brings to mind the 1960s kitchens’ ruffled short drapery with nostalgic traditional patterns that adorned grandma’s kitchen. But kitchen valances have evolved since and taken on sleeker sophisticated versions, and are very much getting back into vogue. So, no matter where your personal taste borders, on the traditional or the modern, there’s a valance style that perfectly suits your kitchen and you have every reason to incorporate it into your design.

KITCHEN VALANCES WITH MINIMAL DETAILS

A kitchen window valance with the least level of detailing will offer a modern look. Styles such as our Faux Roman Shade Valances, Board Mounted Box Pleat Valances, and Board Mounted Modern Flat Valances fall in this category.  They have minimal pleating and sleeker edges that contribute to a contemporary feel. If your kitchen is designed on the modern design rules of clean lines and zero clutter, these styles should pique your interest.

VALANCES FOR KITCHEN WITH MODERATE DETAIL

Valances with moderate artfulness offer a semi-casual look. Take, for instance, our Pole Mounted Inverted Box Pleat Valances, Pole Mounted Tab Top Valances, and Board Mounted Euro Triple Pinch Pleat Valances. Each of these designs features moderate pleating, less structure, and more flow, which provides a transitional aesthetic.

KITCHEN VALANCES WITH EXTENSIVE DETAILS

A kitchen valance with with extensive detailing will offer a formal look. One of the best examples of this is our Board Mounted Swag Valance. Similarly, our Board Mounted Sheffield Valance features a combination of bold pleats and graceful, scalloped edges – a truly dressed-up look. If your kitchen is open to a formal living room or dining room and meant to entertain guests, these extravagant valances can speak a mouthful.

A thumb rule to keep in mind when shopping for valances is to let only one element of the valance call for attention while all others stay calm. So, if you’re going for patterned fabrics, avoid trimmings, or if you’re going for pleated valances, avoid patterns. An over-stylized valance – with patterns, trimmings, an ornate pleating style, etc. all thrown in together – may end up looking outdated very quickly.  

Also, avoid valances with scallops to prevent them from getting into fire hazards and water splashes.

Whether you order board-mounted or pole-mounted valances, detailed or simple, be assured that they will look refined and last longer with privacy lining behind them. With the exception of sheer fabrics, all our valances come with white privacy lining.

READ MORE: SPIFFY SPOOLS LINING OPTIONS FOR CURTAINS & ROMAN SHADES

Decide the Palette

One of the key decor decisions about kitchen valances that homeowners are both excited and apprehensive about is the palette. Being small-statured, valances are capable of hosting bold hues without letting the design go overboard. So while you may not be ready for a set of full-scale, fiery red kitchen curtains, a statement valance may be a reasonable proposition. But if your taste comprises quieter colors, the valance can still make a significant impact.

There are two ways to go when selecting the palettes for valances for kitchen. The first method is to add a layer to the current palette. You can pick cues from existing decor items such as the backsplash tiles or your favorite china displayed in the hutch. These accent tones that can otherwise be scattered and lost can be highlighted befittingly through the valance. Or, if you have a favorite hue, chances are that many of the kitchen items are already featured in it. Your kitchen window valance can follow suit and make a cohesive flow.

The other method is one of adventure – a free-spirited engagement with colors. The valance gives you a reason to bring a whole new color to the scene as a surprise element. It can catch attention and make a statement of its own, especially with a style that makes its presence felt such as a board-mounted scalloped valance. No doubt, you’re signing in for a focal point, but, if you want to mellow it down slightly, choose a subtle color or a monochrome print that has no reference point in the kitchen.

Whichever of the two roads you may decide to take, make sure that the palette adds to the personality and vibe of the kitchen, rather than detract from it. Also account for the fact that the valance will appear white from its rear side because of its privacy lining. So in case, the window is opening to another room or common area, factor it in for the decor of that area or hang the valance high enough so it won’t be visible to the other side.

Choose between Solid and Patterned Fabrics

When choosing your kitchen valance style, another key decision to tackle is the ‘solid versus pattern’ decision. If your kitchen is dominated by solid-colored surfaces as most kitchens are, use the valance to bring in some pattern. Patterned valances add a fun element and help to make the kitchen look more eye-engaging. Since valances occupy less optical space, they won’t make the space look busy. Rather, they’ll be visual treats that make up for the overly utilitarian appeal of the kitchen space. 

For patterned kitchen valances, we recommend styles with flat frontages such as our Pole Mounted Flat Panel Valance or Faux Roman Shade Valance. Flat surfaces can display patterns in a better light than pleated and gathered surfaces, tiny motifs being an exception. 

While we love to see a bold, patterned valance in a kitchen, wanting your kitchen to profit from the quietness of a solid-colored valance is an equally worthy cause. This is especially the way to go if your kitchen has really overbearing patterns already in the floor tiles and countertops.  Solid-colored valances can do a great job by offering counterbalance. 

If you want the most minimalistic option, you can’t beat a flat-surfaced valance with a solid-colored fabric.  But even if you want to make a maximalist statement with a solid fabric valance, simply design it with an attention-calling form. For example, a pinch pleat valance offers you the opportunity to show off shapely folds on a solid fabric much more than a patterned one. 

Besides the solid-pattern ratio situation, the decor style too has a say in the solid vs pattern decision. Say, for example, a Scandinavian design will call for a crisp white valance whereas a rustic farmhouse kitchen can only dress right in a gingham valance. Decor styles also have a say in the choice of motif. Florals and paisleys look great in country kitchens while modern kitchens call for geometric prints.  So, take your decor style into account when you decide between solids and patterns for your kitchen valance.

Bonus Tip: Choose Patterned Fabrics Carefully

If you love a pattern and want to include it in the kitchen, by all means, the valance provides a lovely excuse. But here’s a word of caution – not all patterns may be right for a window treatment as delicate as a valance. 

Avoid large-scaled and sparsely laid out motifs as they can get cut off at awkward intervals when placed on small valances, which may completely alter and diminish their look. Always be sure to consider the scale of the pattern before moving forward with your fabric decision!

SHOP NOW: FAUX ROMAN SHADE VALANCE FROM SPIFFY SPOOLS

Layer Cafe Curtains with a Valance 

Do you enjoy the aesthetic appeal of valances but also want your privacy? Consider layering the valance with a window treatment that can provide it. Valances pair beautifully with curtains, shades, and blinds. But there’s one nostalgic combination that works especially well in kitchens – that of valances and cafe curtains.

Pair your kitchen valance with cafe curtains to create the perfect kitchen window treatment! Cafe curtains cover the lower half while valances cover the top fourth of the window. When hung as double panels, cafe curtains can be stacked to both sides letting free passage for light and air from between. But should they be left closed all day, a fourth of the window still remains open for light and air to pass.

In this combination, since the curtains and valances act together as a pair, it is appropriate to design both from the same fabric. Hence, whether you go for plain or patterned fabric, factor in that it will occupy a considerable amount of optical space. It is also advisable to get both stitched in the same style. For example, if the curtains are rod pockets, the valances also should be rod pockets.

SHOP NOW: CUSTOM MADE KITCHEN CAFE CURTAINS (WHITE) FROM SPIFFY SPOOLS

Be Accurate with Measurements

The key to getting all of the steps above rightly done is to get their dimensions right. So here are some handy tips to specify the length and width of your kitchen valances.

The length of the valance is partly determined by where you will position it on the window/wall. You may have decided to mount your valance a few inches above the window sill to make your window look taller. Or perhaps to place it directly above the frame to ensure more coverage. 

Taking into account the point of installation, the minimum drop of the valance should be 1/4th plus 1 inch of the total height measured from the point of installation of the valance to the window sill. 

For example, if the total length from the top of your valance to the window sill is 48 inches, then ideally the length of your valance should be (¼ of 48 + 1) inches, which is 13 inches. 

And then depending on your personal preferences, you can design it an inch or two longer or shorter than this starting length. 

If you’ve chosen a valance style with a scalloped or swaging bottom, make sure you are measuring the length of the deepest point of the drop. This will ensure that your valances do not end up being shorter than the required length. 

If there are curtains underneath, avoid lengthening or shortening the valances so much that they start looking disproportionate in conjunction with the length of the drapes.

As regards the width, the finished width of various styles of valances will be different. For example, you’d need to factor in extra width for a grommet top valance to allow the fabric to gather into nice pleats, whereas styles such pinch pleated valances or any of our board mounted valances do not need any such consideration. 

To be able to specify the correct width based on style chosen, we recommend following the detailed measurement guidance offered on our valance shopping pages.  

But regardless of the style chosen, valances should always be a few inches wider than the window. With pole-mounted valances, factor in the additional space required for the finials. If you’re hanging curtains underneath, make sure that the valance will be wide enough to accommodate their stacking room on both sides. Or if you have blinds or shades underneath, account for the space occupied by their headrail.

Order Custom Valances from Spiffy Spools

We hope these kitchen window valance ideas have helped you find the right design for your space. At Spiffy Spools, we make it easy to create custom valances that will look beautiful in your kitchen.

Read our blogs on bedroom valances, bathroom valances, and living room valances for more inspiration and enlightenment. With over 3,000 fabrics and patterns to choose from, you can create the perfect valance that meets all of your design needs!

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