A pelmet is a decorative structure fitted across the top of a window, or sometimes a bed, to conceal the curtain track or pole and finish the window treatment. It may be made of carved or painted wood, gilded composition or metal, or of a board covered in fabric and trimmed with braid, fringe or tassels; a soft gathered or pleated fabric version is usually called a valance.
Pelmets became an important part of the grand interior in the eighteenth century, when upholsterers and cabinetmakers designed elaborate window cornices to match the room's furniture and plasterwork. Thomas Chippendale and other leading makers supplied carved and gilded window cornices, and Regency pattern books by designers such as George Smith and Rudolph Ackermann's Repository illustrated pelmets with swags, tails and deep fringes. The Victorian period favoured heavy draped schemes, often with shaped and trimmed boards known as lambrequins. Antique gilded pelmets and carved cornices are sought after by interior designers for restoring historic interiors. When buying, check the dimensions carefully against the window, look for damage to gilding or gesso, and consider whether a pelmet can be reupholstered or adapted without losing its character.
