When decorating a room, one of the easiest ways to express your personality is by the window treatments you choose. Whether simple or elaborate, opaque or solid, the fabrics and textures you select help make the room your own.

Creating a window treatment can be a lot of fun, and is not the difficult task many people think. In fact, one does not have to be a master interior designer to come up with a window treatment that is original, tasteful, and pleasing to the eye. The process can actually be very simple.

Cornice boards, despised in the seventies and eighties, are back in vogue for the new millennium. The great news about cornice boards is they do not have to be the heavy wooden boxes with all the intricate carving of yesteryear. In fact, they don’t have to be made of wood at all.

Today, cornice board kits are available which include basic components made of Styrofoam. These pre cut pieces are ideal to use when the object is to create a padded cornice board. After assembling your Styrofoam frame according to the kit’s instructions, cover the frame with batting. Rolls of batting can be purchased at any craft shop and many discount stores. To secure to the frame, try some fabric glue and perhaps a staple or two. The use of hot glue is discouraged, as it can melt the Styrofoam, leaving your frame distorted and less sturdy.

When deciding on the fabric to cover your cornice board, take a look around your room. Consider the color of the walls, the grain of any of wood in the room. What minor colors in the upholstery, pillows, or carpets could you pick up for the window treatment? Along with the color scheme, what types of fabrics are present in the room? How many varying textures, weaves, and blends are already represented?

Once you have determined the color and texture of the fabric for the cornice board, lay the fabric flat, and place the cornice board frame on the fabric. Make sure you cut a piece of fabric that will allow you to completely cover the cornice board, with the seam visible only on the inside of the board. Carefully used a staple gun or fabric glue to secure the fabric, making sure the material remains taut and smooth. To further dress the exterior of the board, you may choose to attach roping to outline the edges of your cornice board. Fabric glue will allow you to do this without any actual sewing.

Creating a dramatic series of layered panels to go along with your cornice board can also be fun. Just as with the selection process for the material used on the board, turn to the elements in your room for cues on what types of fabrics, colors, and textures will work well in your panels. Generally speaking, you can create a dramatic layered look by using a series of panels of different lengths in conjunction with the cornice board. A suggestion would be a three tiered look for the panels. In order for the panels to seem to flow effortlessly from the cornice board, consider this arrangement of textures: begin a heavy fabric panel as the top overlay, a slightly less heavy panel for a middle overlay, and then something thin or sheer for the underlay panel. Allow about a third of each panel to be exposed, going from cornice board to floor.

There are a couple of ways to successful have this multilayered look. One would be to create each panel by sewing the three pieces together at the top, include an open hem for the curtain rod at the top, and then hem each piece of the layered panel to the appropriate length. Alternatively, you can achieve a true layered look by using a triple curtain rod set, placing one set of each of the panels on each successive road. A third means of achieving the look would be to use a double curtain rod for the middle and bottom panels, and securing the top panel to the cornice board itself.

When assembling this multilayered treatment, don’t be afraid to be a little adventurous. Grab samples of anything you think might work in the room. Lay out a template on a work table or the dining room table and then spend a little time trying different texture and color combinations. Keep going until you find a combination that feels and looks good.

Once your panels are prepared, hang them first. Next, attach the cornice board to the window casing using the hardware that came in your kit. Finally, step back and arrange the panels to your liking.

Remember, there is no inherently perfect way to dress a window, so feel free to express yourself and come up with something that is right for you and your room. The end result will be something you can enjoy each and every day.

Written by Malcolm Tatum - © 2002 Pagewise