Thank you all for the kind comments on my kitchen. I really do love the way it is turning out so far! I also agree that my kitchen windows are a nice focal point and I really don't want to take away from the beautiful arch top and wood trim that contrasts with my walls and cabinets. I still feel like a small valance might add interest in both texture and color that would tie in with my overall color scheme. I am looking at tons of pictures on the web to narrow down the look I am going for. I appreciate all the good ideas offered here also. I did find a picture of a valance that comes fairly close to what I am thinking about. I photoshopped the picture of the valance onto my kitchen window picture. It is of course not my fabric, but it does have the same color burgundy and is a general style and size I would consider doing. I want to be able to fully visualize the arch top of my windows since that was one of the reasons I painted an accent color on the wall there to set off the window trim. After doing more measuring I am thinking the valance would be no more than 10-12 inches tall in order to minimize coverage of the window. Again I am just looking for a splash of color and texture in this area. What do you all think about this? Do you still think it cuts the window off too much and messes up the appeal of the windows? Iris16 - My gold wall color in the kitchen is a color match of Restoration Hardware's SAFFRON. We used Behr Paint for the color match. Maggiepie11 - I think I may very well end up using conventional curtain rods since I am thinking a return rod will work best in my space and if I make the valance with casings instead of tabs or loops I won't need to expose the rod Downsey - Yes I am on a budget and I can sew basic, uncomplicated curtains so that is what I am going to try to do. Thanks for your link to the swag curtains but I think I want to go more minimalistic and prefer not to cover up my arch top at all. It looks like a good idea though to use the medallions. Ingrid and Yayagal - thanks for the kind comments. I think my windows could stand alone and still look good also! Oceanna - those art glass images are really cool! I have a small arched glass window over the entrance to the master bedroom that I may consider putting art glass into. Thanks for the pics! Still trying to visualize my windows in the kitchen and figure out what valance style I can sew safely without botching up the job. Appreciate any more comments or ideas on style, size and hardware!

Thank you so much for these ideas and the technical terms ! I wasn't even sure what to google other than 'hinge' which returns a bazillion results, lol. Yes, inboard of the pivot point is the problem I was trying to explain. If I have to overlay the excess not centered to the opening, I will. But that takes my mirror further to the left than I wanted to be (hinge will be on the right). Ideally, the excess would be to the right, on the same side as the hinge, with just a little overlay on the left. When I googled 'overlay partial wrap hinge', I also found these hinges. I think the plate would have to be mounted on the face of the sheetrock, with longer screws that would go thru the sheetrock and screw into the studs, but would these work ??? It looks like they would allow the mirror to have a very large overlay on the right and also the hinge would be hidden. http://www.hardwaresource.com/hinges/cabinet-hinges/blum-european-hinges-grass-european-hinges/blum-compact-33-hinges-and-mounting-plates/blum-compact-33-face-mount-plate http://www.hardwaresource.com/hinges/cabinet-hinges/blum-european-hinges-grass-european-hinges/blum-compact-33-hinges-and-mounting-plates/compact-33-hinges I see the hinge is supposed to be inserted into a drilled out cup. Vice versa, could the face plate be mounted on the mirror, and the hinge cup be drilled into the sheetrock ? Would the hinge still open correctly ? The reason I ask, is because I am not sure what material the frame of the mirror is made from and also if it is deep enough to allow me to drill the cup. Lateral hinges I think would not work, for the same reason as the drawer glides mounted sideways - I don't *think* there would be enough room. We're down at the beach house right now (our last guest broke the side rail on one of the bunk beds and we're here fixing it, no idea what they were doing to break the rail lengthwise all the way from end to end!! kids jumping on the bed I would guess), but I can measure for that idea when we get home tomorrow.

What you have there is a bottom-of-the-barrel 35mm hinge. 35mm hinges are now the standard, and come in many grades. They are made in differing increments of overlay, which is how the relationship of the cabinet door to the box is expressed. If you shop for replacement hinges, you will have to determine what overlay your cabinets were built with, because it cannot be altered easily. (you have to replace the doors to change the overlay) For example, if the door overlaps the opening in the box by 1/2" all around, that is called 1/2" overlay. And so on. Hinges are available in different degrees that they can swing open. The lowest cost ones are 110 degree. If you are looking for a direct replacement, these are pretty close, make sure you order the right overlay; from your pics it looks to be 1/2" http://ebuilderdirect.com/fafrsanicahi.html Casey

I would replace the painted over hinges with new hinges of the same style. I sure would not spend $50 per door for specialty Euro hinges. Euro hinges that open only 110 degrees. The hinges you have now will open more than that. Plus the problem of filling screw holes from the old hinges, sanding, filling, priming & painting the face frame. Replacing with hidden hinges does not gain you any function. Rather, it would be a minus, minus, minus. Cost of the hinges plus installation & repair to face frame, Euro hinges that don't open as wide, space that the hinges require inside the cabinets which could interfere with function of roll out shelves, etc. (if you have those.) If you would like a slightly different look, these hinges might work: Less than $8 a pair.