Every top treatment project begins with the window and the room, but the finished look is shaped by structure, fabric, and detail. Depending on the space, your top treatment may take one of these forms.

Hard cornices are built on a solid frame and upholstered in fabric, often finished with trim, nailhead accents, or a shaped hemline. Because they hold their shape, hard cornices work well in rooms that call for a crisp, tailored line, such as formal living rooms, dining rooms, and primary bedrooms.

Soft cornices use the same board-mounted structure as a hard cornice but are finished with fabric that is pleated, cut, or gathered for a softer silhouette. Cut pleats, accent buttons, and tailored hemlines are common details that add texture without adding bulk.

Valances are shorter, softer top treatments that can be gathered, pleated, or shaped along a board mount. Styles we fabricate include:

• Board-mounted gathered valances
• Empire-style valances, with or without bishop sleeve cascades
• Box-pleated valances, with or without outlining top trim
• Scalloped or curved-hem valances
• Sheer valances for a lighter, airier look

Swags and cascades bring a more traditional, layered look to a window. Fabric is gathered into soft swags across the top of the window and finished with cascading side panels. These are often mounted on decorative medallions or short rods and pair well with formal drapery and sheer treatments.

A mock Roman valance recreates the folded look of a Roman shade in a stationary, board-mounted piece. It is a popular choice for layering over roller shades or other functional shades, since it adds texture and dimension without interfering with daily use.

Top treatments rarely work in isolation. Most are designed as one layer within a larger window treatment plan.

Over shades. A board-mounted valance or mock Roman treatment adds color and texture above a roller shade, cellular shade, or Roman shade, while the shade underneath handles daily light and privacy control.

Over draperies. A cornice or swag and cascade can conceal the drapery rod and hardware, add a finished top line, and tie the window into the rest of the room’s drapery design.

On its own. In some rooms, a cornice or valance alone provides enough visual interest without additional layers, particularly in kitchens, breakfast nooks, or smaller windows where full drapery coverage is not needed.

Because a top treatment is a fixed, structural piece, the fabrication decisions behind it matter more than they do with a functional panel. Fabric weight affects how a soft cornice or valance holds its shape. Trim, banding, and nailhead accents change the character of a hard cornice from tailored to traditional to transitional. Board length, mounting height, and bracket placement determine whether the treatment reads as proportional to the window and the room, or slightly off.

They are especially well-suited for large windows, tall ceilings, formal living spaces, primary bedrooms, dining rooms, open-concept rooms, and areas where scale matters. In these spaces, manufactured or ready made panels often fall short because the length, fullness, fabric quality, lining, and hardware are not designed around the room itself.

These are the details we plan for during the consultation and design phase, before fabrication begins.