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My valance is out of balance

I’m suffering from droopy drapes. I don’t like to make things with my hands. I’m not that sort of person. But, for some reason, I like to watch the home improvement programs on television. I’m fascinated as rooms are transformed from scary to nice. I’ve watched so many of these shows, I thought I’d tackle a project after all. My home came with vertical blinds at the one large sliding glass window that leads into the back yard. The blinds are just “OK”, off-white textured fabric over vinyl, but the top of the door/window is rather unattractive, and the hardware is unsightly.

Lest you think I’ve suddenly gone completely out of character and turned into a decorating blogger, let me assure you I have a reason for posting this, other than talking about what I “really” do in my spare time. I know this is a stretch, but: A “Valance” is a metaphor for life! There, you have it. (You may, of course, substitute any other term for “Valance”:  “Desk Chair”; “Linoleum”; “Cocker Spaniel”; “My Best Friend”.—it’s all the same.)

These aforementioned sliding glass doors were custom made for this home by the prior owner, therefore are not a standard size, so any window treatments I get for them must be custom made, at the cost of many dollars. So, I’ve put up with the boring (albeit custom) vertical blinds and their header for eight years now. Really, the attraction of that side of the house is the stunning mountain views outside it, so I wasn’t too bothered. Lately, though, (darn those home improvement programs!) I’ve noticed much more updated “wall windows” springing upon the scene, such as “French Doors” and “Energy Efficient Panels”.

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