Frills are too flouncy for me - keep it clean and simple !!

agree, if you have to cover it up, box pleat valances are ok. They look fine in a bedroom in a stately hall, though .........

will no one think of the dust :)

I love that idea, Tudor Rose!

I use simple box valances on my traditional brass bedsteads...mainly to hide my shoe collection stored in wheeled boxes underneath. For me divans don't work!

We were so surprised when we added valances into our collection, they've gone down a storm... and like the rest of you say - the less frills the better - we've stuck with a simple box pleat in a selection of colours and people love it.

Relaxed Denim Dove Grey Valance · More Info

Wow what great DIY work Tudor Rose! Thanks for sharing.

Can anyone tell me if there are valances for beds with legs as in the four-poster at the top? I have had to slit the valance down the corner to go either side of the legs but would love a proper heavier valance that does this.

Some online websites e.g. Littlewoods and Oxendales, have wrap around valances which are similar to Tudor Rose idea - I have purchased these in graphite and linen for my divan beds and wouldn't use any other type of valance as it saves having to place the normal platform valance under the mattress which can be a struggle! These wrap around valances are in stretchy material and the result is as good as what you get in an upmarket hotel.

No. I like a clean and airy feel in bedrooms, so the less fuss, the better.

Whether or not to use a valance is dependent on the style of bed and the room it's in. I'm about to make up gathered valances for a client in a colourful fabric by Voyage Decoration. It will soften the hard lines of the wood bed frame and add lots of colour to the single beds. The same fabric is being used for the gathered valance on the large angled bay window. This Edwardian room can take the large areas of pattern and will benefit from the frilliness.

In another room, I've specified a plain valance in a dobby weave with pleats at the corners and in the middle of the long sides of the bed. The room is elegant but simple.

In another, more contemporary home, I've used upholstered bedsteads so no valances were required.

Incidently, in the USA what we refer to as a bed valances is known as a dust ruffle. Yes it catches the dust, but throwing the valance in a washing machine quickly solves that problem.

Twee

Depending on how you make your bed, it is often essential to cover up an ugly divan base. I have one bed like that and have a very simple box pleat valance that tones with the colours in the room. No frills needed and I wouldn't want them.

patoliver9 - I'd love to see a photo of these projects once completed!

Bed skirts and valances are completely different so can't vote yes or no to include both. I made the mistake of buying a valance and if you like washing a heavy valance with skirt attached every week ok, but I should have bought a simple bed skirt to use with a fitted sheet over the top of the mattress which is miles easier to wash than the heavy valance that I bought. Actually I still put a fitted sheet over the top of the valance as I don't fancy sleeping on the heavily patterned wit valance itself.