Reasons to Use Window Valances in the Breakfast Nook

Many people use the term breakfast nook to describe the small area at the end of or just off of the kitchen where they put their breakfast table. This dining area is more informal than a formal dining room and it is also the place where a family will eat most of its meals. In addition, many homeowners use this space for gathering and visiting with friends. Since it is such a popular room, it is important to make it as comfortable as possible and window treatments play a big part in accomplishing that goal.

There are many types of window treatments to choose from for the kitchen nook area, but window valances are probably the best choice for several reasons. The first reason is that they work to tie the kitchen nook to the rest of the kitchen from a decorator\'s point of view. Interior designers try to create lines for the eye to follow from room to room so that the design of the home seems cohesive and flows nicely. If you install the window valance treatments at the same height as the kitchen cabinets, you create one of those lines.

The second reason that valance window treatments are better than curtains or drapes is that they are installed up high where they are harder to get dirty and where the odors they trap will be less noticeable. Food always tends to end up on walls and curtains no matter how careful you are so valances are less likely to get dirty if they are above your head level. Odors from the kitchen and dining table will seep into fabric and linger over time. The window valance treatment is above the level of your nose whether sitting or standing so the lingering odors are less of a problem. For both these reasons, you will have to wash valances less than curtains.

The last reason we will discuss for choosing window valances over other types of window treatments is the fact that they come in many different styles and shapes. Curtains are almost always rectangular and hang down to the ground with straight hems. Window valance treatments can have hem lines in all different kinds of shapes like scallops, points, or castle like box cutouts. The greater variety means that it will be easier to match a certain style from the kitchen or create your own unique look for the breakfast nook. In addition, since you do not have to worry about stains or food odors, you can use a wider variety of fabrics and colors than you might be able to with curtains.