Guest Author - Rosemary Rugnetta

We all have those little things that make us want to cringe. One of those things that just does it to me is when I go through all of this work ironing drapes or curtains only to have them look disheveled up by the rod. So I made a major decision to make wooden cornices for my windows. My parents did it way back when and the windows always looked so nice. So now I did it. Turns out that this is another one of today’s window trends.

Measure your window from side to side and add three inches to each side. Now add an additional five inches for the depth of each side (a total of 10 inches) which will give you the total length of wood that you need for making the cornice.

The length of the cornice from top to bottom is up to you. Usually six to eight inches is sufficient.

The top piece which is the shelf of the cornice will be the same measurement as the front piece in length from side to side. The width (from front to wall) should be 5 inches.
Remember to measure twice, cut once.

Assembling

Do a test run. Put the pieces together to make sure they fit right. It basically will look like a box without a bottom or back attached.

Using wood glue, glue each piece together. Then hammer small wood nails or finishing nails at all joints.

Finishing

At this point, you can paint it the color of your choice or stain it or you can get creative and paint a design on it. I used a decorative stencil, trace the pattern, and then used a dremel tool to carve it out. After doing this, I stained and polyurethaned the entire piece. You can also add a piece of decorative molding to the top or a medallion in the middle.

Another idea is to place a piece of foam on the board and cover it with fabric. You can use fabric that matches your upholstery or drapery.

Hanging

I found that the best way to hang these is on a piece of wood. Measure the cornice again from side to side and subtract 6 inches. Cut a small piece of wood (2 x 2 ) the length that you have measured.. Make sure that your drapery hardware (curtain rods) are already in place so that you leave enough room to work with drapes after the cornice has been installed. Place this piece of wood against the wall at least three inches above the drapery hardware and nail to wall beams. Now place the cornice on top of that and nail or screw into the board making sure that the overhang on each side is even.

You can also use “L” brackets, which can be found at any store, to attach the cornice to the wall.

There you have it. It really is easy to do and just makes a window look complete. No more messy tops of curtains or drapes that are buckling on top. Now if they do, who cares?! You won’t be able to see it anymore. That’s why I made wood cornices for every room of my home.