From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishvalanceval‧ance, valence /ˈvæləns/ noun [countable] 1 DHa narrow piece of cloth that hangs from the edge of a shelf or from the frame of a bed to the floor2 especially American EnglishDH a narrow piece of cloth above a window, covering the rail the curtains hang on SYN pelmet British English
Examples from the Corpus
valance• Even a valance or pelmet will be given an extra highlight when edged with an attractive fringing or braid.• And with Superstyle Twin Track, a valance rail allows you to add a little extra style even in those awkward situations.• A valance of stones appeared in mid-air and fell, knocking oar blades and oarsmen.• Dorma offers a range of ready-made curtains, valances and tiebacks.• Pin top edges of valance and lining together and drawstitch the folded edges together.• Front and rear valances also bolt on, but are more costly than the sills to replace.• When all the pleats have been tacked in place, check that the finished width equals the length of the valance rail.• Long platform canopies supported by decorated iron and with wooden valances soon appeared.Origin valance (1400-1500) Perhaps from Valence town in southeastern France 