We are all about the decorative bling here at the Sow's Ear.
Today, Jason spent most of the morning erecting the decorative valances (or skirt battens) which are found between the stumps of a traditional Queenslander where the weatherboards end.
A valance is mostly a decorative device from what I can gather - a supporting frame is affixed between the stumps and simple timber palings are nailed onto the support. The paling are then cut in an arched, angled or straight line pattern with a jigsaw
Anyway, Jason is mad for them. Mad I tell you. He is planning on building more, so it dresses up the Sow's Ear. Here is a shot of his first foray into valance territory:
Building the valances will be handy weekend DIY warrior work and will have a massive impact on how this little old Sow's Ear presents itself.
It's good to have a project!
Today, Jason spent most of the morning erecting the decorative valances (or skirt battens) which are found between the stumps of a traditional Queenslander where the weatherboards end.
A valance is mostly a decorative device from what I can gather - a supporting frame is affixed between the stumps and simple timber palings are nailed onto the support. The paling are then cut in an arched, angled or straight line pattern with a jigsaw
Anyway, Jason is mad for them. Mad I tell you. He is planning on building more, so it dresses up the Sow's Ear. Here is a shot of his first foray into valance territory:
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| New valance. Jason plans to get the belt sander onto the ends to smooth it out. |
Over the next little while, Jason will install another valance on the other side of the Sow's Ear, under our bedroom.
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| This is the little area which will get a mini-valance, around the house stumps |
Afterwards, with some practice under his belt, he wants to tackle the huge area under the deck. It is quite plain and bare, but the addition of the valance will soften the deck, allowing it to tie in nicely with the character of the house.
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| This is an old photo of our deck when we were painting last year. Jason will build an arched valance between the deck posts below the deck floor. It should help to disguise the proportions of the deck |
It's good to have a project!
We call them eyebrow battens in our house. I reckon it makes all the difference to a Queenslander ... wrong without them, I say (in my best Pauline Hanson "it's not natural" voice ;-)
ReplyDeleteThose really will make a subtle but very nice difference, softening the lines, as you said. Another great job by Jason!
ReplyDeleteI'm mad for them too! They really do make a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteThey look fabulous anita, no wonder jason is so keen. It really does finish the house off beautifully!
ReplyDeleteMy favourites are the curvy ones like you're putting in! They make the outside of the house so pretty.
ReplyDeleteWe, well I say we but really I mean my housemate and his father replaced the valances on the house at Auchenflower, which was on a hill. Oh it was an adventure in getting the angles and the curves to look just right going across the front of the house but at the same time down the hill.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Jason has a much easier job than they did. I'll be most interested in seeing mini-valance on completion.
You'll have to get some hanging ferns to hang under the valance for true a Queenslander completion.
They do seem to 'finish' the house, don't they? What a big difference these photos show to the one in your blog title above. x KL
ReplyDeleteEh, I'm with Jason on valances. Like, one hundred percent. Luv 'em to bits and pieces. I think they transform places - gappy dark holes which look as though teeth are missing suddenly become orthodontic dreams.
ReplyDelete