How Long Should Window Valances Be

You may be able to make a 16 or 17 inch drop valance work in some cases but anything less than that may be too short.

How long should window valances be. Starting at the top of the window opening or curtain rod the valance should be between about 12 and 18 inches deep in most cases around 15 inches. It depends on many things but generally speaking the valance will need to be somewhere between 2 to 3 1 2 times the width of the window you re trying to cover. For example if the window is 50 inches wide the valance should be about 100 to 150 inches wide when laid flat. A 60 inch tall window then would call for a 16 inch deep valance while a 48 inch window calls for a valance about 13 inches deep.

You can make it as long as you like so long as it fits your window. Anything less than 16 inches is too short and only works in situations where the role of the valance is to be a mere accent or when the ceiling or the window itself is too low. Then decide how long your valance will be. Measure the width of your window opening or curtain rods and make a note.

For example a fuller pinch pleat valance should have a minimum drop of 8 inches. A standard valance should have a drop of about 18 to 24 inches. There is not an exact ratio to use for valance length but a good start is around one sixth to one quarter the height of the window. However if your windows are very wide you can go a bit longer than that.