Simply Elegant Arched Soft Cornice with Beaded Fringe

When there's a lot going on in a room, I like to keep the window treatments fairly simple. And, when the walls in a room are covered with decorative painting, as in this master bath, it's critical that the window treatments enhance the look but not compete with it. This soft cornice with jabots does just that.

The gently arched valance echoes the shape of the painted arch above, and the softly curving jabots frame this window over a jacuzzi tub. The textured ivory fabric whispers rather than shouts, and a modestly sized beaded trim adds just a touch of sparkle.

The trim's decorative braid repeats the colors found in a large floral painting on the adjacent wall and coordinates with the teal mini blind.

In the photo below, you can catch a glimpse of one of the covered boards that supports the sides of the soft cornice. To achieve the perfectly flat, smooth look that I like on this type of treatment, I use a stiffener behind the fabric, along with interlining, and wrap the three layers around the "leg" on each side. The legs are attached to the dust board at a 90º angle using L-brackets and long, thin countersunk screws. Hidden behind the jabot, they can't be seen from the front, but are indispensable in keeping this treatment smooth and wrinkle-free.

Sometimes less is more, and this quietly elegant window treatment, which holds its own in a room filled with decorative painting, is a testimony to that truth.