If you live in a small home such as a modest beach house, cabin or sleep-out that has a small kitchen window, there are a number of methods you can use to dress your kitchen window. Traditionally curtains or shades are often the first thing you will think of because they look comfortable and provide privacy when required. Homeowners are finding that a nice stylish kitchen curtains can be used effectively as an alternative without reducing the natural light.
As a general rule, any room that has a small window needs as much light as possible to flow into the room. The strategic use of a stylish colorful valance can also cover up poorly fitted window frames and provide a fresh look to a plain looking kitchen.
The following are two simple methods that can be used to dress a small window with a valance–
The High Valance. By fixing your valance rod 5 or 6 inches above the window frame and then hanging your valance fabric so that it only covers one or two inches of the window area will give the illusion the window is much larger than what it is. By having as much glass as possible exposed to the sunlight will mean more light will flow into the room. If you are concerned with privacy then it is a simple matter of hanging plain cotton sheers beneath the valance.
Wooden Frame Valance. Another option is to build a box type frame at the top of the window which when fitted to the top of the window can make the small window look bigger. BY painting the box frame the same color as the kitchen walls it will blend into the surroundings. This type of valance can be used to fit curtain tracks inside so that drapes or curtains can hang away from the window. If the room is too small to allow this a curtain rod can be fitted closer to the glass. A wooden valance has the appearance of adding depth and style to small featureless windows.
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