Wooden window cornices and valances are a luxe look that allows you to hide curtain rods and other hardware out of sight. You can make a simple cornice out of some scrap wood attached in a box ...

To put it simply, a cornice is a solid and often wooden fixture that covers the top of a window, while a valance is a soft fabric that drapes across the top, concealing the curtain rod.

MY WINDOW treatments give me—to use the patois of the internet—the Sads. The thick, faux-wood blinds evoke sidewalk grates when they’re open and an armadillo’s flinty hide when shut. They ...