Pelmet
Pelmets are box-like frameworks positioned to cover the top of windows so as to conceal the curtain fixtures. They are typically made of lightweight timber and are sometimes referred to as window cornices, which can incorporate moulding.
Pelmets are often decorative, arched to varying degrees or flat-bottomed, and can be upholstered to match the curtains. Fabric pelmets are sometimes referred to as valances, and can be creatively designed to be voluminous and opulent.
As well as being decorative, pelmets also have an insulating role and can help save energy by preventing convection currents. When warm air reaches the top of a window, it cools and tends to fall. This creates a cold downdraft. The pelmet can hep reduce this flow of air.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.