Cardboard Corner Window Cornice

4 Materials
$20.00
Easy
Our Master Bedroom has a windows on each wall in a corner and high ceilings. Installing a corner window cornice will tie the windows together. A window cornice also allows me to hang curtains and rods I already have lower on the wall so the curtains brush the floor and give the illusion the curtains are custom length. Sneaky!
I got even more sneaky when I made my expensive looking custom corner cornice out of a free cardboard box! Here's how I made it.
No sew, no tool DIY window cornice
You will need:


Cardboard or foam core - I used the boxes from the bookshelves shelves we bought for our office


Tape measure


Staple gun and staples


Utility knife or heavy duty scissors or both


Padding - Felt, fleece, or batting if you want it fluffy - It is OK to use mismatched scraps as long as they are the same type and thickness. No one will see the padding when the project is finished.


Duct tape or other heavy duty tape


Dust ruffle - I hate sewing box pleats. They are so fiddly! I bought and cut a King size dust ruffle that had box pleats.


L brackets


Screws and wall anchors


Drill


Level
Measure, measure, and measure again .
I used the tape measure to determine how tall, long, and deep I wanted each side of of the corner window cornice to be. My cornices are 9 inches wide and 8 inches deep.


I added an approximately 8 inch overhang to the top of each window valance where each valance will meet in corner of the room. This is what I will use to attach the cornices together so they meet in the corner. I cut the box to my measurements.
Tape time!
I taped the valances together at the corner with heavy duty tape and reinforced the joins with a heavy duty staple gun as needed.
Heavy duty staples work best.
. I padded the valance in felt and used a heavy duty staple gun to staple the felt into place. I wrapped the corners like a present and stapled them into place.
Looks so expensive and custom but oh so cheap
I put the bed dust ruffle on the cornice and arranged it so the knife pleats in the dust ruffle are in the corner and each end of the corner cornice, cut away the excess fabric, and stapled the dust ruffle into place.


I used the level, drill, and screwdriver to install the wall anchors and L brackets above each window. I lifted the cornice into the L brackets. I attached the cornice to the underside of the cardboard window cornice to the L bracket with screws. I shouldn't have been concerned about the cornice moving or falling off the L bracket over time. The cornice has stayed just as it is 10 years later.


Lastly, I put the curtains on the rods. Ta da! Finished!
Lisa - Condo Blues
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 9 questions
  • KD Redlowske KD Redlowske on Feb 24, 2018

    Lovely and so efficient. Just a couple of little questions. What do you use/do to keep it clean? I'm assuming you don't take it down once in a while to wash it? 😀

  • KD Redlowske KD Redlowske on Feb 24, 2018

    Lovely and so efficient. Just a couple of little questions. What do you use/do to keep it clean? I'm assuming you don't take it down once in a while to wash it? 😀

  • KD Redlowske KD Redlowske on Feb 24, 2018

    Lovely and so efficient. Just a couple of little questions. What do you use/do to keep it clean? I'm assuming you don't take it down once in a while to wash it? 😀

Comments
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2 of 119 comments
  • Bek Bek on Apr 24, 2019

    That's just genius, and one of those projects that allow even those of us on tiny budgets to achieve a high-end look! THANKS!

  • Thomas McLean Thomas McLean on Apr 27, 2019

    I think a thin wood might do a longer lasting job. It does look good though.

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