Window Valances

I have a lot of people who have asked me how to make window valances, so today I’ll show you how! Putting a window valance at the top of your curtains is a great way to add more color and pizazz to your room, and of course it does not need to cost a lot of money.


1 4 foot X 8 foot sheet of MDF costs around $20.00 but we did not use the entire sheet as you can see by the picture below. We wanted our valance to be fairly large, so we cut the MDF to be 15 inches wide and because of the size of the window we were building it for, it had to be 9 feet long. We used about 1/3 of the MDF sheet so this cost around $7.00.


Since the MDF sheet was only 8 feet long, my cute hubby configured a way to make the MDF longer by hooking it together with hardware.

We then used “L” brackets to attach 5 inches of MDF to each side to help it stick far enough off the wall for the curtain rod and curtains to have plenty of room. The total cost of hardware was around $3.00.


I wanted the valance to be unique, so I decided to use paintable wall paper that you can find at your local Lowes store. The wall paper comes in large rolls, and you can buy all sorts of patterns. This particular roll of wall paper cost me $16.00. The roll was 25 feet of wall paper, and we probably used 11 feet of it. This cost right around $7.00 worth of wall paper.

We followed the instructions on the packaging of the wall paper and went at it.


Then I stapled the wall paper in place on the back of the valance to hold it into place for good.
IMPORTANT: Let the valance dry over night before painting it.

I also didn’t get a picture of the hubsters putting on the crown molding, but to customize the valance, he added a strip of crown across the top. I loved the look it created. Crown molding costs $1.20 a foot, and we needed 10 feet for this project. The cost for the crown molding was $12.00.

Next, I painted it brown. (with paint I already had sitting around) and I know you will all be SHOCKED by this, but I did NOT spray paint this! 🙂 I rolled it on.
Then, I glazed it black. I wanted the brown to be deep and rich. Glazing it created just the look I was going for. It almost looks like leather. Love it.

Then we (when I say we, I mean he) installed the hardware for the curtain rod across the backside of the valance. We used a wooden dowel for the rod.

Here she is all ready to be hung.

Here she is all done. I love how it turned out, and the great thing is…you can make it your own by painting it whatever color will work in your house!
Total cost of valance: $29.00.
Sidenote: I also made the curtains with $1.00 a yard fabric from Home Fabrics. So, they were super cheap too!

Here is another picture of the entire space. I wish you could all see this in person, the pictures just aren’t doing it any justice.

UPDATE: Would you like to see how we HUNG this window valance on the wall? Click HERE!

Published on April 1, 2010

58 thoughts on “Window Valances”

  3. LOVE the idea of using a texture wall paper instead of fabric which can be so old-fashioned sometimes. This is so pretty!

    Reply

  5. I am SO EXCITED to see this post!!! I have been wanting to make a valence, but didnt know where to start. Thank you for sharing! P.S. Love your rug! We have the same one!

    Reply

  10. Cute! I wondered what they looked like up close! I wouldn't have thought to use the wallpaper. I just padded and upholstered mine. Which reminds me, I still want Dave to make one for our bedroom.

    Reply

  13. Love it! I am also wondering how you attached it to the wall…..this might be on my to do list for our bedroom…or our dinning room…or our living room 😉

    Reply

  16. I LOVE THIS! I just recently found your site and I just have to say you ladies are amazingly talented! The only way I would like it better is it my house looked like yours!

    Reply

  22. There is no end to the great ideas of how to use paintable wallpaper. I found some for $3 at the Goodwill and bought it knowing I would see a great post on how to use it. This is a definite possibility. I love the finished product.
    Thanks for the inspiration.
    Traci

    Reply

  23. Impressive. I just put some of this pressed aluminum up in my mom's kitchen but I like you idea of how to use it. Wow, another project to add to my long long list. of to dos. :0
    Pamela

    Reply

  29. I just discovered your blog and I decided that we should be best friends. In fact, I think you should come hang out at my house. We can diet coke (my favorite)and you can tell me everything you would do to make my house as cute as yours. You are truly amazing!

    Reply

  30. hi! one more question…how long was the dowel rod you used and WHERE did you get it? we need an 81" long one…so we glued/taped two dowel rods together. won't stay up. falls down every night and is on the floor when we wake up in the morn. really don't wanna spend $$$ on a curtain rod! thanks!
    -sierra
    sierra.keaster@gmail.com

    Reply

  32. Hi, I love this website! My husband and I made a valance like this a few years ago. Ours was bit smaller cuz we used border sized wallpaper and used a small molding on the edge to finish it off.

    Thanks for sharing! Blessings!

    Reply

  34. I LOVE this window Valance!!! You are AMAZING! What color brown paint did you use? Mine isn't coming out the dark leather color like yours. When you add the glaze/black paint mixture, do you then wipe some of it off? Thanks!

    Reply

  35. This is awesome! I can't wait to do this.
    Side note: I think the 2nd paragraph should read: "One 4 foot x 8 foot sheet. . ." 😉
    I could not figure out why you were having to splice a 14' board to make a 10' one.

    Reply

  38. I would also like to know what color brown you used and how you did the glaze to achieve that deep, rich brown color. That is the color that I need for our living room. Please let me know when you have a moment. Thank you!

    Reply

  39. I searched Pinterest for rust curtains & found your tutorial. Just wanted to let you know that I made this AND LOVE IT!!! OK, well my husband & his friend did all the carpentry stuff, but I applied the wallpaper & painted. {I didn't glaze, because I've never done it before & didn't want to screw it up! I used Oil Rubbed Bronze paint.} Anyways, I did a post about my new living room decor, if you'd like to see how it turned out! Thank you so much for posting this!!

    http://www.amuslovesbutch.com/2012/01/living-room.html

    Reply

  41. We just finished making one of these, and we love it! What a fabulous idea! My hubby and I painted it brown, and are considering glazing it. We just like how you can see the texture so much in your pictures, and I'm guessing the glaze helps with that. How did you apply the glaze? We have some, but aren't sure the best way to apply it to get the results you did.

    Reply

  42. How did you attach this to the wall? I would like to do something similar for a bed valance above my bed but need some ideas on how to attach it to a slatted ceiling:/

    Reply

  46. @Dana
    And for anyone else interested…

    The paint-able wallpaper was purchased at Lowe's! Good Luck!

    Reply

  49. I really liked your project but can you please clarify the exact name and company for the brown paint ( looks orangey copper in the photo) and the glaze. I see that someone has asked this before but it hasn’t been answered. Would love to do this for my house but I need details

    Reply

  51. Brooke – what type of glaze did you use to get the finished look? We are trying to copy your idea for our living room.

    Reply

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