Can You Pair Valances With Plantation Shutters?
31st December 2019
3 min read
US - Trustpilot
Yes — valances and plantation shutters pair beautifully together. A valance is a fabric treatment that covers only the top of the window and stays fixed in place, unlike curtains, which open and close. Originating in Victorian interior design, valances remain a popular finishing touch today, and they work especially well layered with shutters.
Why Pair a Valance With Shutters?
Valances and plantation shutters share a few practical advantages, which makes them a natural pairing:
Easy to maintain: Valances are small enough to machine wash, while shutters need nothing more than a quick wipe with a damp cloth. Together, you get a stylish window treatment that's genuinely low-maintenance.
Affordable style: Valances add a decorative touch without the cost of covering the full window, making them a budget-friendly way to introduce pattern or color.
Layered light and privacy control: Shutters handle the functional side, light, privacy, and ventilation, while the valance adds a finished, decorative look up top.
Which Shutter Style Works Best With a Valance?
Shutter Style | How It Works With a Valance |
|---|---|
Covers the bottom half of the window, while the valance covers the top. You get full light and privacy control on the lower half, with the valance softening the top and adding extra privacy without blocking all the light. | |
Covers the entire window for complete light and privacy control, while the valance sits above as a purely decorative layer, framing the top of the window without affecting how the shutters function. |
Styling Tips
A valance is a great opportunity to add a decorative contrast to your shutters. Try a patterned valance to complement a bold shutter color, or a bold-colored valance to contrast against a simple white shutter for a more striking look.
The Bottom Line
Pairing window shutters with an existing valance doesn't just create a more finished look — it also adds to the practical benefits of both. You get easier control over light levels, more flexibility around privacy, and a window treatment that's simple to keep clean.