• Swag valances are a common window covering style.best place in the room image by Jake Hellbach from Fotolia.com
  
  A drapery valance is a short window treatment that covers the top portion of a window. Valances may hang alone or cover the top of blinds or curtains. Valances offer a way to hide blinds and curtain hardware, as well as give a decorative touch to any room. Homeowners may choose from many different types of drapery valances, depending on personal choice and the decor of the room.
  
  

Swag

• The swag valance, one of the most commonly used valance styles, has a signature swag of material that bows down through the middle. To create this swag, decorators drape fabric over a decorative curtain rod, while allowing the end pieces of fabric to flow down the sides of the window. The fabric draping on the sides is referred to as a "jabot." Swag valance designs range from simple to elegant and formal. This style of window treatment works well on large windows and can soften the decor of a dramatic window or a room.
  
  

Balloon

• The balloon valance has a light and fluffy appearance that resembles a balloon when hanging. The balloon valance owes its puffy appearance to a light fabric or tissue paper stuffing found inside the valance material. The balloon valance works well with romantic themes and elaborately decorated rooms. While still used quite frequently, the balloon valance does not have the popularity that it once did due to its formal appearance and the lack of formality in modern decorating styles.
  
  

Tab Top

• The top of a tab top valance has tabs or loops that hold the window covering in place on a curtain rod. The tabs not only function as a way to hang the valance, they also provide a decorative appeal. These types of valances work best with a decorative rod, since the top of the rod shows through the openings in between the tabs. The tabs of the valance can be made from the same material as the main part of the valance or a complimentary fabric. This traditional window treatment works well in most rooms in the home.
  
  

Ascot

• An ascot valance is a design of window covering formed in the shape of a "V" or a triangle. The valance has a rod pocket at the top of the valance that holds the curtain rod. The "V" shape of the valance varies in size and is often larger in the middle or on each end of the window. Ascot valances may be trimmed with tassels, fringe or beads. These decorative touches help add to the contemporary design of this type of valance.