You are right; it is your home and you can do whatever you like. But she is right; an empire valance would be antithetical to an Arts and Crafts home. A&C eschewed all the extra frills of the Victorian era, and espoused an aesthetic and a philosophy of honest straightforward materials and construction.

But what makes it an A&C house?

Even if the outside architecture is A&C, if all my furniture and fixtures are traditional or transitional, is that going to be a problem? I'm really upset to think that I am tied to A&C--especially since I'm still not sure what it is!

A house in our neighborhood just replaced their front door and sidelights. The house is a traditional 2 story, stucco exterior. The new door is very Craftsman with straight lines and beveled glass. My teen daughter who has taken a housing and interior glass even commented on how the door doesn't go with the style of the house.

Perhaps there's a compromise on the valance?

Even if the outside architecture is A&C, if all my furniture and fixtures are traditional or transitional, is that going to be a problem? I'm really upset to think that I am tied to A&C--especially since I'm still not sure what it is!

Since you're not trying to be period-specific in your home, then I don't think there's a thing in the world "wrong" with using the type of valance you prefer in your home! Now, if you were wanting your house to be true to the A&C period, that would be one thing. But you just said that your furnishings don't convey that particular style, so I have no idea why your designer insists that your window treatments must be period.

OP: "Even if the outside architecture is A&C, if all my furniture and fixtures are traditional or transitional, is that going to be a problem? I'm really upset to think that I am tied to A&C--especially since I'm still not sure what it is!"

Sorry, Meg! I misunderstood and thought you wanted a Craftsman (aka A&C, mission, or bungalow) interior. If you want your interior to be traditional, then go right ahead with that valance, girl! In fact if your exterior is A&C and your interior and preference is traditional/transitional, then your window treatments are a big part of how you'll want to bridge the gap between those styles. Ask your designer how she thinks about bridging those styles. And if she can't answer that question to your satisfaction (and answer your questions about what A&C is), then she's not the designer for you.

A designer's Theoretical Rule #1 is "Honor the Space". In other words, if it's a 1950's bungalow, don't try to make it a Japanese Tea House.

A designer's Practical Rule #1, however, is "Remember Who is Paying You." In other words, if the lady in the bungalow really wants a Japanese Tea House, that's what you create.

The way any designer melds these two rules can tell you a lot about them. If they insist on Theoretical Rule #1 no matter what you want, then fire them.

If they acknowledge and validate what you want, and try to find a way to make it happen, that's the designer you want. So what if they're not happy? You're not paying them to be happy. You're paying them so YOU can be happy.

You don't sound happy.

Now if someone would be kind enough to yank this soapbox out from under my big smelly feet, I would be very grateful.

Thanks for the comments everyone. To clarify, the outside architecture is probably Craftsman--like so much of the new construction here in the Pacific Northwest. But our tastes are more traditional or transitional--just not ornate.

I think our designer was looking at our kitchen cabinets in particular, which are very straight and simple. She thought the WT should echo those lines but I like the idea of bringing something curvy in to counter-act the boxy lines. As you said, bridging the styles. Does that make sense?

I have to go now but I'll check in later. For now, here are two views of our kitchen right after construction:

Here are the table and chairs we're considering, but they'll be in a dark stain to match the island. We're probably having cushions made for the chairs, assuming we can find fabric that will work:

The cabinets are straight and simple, but I really don't get a strong A & C feeling from them. I think you can do what you want and it won't look wrong.

Has your designer seen the rest of your furniture? I have an arts and crafts kitchen with a matching bathroom, but the rest of my house is traditional. I think your designer may think the empire valances is too fussy with an arts and crafts motif, but if you have traditional furnishings it would work.
Love your kitchen, and table and chairs, instead of cushions for the chairs think about covering the chairs (just like the chair shown above) with an arts and crafts fabric. I have two small chairs in our kitchen that I did in an arts and crafts fabric and they look nice.

Joann

The cabinet design was simple enough that I thought I could do almost anything with them. And that's why I chose a neutral color scheme. So I'm thinking the valance will be fine, especially with the rest of the furniture--and the furniture I hope to buy soon.

Our designer has seen the furniture that we have, and what I like from magazines, so I'm not sure where she got the A&C comment from. As for the chair coverings, we've gone round and round with those. We were going to just do dark brown leather because I was hesitant to tie myself down to any patterned fabric. Then we thought wood seats with cushions would solve that problem. But I'll think about your idea Joan.

Thanks again.

Since you aren't living in a restored A&C home, why does it matter to your designer?

Your kitchen doesn't shout A&C to me. I love your furniture selections, too. Go for what you love. I don't think William Morris will mind! LOL

Widely acknowledged as the father of the Arts & Crafts movement in England and North America, Morris worked to re-establish the value of hand crafted work in the industrial 19th century. His dictum: "Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" is as valid today as it was when he wrote it in 1880. -- from the Charles Rupert web site

Cameron

I agree with everyone else. I would never think of your home as Arts and Crafts style, per se. You do have beautiful clean lines to work with. In the kitchen I think it would be nice to soften the lines with a few curves. Good luck!

Your cabinets really look more contemporary to me than A&C. But that doesn't mean that you have to have a severely rectilinear valance. I am not sure that I would like an Empire valance there myself, but I could see using a less elaborate shaped valance like this one from Country Curtains (the illustration shows it with panels, but just ignore them).

Here is a link that might be useful: Veronique valance

I do see touches of A&C in the straight lines of the cabinets, the island corbels and the geometric tiles... but really, you could go a lot of different ways with what you have.

I agree that you shouldn't block the top of the window.

This is an empire valance:

What is the pattern of the fabric?

I think this is something I'll have to discuss in more detail with our designer and, if she won't do it, then I'll have to find someone else. The whole vision is kind of messed up right now because while I want something like this feel for the kitchen valance:

there's no way that fabric would work in our family room. I was going to use the same colors in the family room but the designer wants to unify the three adjacent rooms with identical window treatments.

That diagram above is very similar to the empire valance I'm talking about, except that the one I want does not have the drape or swag; it's flat. I'll link to a photo of karezz's kitchen eating area WT. For some reason, her close-up photos are not there now.

Here is a link that might be useful: karezz's empire valance with jabot

I recently saw pictures of a friend's home, and it was warm and beautiful--some of the most fabulous art I've seen in ages. She didn't follow any "rules" whatsoever. She used what she loved, where she loved it, and it worked. I think that is probably the single most important thing about our homes, maybe the only "rule" -- to break them, trust your instincts, and to have a ball.

Since you're not trying to achieve an A&C look, your transitional style does evoke other things.

I thought that link might be the more current, simpler, transitional style of the empire valance you were thinking of, after looking up some examples (quite formal). I could picture it too! Here's a two and a three panel (scale of fabric unknown).

HTH

Those were supposed to be clickable thumbnails, trying again:

I can see the vision your designer has , as far as keeping straight lines even with your window treatments; looking at what sheaven has mocked up confirms it.
I agree with her but that's my personal taste.

if you have your heart set on this kitchen treatment, just insist and get it.

It's just that seeing the straight top of your cabinet crown, the cornice and roman seems a natural choice.

Next time the designer uses the old "its an arts and crafts style home" to get her way on a decorating decision...ask her where shes going to get an "arts and crafts" style television and computer. Do what you want...its a home not a museum.

I guess I can see what MitchDesj is saying, although there's nothing else in the kitchen, just those two elements.

I'd think maybe a more boxy pleated scallop or something along those lines, which does follow the cabinet lines better. I'd want something curvy and feminine there too.

Just some examples to see if something like that is at all appealing to you. Not in your fabric, but I did change them to blue!

I think some adjustment or details at the top would work better, but just the general shape/idea.

HTH

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Example valance

Squirrelheaven,

Once again you are such an angel to do those mock-ups for me--and for everyone on this board! Thank you soooo much!

After seeing them up like that, I prefer the first of the empires (three panel over two) and the third scalloped valance. Wouldn't the scalloped valance be a good compromise? It's straight across the top but still has nice curves on the bottom.

Mitchdesj: what do you think of that valance from a design standpoint? Sorry to be so dense about this but I wish I could understand the issues.

Thanks again!

You're welcome! Glad it helped. I think it's a good compromise. I hope MD will stop back and provide some more input.

:)

I hope MD comes back, too!

I'm going next week to hunt for fabrics. I still have to find one fabric that will work in all three rooms--if I go that route. Don't know how I'm going to "unify" (designer's word) the indigo and sky in the kitchen with the other, mostly brown, colors in the family room.

While I love the fabric I posted above, especially the blues, it looks pretty awful next to our medium-stained cabinets. So I may buy some yardage to make place mats or a table cloth, but I don't think it will work for our WT.