These are simply shorter curtains, draperies, or soft shades, usually about a foot long that hang over the top edge of curtainsare made of fabric draped across a drapery, covering a rod or shaped form at the tops of the windows. They are allied more closely with the drapery than with the wall and are decorative in nature. Valances are open at the top and do not serve the energy conservation function of cornices. Different styles of valances are Austrian,; pouf, shirred, tapped, ruffled or pleated may help establish the character of various historical periods during which they were popular.
Last modified: Saturday, 10 December 2011, 1:52 PM
