Kitchen Valances Are Still In Style, If You Do This One Thing

Kitchen valances — those mini-curtains hanging out at the tops of kitchen windows — were all the rage from the 1970s through the 1990s. The '90s versions were often rather big and ballooning (my mom, along with many other people at the time, stuffed plastic grocery bags into ours to make them puff out). Valances back in the day also tended toward the ornate, with buttons and lace and trimmings aplenty. Like so many other retro décor trends, the valance is coming back in vogue. But it comes with a caveat.

As you're implementing other throwback design practices that have come back into style, like using vintage kitchen appliances and installing old-school lighting, it is, indeed, acceptable to swag up your kitchen windows. But you need to make sure the valances you opt for fit with current aesthetics. There's a fine line between outdated and on-trend.

Gone are the poofy, ruffly valances of yesteryear, adorned with busy floral patterns or cutesy farm images. Today's versions are modern and more minimal — an accent rather than a focal point. Rather than overrunning your window like an awning, or floofing it up like a frilly dress on a china doll, today's valances are much simpler and tidier. They should highlight and complement your window — not cover or overwhelm it. A valance should be sophisticated — present in subtle ways, but not so much a standout feature that is overly noticeable and pulls too much focus.

One big problem with the throwback valances once found in almost every home is that they were oversized. That doesn't play today. A valance should just fit your window. Its shape should also reflect simplicity, and clean lines are a good approach (though designers are also still using more ornate shapes in some cases — it really depends on the space and accompanying décor).

Trimmings should be kept to a minimum. It really takes skill to work in adornments like tassels, buttons, and other decorative pieces without immediately throwing your valance into outdated territory. Think simplicity, simplicity, simplicity — less is more.

Floral patterns are actually still okay. They're on trend. But contemporary florals are more whimsical and abstract, in bolder colors and patterns. Geometric prints, though they've been popular for quite a while, are still holding strong and are a good choice for a valanced window treatment, as well.

The takeaway with reintroducing the window valance to your design scheme is that it must fit with current stylings. Done right, window valances can look great in your modern-day kitchen. Done wrong, they'll beam your space right back to the '80s or '90s (and not in a good way).