Find Your Perfect Living Room Drapes with Matching Valances
Warm and welcoming, the living room is the heart of the home. It's where we gather with loved ones to relax, entertain, and create lasting memories. Dressing its windows in beautiful drapes with coordinating valances is a decorator's trick that makes this space even more special.
Valances and drapes work together to frame your view, provide privacy when needed, and infuse your room with softness and style. Choosing the perfect pair to suit your space takes planning - but the payoff is well worth it.
Measure Carefully for a Customized Fit
Achieving a tailored look starts with precise measurements. Make note of your exact window width and height. Account for hardware clearance and any additional elements surrounding the window. These details ensure properly fitted drapes and valances.
Inside vs Outside Mounts
An inside mount means rods and headers are secured within the window frame itself. This gives a built-in appearance but requires depth for hardware. Outside mounts attach to the wall or ceiling around the window. Allow extra width and height here for optimal light control and privacy.
Factor in Window Treatments
If layering drapes over existing blinds or shades, measure from the front of that hardware for accurate lengths. This helps drapes and valances sit at just the right height relative to other elements. It creates a clean, intentional look.
Select Drapery Style and Fabrics
Drapes come in a spectrum of fabrics, colors, patterns and textures to match any decor. Determine the vibe you want to create, along with practical needs like durability, light control and maintenance.
Lined vs Unlined
Lined drapes offer insulation, light filtering, and provide body and fullness. They ingest sound better too. Unlined drapes have a relaxed vibe and feature the drape's wrong side as part of their aesthetic. Use unlined drapes in low-light areas or spaces where transparency is desired.
Blackout vs Light-Filtering
Blackout-backed drapes prevent outside light from entering a space - ideal for media rooms and bedrooms. Light-filtering fabrics allow some light through while diffusing harsh rays. Sheers take transparency even further for an airy, ethereal look.
Design Your Valance to Align with Drapes
Valances provide beautiful opportunities to inject color, texture and shape. Most popular pairings include:
- Matching colors and patterns for a cohesive style statement.
- Contrasting hues that pop while coordinating in palette and feel.
- Different looks - think breezy sheers above bold velvet valance and drapes for stunning contrast.
Play with Valance Shapes and Volume
Rectangular valances offer clean lines in step with traditional drapes. For whimsy, try shaped variations like scallops, curves and points. Cascading swag valances boost volume and romance. Keep them airy to avoid overwhelming the room's proportions.
Mount Inside vs Outside Window Frame
Inside mounts nestle a valance right up near the top of the window sill for a polished built-in look. Outside mounts allow adjustment of height and width to suit the space. They also conceal hardware. Combine both approaches by layering a cornice box valance over inside-mount drapes.
Select Rods & Hardware to Match Style
Rods should complement your drapes and valances without competing. Sleek metallic finishes give contemporary spaces a streamlined look. Elaborate wood rods match traditional interiors. For whimsical spaces, acrylic offers transparent flexibility.
Inside vs Outside Mount Considerations
Inside mount rods need brackets secured right against window trim. This has a custom appearance but limits adjustability. Outside rods mount to the wall or ceiling around the window. They allow you to fine tune placement of drapes and valances to perfectly frame the view and control light.
Calculate Rod Diameter and Length
Rod diameter ranges from 1/4 inch up to 5 inches wide. Match scale appropriately - slender rods suit sheers while wide diameters anchor substantial drapes. Regarding length, rooms with multiple windows often use extra long rods spanning the entire wall's length. Verify measurements to ensure rod length spans all attachment points.
Order Plenty of Yardage
Nothing's worse than running short - it pays to estimate yardage conservatively. Consider your fabric's pattern size, repeat, and matching to calculate requirements accurately. Remember to account for generous hem allowances, headings, gathers and fullness multiplication when determining quantities.
Factor In Hem & Header Allowances
Hem depth for floor-length drapes ranges from 2 to 6 inches, sometimes more for very formal styles. Header depth including rod pockets depends on diameter - allow 2 to 5 inches here. Have drapery makers verify minimums for your project based on specifics.
Repeat Patterns Require More Yardage
Large repeats eat up fabric faster by limiting placement options and requiring pattern matching. Small repeats offer more layout flexibility. For large overall prints, add at least 20% over basic yardage needs for matching and seaming allowances just to be safe.
Installation Tips for Hanging Drapes and Valances
Installing drapes and valances is easier with accurate planning and measurements. Follow manufacturer instructions for securing brackets and rods. With details marked, mounting goes smoothly. Take things slow - once hardware's in place, simply hang drapes and finesse valance placement for a flawless finished look.
Crease to Mark Header Depth
Simply creasing a depth guide at the top edge of drapes allows easy alignment across panels for continuous headers. Keep them crisp or artfully pooled and ruched. For sizing valances, use remnants to mock up placement options before committing finish materials.
Check Drape & Valance Clearances
Before finalizing placement, open and close window treatments to verify ample clearances exist. Adjust hardware as needed so nothing binds or catches. Drapes should clear window cranks, handles and locks. Valances shouldn't block opening or closing. Confirming fit eliminates hassles down the road.
Style Your Perfect Pairing
When it comes to creating a warm, welcoming ambiance, the style impact of window treatments can't be overstated. Drapes add privacy, control light beautifully and contribute lush softness to living spaces. Meanwhile, valances lend polish, frame views artfully and conceal hardware.
Play with Height, Layers and Volume
Mount drapes near the ceiling to draw eyes up and highlight architectural details. Cascade sheers in tandem with opaque options at varying heights for dimension and flexibility. Exaggerate the valance layer with contrasting fullness, color or texture against sleek drapes.
Vary Widths and Pools for Interest
Anchor windows with extra wide side panels, adding slimmer accent drapes on one or both sides. Allow some to elegantly puddle on the floor while others remain just shy to create staggered tiers brimming with flexible function and style.
Finishing Touches Take Style Even Further
Beautiful on their own, drapes and valances also provide the perfect opportunity to have some fun with stylish accessories. Tiebacks, trim and top treatments infuse personal flair while showing off gorgeous fabrics.
Showcase with Carefully Positioned Lighting
Use sconces, pendants and accent lighting near windows to spotlight drapes and valances. Illumination showcases details, adds cozy ambiance in evenings and makes the view outside your windows even more scenic after dark.
Embellish with Ties, Trim, Tassels and Texture
Leaving drapes long and loose lends a casual vibe. For tailored polish, tie back panels neatly with sashes, straps or holdbacks. Contrast banding framed with gimp trim pops on drapes and valances. Luxe details like beaded tassels or decorative embellishment take the look up another style notch.
Caring for Your Drapes and Valances
Because they're functional elements subject to everyday wear and tear, drapes and valances benefit from proactive care. From vacuuming and spot cleaning to proper pressing, laundering and seasonal rotation, keeping them looking their best ensures windows stay perfectly dressed year-round.
Handle Embellished Textiles with Care
When drapes or valances feature delicate details like embroidery, crystals or feather trims, take care to protect embellishments. Avoid abrasion during cleaning. Check manufacturer guidance before attempting to launder. Using a soft brush attachment on the vacuum protects fragile accents.
Refresh Pleats and Shape Regularly
Crisp pleats and elegant swags rely on structure to maintain their shapely silhouettes. Freshen seams and creases with periodic pressing using manufacturer recommended settings. Avoid overloading rods to prevent hardware sag that misshapes soft treatments.
The quest for perfect living room drapes with elegant, coordinating valances rewards your space with form and function. Tailoring them to beautifully frame windows both showcases and conceals views upon demand. Beyond beauty, window treatments control light, sound and airflow while providing much-needed privacy. By artfully considering every angle of fit, placement, fabrication, style and care, your custom designed drapes and valances infuse rooms with intimacy, softness and warmth for years of stylish enjoyment.