Can you just un-puff them?

I think balloons are pretty dated. Some people still use artificial plants, so not sure about the ivy.

I hung a simple woven wood at the kitchen & keeping room windows. The French doors that lead to the screened porch remain free of window treatments.

Sure they're dated, but do you really care? If you still like them, use them. If not, consider something like roman shades or a simple fabric-on-pelmet style over wooden blinds.

wow ...i remember them back in the 80s. my SIL (always hated her) bought these cheapie balloon valances for a powder room. whenever i'd be in there i'd notice something strange about them so i took a closer look. SIL stuffed rolled up newspaper in the poofs, i guess to make them poof more! freak.

dated, yes.

Yes, the balloons are dated.

"If one does do a window treatment with a vintage look, what would it be? "

What do you mean by "vintage"? 1950's, 1900's, 1700's?? Are you shooting for something historically accurate or something that just looks nice and is practical?

I agree with writersblock. If you like them, embrace them. Do they still fit the style of the kitchen?

If you want a change,unpuffing can work. I unpuffed my former balloons (then went with naked windows in this remodel).

If you like the fabric, maybe you could remodel them.You could shorten their width and gather up in two places with ribbon or trim. I think that's a look that is still done. Or, for a more tailored look, you can make them into a straight valance with a couple of inverted box pleats at the corners. If you look at Country Curtains, you might find a style that you could make them into. You don't have to sew, either, you can use fabric glue and iron-on tapes and things. JoAnn Fabrics should have that kind of stuff.
HTH

Save them for after the remodel and see how they go. Believe it or not, MANY of us do not know what is current in window fashions and embrace all different types if they look good. We may notice if the fabric is particularly dated but the shape? eh.

SOME of us actually feel that an older item that bucks the current trend while still looking good shows a decorator knows (knew!) what she was doing and prefer something well chosen to something that must be changed out every few years.

SO I would not constrain myself to matching them with the new kitchen but I'd keep them until it was done and see where to go from there.

First of all, it's fate that I logged on today, because my wife just had me out at home depot looking for blinds (among other design-ie things) and when I said, "But we have curtains in there..." she promptly said "uuuhgghh, no no. Those went out right after shoulder pads!" and I said, "whats so wrong with broad shoulders?"

She didn't think that was funny. But the point is I actually had a conversation about "balloom vallances" without even knowing it, and yes, apparently they are out.

For me, the jury is still out though. I think they look just fine in the guest bathroom.

Ours are sort of like this but shorter. I will try to get a pic.

Dated? Yeah, I say so.

But unless your planning on staging for selling, the only thing that matters is if they're dated to you.

Yes, they're dated. But I remember that even when they were in style in the '80's, I felt that their crevices were magnets for dust. One warm summer night a big moth flew out of my friend's balloon valances (in her living room).

I think Billl's question above is key. What do you mean by vintage?

Have you thought about no window treatments at all? Since you said privacy is not an issue, and if the windows aren't huge, many on this forum have opted for nothing at all, letting the trees or the view outside the window be the "window treatment".

I have the cellular shades that roll up to almost invisible nothing during the day, allowing me to see the most of my pretty trees during all seasons. At night, I roll them down for privacy, and they look very straightforward and un-fussy, which I wanted for my kitchen.

I have seen baloon shades recently in some high end kitches, and I am having some made for my current remodel.

Do what you like, not what someone else says you should like.

i recently made flat roman shades for the dining room. DH helps me hang them and says "well they look nice but I like the poofy ones you did in the old house better". Yes, that was mid 90s.

I think they are still appropriate for some kinds of traditional decor.

The current style is for no window treatments in the kitchen at all.

So. Is that going to look naked to you?

Hi Gailyb- What's the brand of your fluted apron sink? Did you do a lot of research?
I am looking into the fireclay, but I am nervous about cracks.

Thanks,

Mine are a "little vintagey" with a modern print. They are gauze on push rods with draper clips. Kinda a cute cheap fix until I can decide and invest in something more permanent.

So yes, un-balloon yours and clip them back up for a while!!!

Traceee, those are really cute!!

Want the honest truth?

GW Kitchen advice: Genius ideas that could make you a billionaire if you patented them.

GW Decorating advice: The blond leading the blond.

Yes, pouffy valances old fashioned. But old fashioned doesn't necessarily mean dated. We need to see them, the room, and understand the look you're going for.

Thank you all for your advice! I still think they are beautiful with my existing kitchen but may not work once the granite is installed.I guess I'm feeling old but I remember having them made 18 years ago when we built our house and that feels like yesterday. I swore years ago that I would never let my house become dated (as my parents' house became because I was into design and they weren't) Well everything becomes dated and you just don't notice!

As a poster suggested, it's worth keeping them until everything is in, but I do have a good friend who wants them. I do agree it might be nice to see how the "naked"windows look. The granite has a lot of movement and might be too much with them. Bill1, that was an interesting comment about what I meant by vintage. I think vintage was the wrong word. I like a country french look if that helps.

EMH101, the sink is by Whitehaus. It is a single bowl 30 inch fluted white sink. Go to the vintage tubs website. There were many many positive reviews so I thought I would take a chance. Actually the price ($535!) was so appealing and the sink is so pretty that I felt I had nothing to lose. The Rohl apron front was more and they have stopped making the fluted one. It was an easy decision because the fluted one was the one I had to have. I had considered the Rohl and the Kohler undermounts (fireclay and cast iron respectively) I will say that two plumbing stores both highly recommended fireclay (Rohl)over the Kohler. Apparently fireclay can dent and cast iron can stain so both have some issues. I have had a cast iron white Kohler for 18 years and it's fine today. I did order the protective SS grid for the Whitehaus sink. And I ordered everything online and saved $150 on the sink.

in a word - yes. but do what you love, whatever that may be.

Have you considered a roman shade covered with fabric? I think those look really nice. I like the way they look when they are up. You can see the fabric and add an extra pop of color to the room. Might not be vintage enough for you, but that's what we're considering in our 1928 inspired kitchen.

Yes, I too think they're dated. But more central to this decision is your statement that you want a more "country french" look. French country kitchen look does not equate to balloon curtains. Either go with nothing on your windows, or the very simply-hung window coverings that Tracee has pictured. You can find provencal fabrics in a lot of places if you are interested, but be careful not to go overboard with that cause it may be jarring in a typical American-style kitchen.

If when the room is finished and you like them with all the other elements than they should be used! Roman blinds and the naked window look will be dated in no time too. Everything dates. If you look at very wealthy peoples homes (old money) once they decorate they usually wait till it is broken to redo it because they are not worried about trends. I am tiring of the natural blind simple window look that is all over blog land and have had that look in my own home since the late 90s and now i am liking my friends that have more fomal window dressings. Following trends is a lack of creativity while going with what you like is and expression of style that should be followed. Here is a link from houzz the 6th pic down is of a white new kitchen with ballon valances and it looks fine! there are 890 other pics of rooms with balloon valances so they are still being used even if they are not on trend.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.houzz.com/photos/query/balloon%20valance/start=8