LACE CURTAINS, VALANCES, TIERS AND PANELS CHARMING WINDOW COVERINGS TO MIX AND MATCH

Allen Nelson, the author, brings to these articles 30 years of experience in the interior design field including custom window decorating design, fabrication and installation.  His specialties involve all types of window decor including custom made curtains and draperies, ready made lace curtains and macrame ring lace as well as blinds, shutters and shades.  His designs have been used in a variety of settings in many beautiful homes throughout Southern California.

This is an example of a Lace Valance and Tier combination used in the simplest way inside the window jambs.  It could just as well be mounted on rods outside of the window jams.  In this picture we used a bolder Macrame Ring Lace.  This type of look can also be accomplished with Lace Curtain fabric purchased by the yard.










Another more formal look would be to use a Swag Pair on the sides with a Valance between the Swag sides and a pair of Panels.  An Insert Valance is not necessary if you have a narrower window.  Two Insert Valancaes can even be used to span a wider window.










By using your imagination the same treatment can be used in a completely different way depending on the configuration of the window.  In addition to this idea you could even bend a metal rod to the shape of the crescent window on top for the Swag Pair and in between Valance so that it would follow the curve of the window (See additional article below.






As you can see, by tying back the Panels you gain a view of the outside but lose the privacy.  Because the Lace Panels generally wrinkle where they are tied back you should decide which way you prefer and leave the Panels eigher permanently tied back or hanging straight.







This is a good way to make two windows look like one.  As a matter of fact, if these two windows were in a corner with each on a separate wall you could do the same thing making the whole corner wider looking, lighter and brighter.  A three window bay could be treated similarly.  You could still, of course, treat each as a separate window and hang two or three separate Lace Curtains.









The treatment using a one piece Lace Swag is limited to a fairly narrow window because there is no way to insert a Valance in the middle.  It is a very effective treatment either with a short Tier as in this picture or with a full length Panel.








A Festoon Valance is also used on a fairly narrow window but you could create an entirely different look on a wider window by using two Festoons side by side. 










A Festoon in this case or a straight Valance can be used over two Panels criss-crossed and tied back to each side for a totally different and beautiful effect called a Pricilla.  This treatment involves three rods.







In this picture just about every type of component has been used to create stil another look.  There is a Swag Pair and an in-between Valance over a Pair of full length Panels tied back with a Tier used inside the window jambs.