A valance is a versatile window feature that gives a home a welcoming look

Interior designer Bunny Williams has simple advice for people who are looking for a new look in their home. "Edit, edit, edit," she said in an interview with The Boston Globe. "Reorganizing a room that you've lived in a long time can make it look fresh and new."


Williams' latest design book is Scrapbook for Living, which advocates comfort and function along with beautiful design ideas. One way to achieve that is to remove all the decorative touches in a room - the artwork, the items on all surfaces - and consider changes to the existing furniture plan.


One way to make a home welcoming to visitors is to use upholstered furniture, rugs and window treatments to soften the acoustics of a room for comfortable conversation levels.

Valances are a versatile feature that can be mounted over window shades, blinds or curtains. They can be made of wood for an architectural touch or upholstered in fabric that coordinates with the rest of the window treatment.


"This book is about details, organizing your house, entertaining, making your own home have warm touches. It's thinking about it in small ways, which anybody can do," Williams told the newspaper.