A valance can bring an architectural detail to a formal living room

Most people think of the living room as the most formal part of their homes, and with good reason. It's the area where visitors are likely to be entertained, and a space that many homeowners view as the showplace of the home.


The best approach to designing a formal space is to keep it symmetrical. Members of the Interior Arrangement and Design Association, in redesigning a living room for HGTV.com, advised bringing balance to the room, while creating several conversation niches.


If there is a fireplace in the room, for instance, it can serve as a focal point but some weighty piece of furniture, such as a large bookcase or hutch, can counteract it across the room. Having two loveseats face each other in front of the fireplace is often more inviting than placing one long sofa along a wall.


In front of a living room window or in a corner of the room, a small conversation area can be arranged with two chairs and a small table between them, the website advised.


For a window treatment, wood valances can add an architectural detail to a formal space. For a softer touch, valances may be upholstered in a fabric coordinated with other patterns in the room.