Truth be told, it’s the ability to collaborate with my customers that enables me to come up with new valance styles and to find simple ways to tweak my existing valance designs. Normally the MAISON Hidden Rod Pocket valance style has pleated pelmets at each end that extend slightly below the lower edge of the valance.
Recently I had a custom valance project request for a set of dining room windows, 2 singles and 1 double. The main fabric was to be P. Kaufmann Queensland in a crimson colorway. I’d used the fabric before so I already knew that there would be challenges to face when deciding the best way to handle the pattern repeat of the overly large floral bouquets on the fabric. The fabric has a 27″ half-drop print repeat. This means that instead of having 2 large floral patterns side by side on the 54″ wide fabric, there’s a full bouquet and then instead of there being another one directly beside it, it’s instead moved halfway down on the fabric.
For this set of valances the focus would be on the large yet exquisite floral design of the fabric. The MAISON Hidden Rod Pocket valance style was chosen and then given a simpler look by removing the pleated tails that would usually adorn it. I altered the valances’ shape by extending the width of the scallop a bit and for the double valance that was 66″ wide I added decorative cording to turn the center seam of the valance (usually covered by a pelmet) into a decorative element of the valance instead.
With just a few tweaks to the MAISON Hidden Rod Pocket valance pattern, a new more “casual” valance style was created. I loved the new style so much that I have decided to add the CASUAL MAISON Hidden Rod Pocket valance style to my list of available style options.
The new style worked out nicely to finish off the French Country look that my customer was using to decorate her home!
Not long after that job was completed I had another opportunity to creatively tweak a MAISON Hidden Rod Pocket valance for a double window again. This time the amount of fabric available to use was limited and the print on the paisley fabric was designed so that the 2 rows in the print repeat went in opposite directions.
Since the MAISON Hidden Rod Pocket valance was to be for a double window, it was designed to have 2 sections. I decided that each half of the valance would mirror the other side so that the design was balanced.
If you look closely at the photo of the valance you will see that the design on one half faces to the left and on the other side it faces to the right. I actually triple checked my pattern layout before cutting just to make sure that the pieces would meet in the middle as planned.
The customers from both jobs were thrilled that I was able to find solutions to solve their problems and I even ended up with a new valance style for my business. One of the best things about my business that I enjoy most is collaborating with my customers when they need something special. I can’t wait to see what we come up with next!
I’m very curious how the hidden rod pocket works. Can you explain?
My valances are designed to have the rod pocket “hidden” on the back of them. This makes them easy to ship since they aren’t stapled to a board but they still have the look of being board mounted once they are installed on the wide pocket rod. When looking at the valances from the front you don’t see the line of top-stitching that would normally be there for a rod pocket valance. If you have any other questions please feel free to message me through the website using the contact information.
How long are your valances?
The standard lengths of the valances shown in the photos range from 16″ to 18″ long, however since the valances are custom made for your windows they can be made in different lengths as needed.