Window cornices

[charliej]

Anyone care to share pictures of their windows that they re-covered, or just came really nice from factory?

I would like to re-cover mine, but don't know where to start when it comes to colors, or contrasting colors. Need some ideas.

[Vettesniper]

We just redid all ours in our 2006 Newmar Essex after getting estimates of around $7500 to do five valences! We chose colors that were close to the original but that we felt looked a little more up to date. The smaller valence is the "before" and the larger one is the "after". It wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either...just tedious to remove THOUSANDS of staples! We took videos from start to finish with an iPad to document how everything went together and left one completely assembled until we had a couple put back together. We took on this project because we were replacing the hateful day/night shades in our coach with MCD shades and were shocked at how dirty the old valences were when we took them down! Now that everything is back together people who see it say it looks like it came that way from Newmar, which I guess is a real complement.

Ron & Laureen
Melbourne, FL

[journey15]

Check out our window remodel. We hated the box coverings as it was dark and made the coach look confined. We replaced all window cornices with our own design and installed all new MCD shades throughout the entire coach. We tried to go the route of recovering the old boxes but just could not find the material needed to do it. We would also have to hire someone to recover them as we do not have the devices needed to undertake such a job. Along with our new interior remodel, we truly have an almost new coach now!
It was a fun job and we are extremely satisfied with the new look. It definitely looks more open now.

[charliej]

Ron, Laureen, nice job. It looks very professionally done.

Blucrabble, yes much more open.

Thanks for posting.

[Vettesniper]

Charlie,
Here is a link to a short YouTube video I just uploaded. It shows what these Newmar valences look like when disassembled.

http://youtu.be/f9ORJKT1ROc

If you decide to tackle yours let me know and I will upload more of my videos that show the tools and techniques I used.

Good luck!

Ron

[Vettesniper]

We also struggled finding fabric. The big fabric stores just didn't have what we were looking for and you will go broke buying fabric samples online! You can't decide and purchase fabric from pictures online, too many variables in color, weight, and intricate details that just don't come across until you hold them in your hand. We found a small local upholstery shop that had an unbelievable selection of fabric samples. They let us take as many books home as we wanted and we sat in the coach with them until we made our choices. They had access to mills and fabrics that the big stores can not get. Yes, we paid full retail for the fabric, but in the end you aren't talking about that much fabric. I think all in we purchased about 12-yards and we have plenty left over. Total cost for just the fabric was about $700.00, but it is at least as good if not better quality than the OEM used originally.

Ron

[Vettesniper]

One other thing about buying fabric...it is sold by the linear or running yard, not the square yard. All of the fabric we bought (and I think this is usually the case) was 54" wide. 54" is 1-1/2 yards (36 + 18). So in reality even though we paid for 12-yards we actually got 18 square yards of material!

Ron

[phil57]

We went a different route. I didn't like the dark fabric covering and we had Brad and Hall in Elkhart make these for us.

[motraveler]

very nice!!

[charliej]

Ron, Thanks for the video, wow that's a lot of pieces. I don't think mine is as complicated.

Phil, The wood turned out nice.

Thanks for posting.

[Spk64]

We are in the process of updating the bedroom. Painting wallpaper new flooring.
Took down the original cornices and they are filthy dirty and dated. Really enjoy seeing the ideas. Really like the all wood and that is right down my alley. Might have to knock some out for the bedroom upgrade.