Cornice board make-over

Last week I spent an afternoon helping my "Timeless Kitchen" client breath new life into her dining room cornice boards.  I am a believer in trying not to "throw the baby out with the bathwater" so since she  already had these window treatments, which she made and painted (she has the DIY mojo, this client), I knew we could freshen them up.  So armed with our beautiful fabric, some muslin, quilt batting and a staple gun, we set to work.

Here we are before, a valence is the perfect window treatment in this room situation and these had nice bones, so why not re-use them?

We really kind of winged it on this project. I didn't read any tutorials and I will be honest in saying that this is not  the best "how to post," but you'll get the idea.We brainstormed along the way about what would work, gave it a try and if the result was what we wanted, we ran with it. First, since we were covering up the existing trim, we had to cut and fit a piece of batting to do the job of creating an even surface.

 Next were the layers...more batting, muslin and the chosen fabric. Careful planning for how the fabric pattern would land on this cornice was a must. The pattern appears very geometric but is in fact a more random, loose, hand done design, making this step very important.  We made sure that both valences had the same pattern at the center point so that even though they are different sizes, the pattern placement is the same.

 We started stapling at the top, from underneath all of the layers. When that was done, we gently pulled the layers over the bottom edge and secured them on the back side.

Two cornices and a few hours later and viola... our finished product!  My client and I were delighted with our efforts. When you see the full reveal of this kitchen, you'll really appreciate how these treatments tie the space together. Even the electrician, who was installing light fixtures while we worked, gave his seal of approval.

 Have you ever begun a DIY project with only an idea and no firm instructions?  How did it turn out?

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design? 
If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Design Concept Board or a complete Room Rx.