Upgrade Your Shower Style: Dress Up Your Bath with Valances, Cornices & Pelmets

Unless you’re talking about a new fabric, there usually isn’t much to talk about when it comes to shower curtains. (Though we could go on about the pros and cons of curved vs. traditional curtain rods.) However, there’s one decor element that can upgrade any shower curtain into a focal point: A valance, cornice or pelmet.

Usually, these elements are found in formal window treatments, so they don’t immediately come to mind when you’re thinking about redoing the bathroom. But after seeing this darling design from AGK Design Studio (shown above), we’ve become fans of the look. While this is more on the “formal” end due to the pelmet’s shapely form, we’ve seen pelmets/cornices/valances go in other stylistic directions.

HGTV’s Marian Parsons created this DIY cornice, which goes so perfectly with the bathroom that it looks like it’s always been there. She also made the double curtains, another element we’re loving.

Jenna Sue of Jenna Sue Design Co. made this cornice by using reclaimed wood from another project in her home, a DIY barn door for her laundry room. The rustic textures goes great with the farmhouse-themed bath.

Anita of Cedar Hill Farmhouse also used reclaimed wood for her bathroom. You might notice that the lace curtains aren’t true shower curtains —which is an intentional choice, as this is a bathtub that the family does not use.

We spotted this valance in the bathroom of the Seacliff Residence by Massuco Warner Miller. The fresh green hue of the valance and curtains liven up the brown-and-white color scheme used throughout the bathroom.

The curtains and curved valance in this bathroom by Design Manifest are made of fabric by Caitlin Wilson Textiles. The bright colors make this feature the focal point of the neutral bathroom.

Designer Abby Manchesky used Dwell Studio’s Ming Dragon fabric to go with the dramatic dark walls. The custom curtain and valance combo was made by Tonic Living to custom-fit the bathroom.